Denver Broncos Make Roster Moves Ahead Of AFC Championship Game
Just hours before the biggest game of the year, the reality set in for Denver. The Denver Broncos officially placed Quarterback Bo Nix on injured reserve this Saturday, ending a magical run that had the fan base dreaming of parades. It’s a cruel twist of fate, but in the NFL, the machine doesn’t stop for sentimentality, not even for a quarterback who arguably saved the season.
With the AFC Championship showdown against the New England Patriots looming, Denver made four critical roster moves. It’s a mix of “next man up” mechanics and desperate reinforcement. Let’s break down what this means for the Orange and Blue as they prepare for war.
The End of the Bo Nix Era (For 2026)
Placing Nix on IR is the official period at the end of a sentence nobody wanted to finish. Nix didn’t just play; he galvanized a locker room. His ankle surgery went well, according to Head Coach Sean Payton, but knowing he’ll be watching from a suite rather than under center is a gut punch.
The Broncos are now Jarrett Stidham’s team. Stidham, who faces his former team, has to step into shoes that have suddenly become very large. The narrative writes itself: the backup QB trying to topple the empire that drafted him. It’s cinematic, sure, but it’s also terrifying for a fanbase that has finally tasted consistency at the quarterback position.
A Massive Boost For the Offensive Line
If there is a silver lining in the dark cloud of losing your QB1, it’s the return of the guy who snaps him the ball. In a corresponding move to the Nix news, the Broncos activated Center Luke Wattenberg from injured reserve.
Wattenberg has been the anchor of this line, playing every offensive snap for the first 15 games before a shoulder injury sidelined him. When you are fielding a backup quarterback in a championship game, the last thing you want is a backup center. The Stidham-Wattenberg exchange needs to be flawless.
Wattenberg’s return brings a level of communication and grit to the interior line that Denver has sorely missed over the last month. Against a vaunted defense, that interior protection is the difference between a clean pocket and a disaster.
Reinforcements At Wide Receiver
The Broncos front office wasn’t done there. The team elevated wide receivers Elijah Moore and Michael Bandy from the practice squad to the roster.
Why the double dip at receiver? Look at the injury report. Troy Franklin is dealing with a hamstring issue and is listed as questionable. In the NFL, “questionable” on a Saturday often means “game-time decision” on Sunday.
Elijah Moore is the intriguing name here. He’s got the talent and the speed to blow the top off a defense, but he hasn’t consistently put it together in Denver yet. With the stakes this high, Moore getting elevated feels like a desperate move. If Franklin can’t go, or if he tweaks that hamstring on the first drive, Moore needs to be ready to run deep. Bandy, meanwhile, provides that reliable slot presence.
Can the Broncos Survive the Patriots?
So, here we are. The Broncos are home underdogs. They are down their starting quarterback. The national media have probably already written the Patriots into the Super Bowl.
But there’s something dangerous about a team with nothing left to lose. The atmosphere at Mile High is going to be electric, fueled by a mix of hope and defiance. Stidham has the weapons, and now, with Wattenberg back, he has the protection.
