Jan. 19, 2026, 4:05 p.m. MT
Reinforcements might be on the way for the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos officially designated running back J.K. Dobbins (foot) to return from injured reserve on Monday, opening his 21-day window to be activated to the 53-man roster. Denver’s scheduled to practice on Wednesday and Dobbins is now set to return to the practice field for the first time since suffering his foot injury in November.
The 27-year-old running back took to social media on Monday with an encouraging teaser for Broncos fans. Dobbins posted a picture running onto the field with an emoji that shows an arrow and the message “Soon.”
It’s hard to interpret that any other way than Dobbins hinting that he is close to a return. After losing quarterback Bo Nix to a season-ending ankle injury, getting Dobbins back from IR would provide a huge boost to Denver’s offense.
The team now has room for up to two more designations to return from IR.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Broncos IR return designationsDL Malcolm Roach (activated)LB Dre Greenlaw (activated)LB Garret Wallow (activated, but later cut)OG Ben Powers (activated)LB Karene Reid (activated)LB Drew Sanders (not yet activated)TE Lucas Krull (not yet activated)RB J.K. Dobbins (not yet activated)OpenOpen
The list of other players who remain on IR includes center Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) and safety Brandon Jones (pectoral). Wattenberg might be a candidate to return during the postseason, but Jones is unlikely to return even if Denver reaches the Super Bowl.
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