Although Malcolm Roach has been the most prominent of the Broncos’ John Franklin-Myers replacement options this season, Eyioma Uwazurike has served as the team’s primary starter alongside Zach Allen and D.J. Jones up front. Roach may need to start soon, however.
The Broncos placed Uwazurike on IR on Saturday. A shoulder injury will send the fifth-year D-tackle to IR, 9News’ Mike Klis tweets. Additionally, Denver will have its full complement of wide receivers available in Week 9. Pat Bryant is coming off IR after missing four games with an ankle injury.
Enjoying good health over the past two seasons, the Broncos are seeing their IR activations dwindle. Uwazurike joins RJ Harvey as a player likely factoring into Denver’s IR-return calculous. Denver is down to four such moves left, after already activating Jonah Coleman and using August 30 IR-return designations on tackle Frank Crum and tight end Caleb Lohner. If/when Harvey and Uwazurike come off IR, the Broncos’ activation count will be low. Though, playoff teams receive two additional activations when the postseason begins.
Probably still best known for his full-season gambling suspension in 2023, Uwazurike has rebounded and worked as a seven-game starter this season. After backing up Franklin-Myers in 2025, Uwazurike has played 52% of the Broncos’ defensive snaps this season. The Iowa State product, who is still on his rookie contract due to the deal tolling following the suspension-marred season, has one sack and five QB hits this season.
Denver will likely use Roach more as a result, though this injury news figures to open the door for more playing time from 2025 third-round pick Sai’vion Jones and rookie third-rounder Tyler Onyedim. The latter has been a healthy scratch throughout the season. Uwazurike may be on the extension radar, but with Roach already signed to join Allen and Jones in being under contract for 2027, free agency may end up leading the fifth-year player out of Denver. And Uwazurike’s market may be impacted by this injury.
Bryant had been expected to return when first eligible, and the Broncos will see their other 2025 third-round pick back at work Sunday in Charlotte. Winning the No. 3 wideout job in training camp, Bryant had made some key plays for the team before going down in Week 4. Being carted off the field in San Francisco, Bryant avoided a season-ending injury and will rejoin Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims as auxiliary Broncos pass catchers. The Illinois product has nine receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown, also snaring a two-point conversion in three-plus games pre-injury.
As expected, the Broncos also elevated safety Taylor Rapp from the practice squad. The team procedurally cut the veteran Friday, but he did not need to clear waivers to reach the practice squad. Thus, another elevation for the recently signed DB. Running back Cody Schrader is also a gameday elevation, while the team signed DB/return man Sean Fresch Jr. from the P-squad to the 53-man roster. Fresch had reached his three-game elevation limit, so the promotion to the active roster was necessary in order for him to appear again this season.