The Denver Broncos designated linebacker Drew Sanders to return from injured reserve as a depth move as they’re prepare for their divisional game next week, as Sanders returns from surgery after tearing a ligament in his foot back in training camp. He was put on reserve before rosters were set up for the 2025 season, which opened up the possibility of his return next week.
The Broncos now have a 21-day window to decide whether they want to activate Sanders or shelve him for the season, with the move reported by Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. The Broncos will play next Saturday or Sunday, but they won't know the exact time, day or their opponent until the conclusion of this weekend's wild-card round.
Sanders was a third-round pick back in 2021, but he hasn’t seen the field much. He played in all 17 games as a rookie, but a torn Achilles tendon kept him out of all but four games in 2024.
His latest injury has come with a longer than expected recovery time. Coach Sean Payton originally said Sanders would be back in 4-6 weeks, but the effects of the injury lingered through training camp.
This is a depth move for Denver, and also likely a reward for Sanders that at least allows him to practice, even if he doesn’t see any game action. The Broncos linebacking corps is one of the strongest positional groups on the team, although the team did go through a midseason stretch where linebacker Alex Singleton was out due to surgery related to testicular cancer. The defense was also weakened for a stretch when cornerback Pat Surtain II was out with a shoulder injury, but the Broncos were able to maintain their record-setting sack pace at the time.
If Sanders does play, he’ll give defensive coordinator Vance Joseph yet another blitzer, although the Broncos have gotten plenty of production from their linebackers in that department.
Linebacker Nik Bonitto just made the All-Pro roster along with several of his teammates, but the Broncos will be f0cused on generating more turnovers during the playoffs, which is an issue Payton has been harping on for at least a few weeks now.
The move may also allow Denver to evaluate Sanders’ situation going forward. He was highly-touted coming out of Arkansas, but the Broncos extended multiple defensive players during their in-season bye week, so Sanders could be a trade candidate or he could be released during the offseason.