The Broncos made a flurry of roster moves Saturday, including putting a pair of starters on injured reserve.
Wide receiver Josh Reynolds (hand) and center Luke Wattenberg (ankle) were put on injured reserve. Neither is a major surprise, but both will test Denver’s depth.
The Post reported Friday that Reynolds needed minor surgery on his finger after an injury late in Sunday’s win against Las Vegas.
Reynolds hauled in a fourth-quarter touchdown from Bo Nix and then slid to the ground and hit the padded wall behind the corner of the end zone. As he rolled over, he briefly grabbed his right hand before carrying on with his celebration.
Wattenberg appeared to suffer a substantial injury after Nix’s fourth-quarter sneak for a touchdown. He was able to get off the field on his own but not before several other offensive linemen gathered around him while he was on the ground.
The earliest either can return is Week 10 at Kansas City. The exact timeline for return is not known for either, but they each are thought to have a chance to play again this season.
Reynolds signed a two-year deal this spring and is second on the team to Courtland Sutton with 183 receiving yards. He’s tied for third on the team with 12 catches.
Wattenberg won the starting center job over Alex Forsyth in training camp and started each of Denver’s first five games. Forsyth, a second-year player and former college teammate of Nix’s at Oregon, will take over at center now for at least the next month.
To replace them on the 53-man roster, the Broncos are activating rookie running back Audric Estime off of injured reserve and signing safety Tanner McCalister from the practice squad.
Estime’s return means he’s in line for his first playing time since Week 1 against Seattle. He sprained his ankle in that game and has been on injured reserve the minimum of four weeks.
McCalister has regularly been up from the practice squad and has been a core member of Denver’s special teams units.
The Broncos did not activate cornerback Damarri Mathis from injured reserve. His 21-day practice window opened Wednesday so he is eligible to be returned to the 53-man roster either of the next two weeks.
OL reinforcements. With Wattenberg on injured reserve and right tackle Alex Palczewski (ankle) out for Sunday’s game against the Chargers, Denver promoted guard Calvin Throckmorton and tackle Cam Fleming from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.
Fleming was just signed earlier this week but started one game for Denver last year and 15 in 2022.
Throckmorton has been with the team since the summer and has been on the practice squad since the end of the preseason.
Expensive third quarter. Three Broncos incurred fines in the third quarter of Sunday’s win against the Raiders.
• DL John Franklin Myers, $14,069 for unsportsmanlike conduct
• FB Mike Burton, $7,653 for a blind-side block
• DL Malcolm Roach, $11,255 for a late hit
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