🔥 Meanwhile, Jarrett Stidham has taken the reins at quarterback after Bo Nix went down, with Alex Forsyth stepping in at center as Denver split the final two regular-season games to finish strong.
📊 Wattenberg isn’t just a returnee—he’s one of the NFL’s top centers when healthy. This season he posted a 70.9 PFF grade (9th among 40 eligible centers) and started all 1,005 Broncos snaps before the IR designation.
⚡ Career notes: A 2022 fifth-round pick from Washington, Wattenberg became the full-time starter in 2024 and had started 15 games in 2025 before going on IR. He signed a 4-year, $48 million extension in November, solidifying his elite-status potential.
📉 The team weathered a setback with a Week 16 loss to the Jaguars (34-20) that snapped an 11-game winning streak, but Denver answered with two straight wins to close the season.
🏆 Takeaway: If Wattenberg returns, Denver would add back a premier interior blocker for a championship push, with Stidham and Forsyth helping bridge the gap as the squad eyes a title run.
