Broncos Eligible to Get Two Key Players Back Off IR This Week
Posted October 1, 2025
Through the first four games, the Denver Broncos' defense has had some great moments, but it has been highly inconsistent. The Broncos have failed to make plays at times, tackling has been an issue, and penalties have been problematic.
The good news? The Broncos have some reinforcements on the way.
Both defensive tackle Malcolm Roach and linebacker Drew Sanders are eligible to come off injured reserve this week. While there hasn’t been any official indication of either player actually being activated, both could be used if they're healthy enough to be called up.
The Broncos' defensive line has struggled against the run, and Roach was a key rotational player alongside D.J. Jones last year. While Eyioma Uwazurike has stepped up, he has been inconsistent, and Jordan Jackson was a healthy scratch against the Cincinnati Bengals.
That indicates Roach will be activated for the upcoming Week 5 game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. The Broncos can use him on the defensive line. It'll be a boost to the rotation and can help generate interior pressure and bolster the run defense inside, both of which are essential against the Eagles.
Drew Sanders
Denver Broncos linebacker Drew Sanders / Getty Images
Sanders is a bit tougher to get on the field, as it's unclear whether he has improved as a run defender and in coverage. However, the linebacker play has been the biggest issue with the Broncos' defense. Alex Singleton has been
a liability, and while Justin Strnad has been solid through the first four games, he also has had his fair share of issues.
Sanders can help as a blitzer in the middle, something the Broncos have had issues with through the first four games. Singleton is one of the most blitzed linebackers, but he's picked up only two pressures, leading to a low pressure rate. Strnad has been more effective, with two sacks, but he hasn’t been used as a blitzer nearly as often.
So, with the Broncos' issues generating pressures with blitzing linebackers, that's the avenue for Sanders to get on the field, if he gets activated. He can also be a boost to the special teams unit, which has also been inconsistent through the first four weeks.
It's easy to see how Roach can help the defense, as he was a key cog for success last year, but Sanders is a lot tougher. There are ways he can help, but he is far harder to trust on the field because his play has been such an issue in coverage and against the run.
The Takeaway
There is a need for a change over Singleton, but Sanders may not be the right fit, especially without seeing it on the field first. Getting Sanders back may help, but it may be more limited in terms of how he can assist, especially on defense.
However, the Broncos need Roach back. They have had some questionable defensive front rotations, where the effectiveness wanes dramatically when the three starters come off the field.
Roach is a starting-caliber talent, based on his performance last year, so he should increase effectiveness when he rotates and provides the Broncos with another quality run defender inside, where they have had the most issues.
Arrowheadlines: Way too early prediction has the Chiefs as finishing the regular season as AFC’s second-seed
Chiefs headlines for Wednesday, October 1
2. The Chiefs’ defense held the league’s No. 1 scoring offense to just 20 total points.
Baltimore entered Sunday’s game with the league’s top scoring offense at 37.0 points-per-game, scoring at least 30 points in each of their three games (and dropping 40 points in two of them). That all changed on Sunday, however, as the Chiefs held Baltimore to just 20 total points (and only 13 total points prior to the fourth quarter, when the game was well in-hand).
In fact, Baltimore has been held to 13 or fewer points entering the fourth quarter on just nine occasions since the beginning of the 2023 campaign (including the playoffs), marking a span of 42 games. The Chiefs are responsible for three of those instances, doing so in each of their last three matchups with Baltimore.
Kansas City owns the league’s No. 2 scoring defense over the last three weeks, holding the opposition to only 16.3 points-per-game. The Chiefs still own the top scoring defense in the NFL since the beginning of the 2023 campaign by a wide margin, too.
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Kansas City Chiefs: The gloom of an 0-2 start has dissipated at least somewhat, with the longstanding class of the AFC just one game back of the division lead. More important than where Kansas City stands now, however, is how it got here. Xavier Worthy’s return from a shoulder injury sustained in the opener single-handedly transformed a passing attack that couldn’t count on finding anything easy without him. With defenses having to account for Worthy’s speed downfield, a ripple effect is created in which other pass catchers can finally thrive over the middle and Mahomes can more comfortably beat the blitz. That doesn’t fully excuse the Chiefs from failing to clear their own bar in the first three weeks, but the lackluster production is easier to stomach knowing where things could be headed as Rashee Rice’s six-game suspension also approaches its expiration.
Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) – AFC West Winner / No. 2 Seed
It wasn’t long ago that the Chiefs were 0-2 and were trending towards becoming the latest Super Bowl loser to suffer a hangover season, but it’s now looking unlikely that the first playoff miss of the Patrick Mahomes era will happen in 2025.
Kansas City just picked up a statement 37-20 victory over the Ravens on Sunday, bringing the club back to .500 in the process. The Chiefs are now well-positioned to take control of the AFC West with a soft schedule that includes winnable meetings against the Jaguars, Raiders and Commanders over the next month.
If they come out their Week 6 clash with the Lions—a potential Super Bowl preview—with a W, the Chiefs will continue their reign as the AFC’s team to beat.
Kansas City Chiefs
: Chris Jones, DTThe three-time All-Pro is the only dominant pass rusher on the Chiefs’ roster. Jones has amassed 81.5 sacks and 13 forced fumbles in 142 career games, utilizing a mix of power and finesse that makes him impossible to block at the line of scrimmage. As a “one-man” wrecking crew at the point of attack, the veteran sets the tone for a defense that relies on a blitz-heavy approach to disrupt the quarterback’s rhythm within the pocket.
Kansas City’s win shrinks the second tier
Major shakeups happened among second-tier contenders this week. Many of those changes stemmed from Kansas City’s impressive home win over Baltimore.
The Chiefs are back up to +950 (fifth in odds) after dropping to +1400 (sixth in odds) after Week 2. Slowly rising closer to its preseason number (+750), Kansas City looks dangerous as the roster gets healthy and Patrick Mahomes establishes a rhythm.
Thanks to its 1-3 start, Baltimore (+1000) dropped from second to sixth in the odds after the loss to the Chiefs. Injuries decimated the Ravens in the loss to Kansas City. Baltimore’s defense was down seven starters by the start of the fourth quarter. Lamar Jackson also exited the contest with a hamstring injury. The former MVP’s ongoing status remains uncertain.
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Overreaction or Reality: Overreaction
There is a chance Hill could return after his gruesome knee injury in the Dolphins’ win over the Jets, but the process of getting back to this level of play is going to be extremely long. Watching Hill on the ground was difficult, especially for a player who has been dominant catching the deep ball for over a decade.
Hill hasn’t been the same player for more than a year now, averaging just 58.3 receiving yards per game over his last two seasons. In his first two years in Miami, he averaged 106.3 yards per game. The decline was already happening before this injury.
Does this mean Hill will never see the field again? Tank Dell suffered a similar injury last season and still hasn’t returned.
Hill may not be the same player when he comes back, but it will be impressive if he does.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Sunday was simply the latest example of his longstanding headache. As a starting quarterback, Jackson boasts a 74–32 record — but against Kansas City, he is now 1–6.
The Chiefs are a riddle the Ravens cannot solve. They are the villains who refuse to die.
But this time, it felt like it might be different. Kansas City was reeling from its worst start in more than a decade; there were serious questions on both offense and defense. Sure… Baltimore had injury concerns on defense — but this was still a team that was expected to be the class of the AFC. Las Vegas had listed the Ravens as a slight favorite in Kansas City, something that had only happened twice since Patrick Mahomes became the Chiefs’ starting quarterback.
