Denver, Colorado: Broncos Activate Pat Bryant From Injured Reserve, Place Eyioma Uwazurike on IR

The Denver Broncos activated wide receiver Pat Bryant from injured reserve on Saturday, the team announced, one day before Denver plays the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte. Bryant missed four games with an ankle injury. Defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike went on injured reserve in the corresponding move, with a shoulder injury.

Bryant back after four games out

Bryant, a second year receiver, had nine catches for 133 yards and a touchdown in four games to open the season. He hurt his right ankle on Oct. 4, 2026, in the Broncos Week 4 game at the San Francisco 49ers, and was carted off the field. The Broncos placed him on injured reserve before Week 5.

He returned to practice on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, when Denver designated him for return, and he practiced through the week. His activation on Saturday puts him back on the 53 man roster for Sunday.

Bryant, 23, is 6 foot 2 and 204 pounds. Denver drafted him in the third round in 2025 out of Illinois. As a rookie he played 15 games and caught 31 passes for 378 yards and a touchdown, according to Broncos Wire. Broncos Wire listed him as the team No. 3 receiver behind Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton, rejoining a rotation that also includes Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims.

Uwazurike heads to injured reserve

Uwazurike started seven of the Broncos first eight games this season. The team said he recorded 17 tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and five quarterback hits while playing 52 percent of Denver defensive snaps. Players placed on injured reserve must miss at least four games.

Saturday brought Uwazurike a second piece of bad news. The NFL fined him $6,361 for a facemask penalty against Kansas City running back Kenneth Walker III in Week 8, according to reports of the league announcement. Walker gained four yards on the play in the first quarter, and the penalty gave Kansas City an automatic first down.

Three more moves for Sunday

Denver also promoted cornerback Sean Fresch Jr. from the practice squad to the active roster. Fresch has played three games for the Broncos this season, returned four kickoffs for 91 yards and made three tackles, while playing 48 percent of the special teams snaps in those games. The team said he had been elevated three times before, so he had to be promoted to the roster to play in more games.

Safety Taylor Rapp and running back Cody Schrader were elevated from the practice squad for the Panthers game. Rapp was released from the active roster on Friday, rejoined the practice squad on Saturday, and was elevated for the third time. He has played in the last three games and recorded 14 tackles while playing 73 percent of the team defensive snaps. Schrader was elevated for the second straight week. He made his regular season Broncos debut in Week 8 against Kansas City and returned two kickoffs, averaging 25.0 yards per return.

The Broncos face the Panthers on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, at 11 a.m. MT on CBS.