The Denver Broncos placed rookie quarterback Bo Nix on injured reserve Saturday, officially ending his impressive first season just days before the AFC Championship showdown against the New England Patriots. In a corresponding move, the team activated veteran centre Luke Wattenberg from injured reserve to fill the open spot on the 53-man roster, while also elevating wide receiver Elijah Moore from the practice squad for potential action on Sunday.
It’s a bittersweet moment for Broncos Country. Nix, the 12th overall pick who dominated the league this year, suffered a fractured ankle during the thrilling overtime victory against the Bills last weekend. He scrambled, got tackled awkwardly on a late play, and then limped through the final kneel-downs before the game-winning field goal.
Surgery went well earlier this week – he even posted about it on Instagram, thanking his doctors and promising to be around the team – but placing him on IR seals it: no comeback this postseason.
The kid threw for over 4,000 yards, ran for another chunk, and led Denver to this deep run. Fans are gutted, but there’s quiet confidence in backup Jarrett Stidham, who’s been here before and knows Sean Payton’s system inside out.
Wattenberg coming back couldn’t be better timed. The fourth-year centre has been sidelined with a shoulder issue (some reports called it an ankle earlier, but it’s the shoulder keeping him out lately), missing the last stretch of games.
He’s started 28 times for Denver over the years, bringing that steady presence up front. The offensive line has held up pretty well without him, but getting a reliable starter back for the biggest game of the year? Huge.
Stidham will need clean pockets against a Patriots front that’s been disruptive all playoffs. Luke’s return opens his 21-day practice window, officially closed with activation – he’s ready to snap the ball and help protect whoever’s under centre.
Then there’s the Elijah Moore situation, which has a bit of that classic NFL insider feel to it. Moore, the speedy receiver they snagged for the practice squad mid-season, got elevated for the Bills game last Saturday.
Fans spotted him on the roster and got excited – he’s got real talent from his Cleveland days, quick cuts, and good hands. But he ended up a healthy scratch, never seeing the field. Turns out, he knew ahead of time. In a chat with the Denver Gazette, Moore called it a “reward” move – one of those quiet ways teams hook up practice squad guys with a full game cheque without burning a spot on gameday. It’s not uncommon late in the year, especially for veterans grinding on the taxi squad.
Now, though? Things look different. Rookie wideout Troy Franklin tweaked his hamstring badly against Buffalo and hasn’t practised fully this week – he’s listed as questionable at best. Pat Bryant is dealing with concussion protocol too, thinning out the receiver room even more.
Sources say the Broncos are leaning hard toward elevating Moore again for Sunday, and this time he could actually suit up and contribute. Denver’s passing attack has leaned on Courtland Sutton and the tight ends lately, but adding Moore’s explosiveness off the edge could open things up.
He’s been killing it in practice, earning that earlier nod, and with injuries piling up, this might be his shot to make some noise on the big stage.
Payton’s built a resilient group here. Three years into the rebuild, and they’re one win from the Super Bowl without their franchise QB. Stidham’s steady, the defence is flying around, and these roster tweaks show the front office staying aggressive.
Elevations like Moore’s are standard this time of year – teams get two per game from the practice squad – but the context matters. If Franklin can’t go, Moore steps in fresh and motivated.
Mile High Stadium will be rocking come Sunday. Cold weather likely, high stakes, two proud franchises battling for a Lombardi trip. Nix will be on the sideline in a boot, cheering his guys on. Wattenberg anchoring the line.
Maybe Moore making a catch or two that swings momentum. Football’s cruel sometimes – that ankle twist on a meaningless play ending a breakout year. But it’s also about the next man up. The Broncos just made their moves. Now it’s time to see if they pay off in the brightest lights. One game at a time, as they say. This one’s for all the marbles in the AFC.
