Former Illinois Star WR Pat Bryant Set to Return From IR

A former Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver appears ready to make his return to the gridiron Sunday for the AFC West leading Denver Broncos.

Pat Bryant, who has missed four-straight games with an ankle injury, was activated from injured reserve on Saturday ahead of a matchup with the 3-4 Carolina Panthers, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Denver designated the second-year wideout for return early in the week on Wednesday, but a few good days of practice were enough to make it official.

Bryant suffered the ankle injury in the Broncos October 4th game in San Francisco against the 49ers. It was one of Denver's two losses of the season, but the concern at the time was on Bryant's long-term availability as he was carted off the field following an awkward tackle from behind.

Luckily, the 23-year-old avoided a season-ending injury and was diagnosed with an ankle sprain. It was still significant enough to require a stint on injured reserve with a minimum four-game absence, though it looks like that will be all he needs to get back out there for a surging Broncos squad that has struggled to stretch the field consistently without him. Bryant was listed as questionable on the latest injury report, though all signs point to him suiting up.

Bryant was a four-year player at Illinois from 2021-2024. He recorded just six receptions as a freshman and then broke out as a sophomore with 34 receptions for 453 yards and two touchdowns. He upped this production again as a junior tallying 43 receptions for 560 yards and seven touchdowns but really shined during his senior campaign when he had 54 receptions for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns.

A captain that senior season, Bryant earned AP All-Big Ten First Team and Phil Steele All-America Second Team honors en route to becoming the fifth-highest wide receiver NFL Draft pick in Illinois history when Denver selected him in the third round (74th overall) in the 2025 draft.

Bryant worked his way into the mix in a talented Broncos offense during his rookie year before a scary injury in Week 16 upended his progress. During the December 21st loss to the Jaguars, Bryant took a huge hit coming across the middle and struggled to move. He was carted off the field and taken to the hospital in an ambulance for evaluation. It was later revealed to be a concussion and no further damage to back or neck as feared.

He struggled to stay healthy for the remainder of the season, departing the Divisional Round matchup with the Bills due to another concussion and leaving the AFC Championship game against the Patriots with a hamstring injury.

While the injury bug nicked him again early this season, the quick recovery is a good sign as Bryant looks to make his way back into the fold for a Broncos offense that boasts one of the league's best records despite ranking 21st in points per game (21.5) and 30th in yards per game (273.0).