Linebacker Dre Greenlaw remained out of practice on Tuesday, two days before the Broncos play the Chiefs. That does not bode well for his availability.
Greenlaw injured his hamstring during Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars, playing 50 of 70 defensive snaps.
The team’s estimated practice report did not change from Monday.
Tight end Nate Adkins (knee), wide receiver Pat Bryant (concussion) and center Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) also were listed as non-participants for a second consecutive day.
Linebacker Justin Strnad (foot) remained a full participant and on track for a return after being injured in the Week 15 game against the Packers and missing Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars.
Broncos Clips
The Broncos and Seahawks have already claimed playoff berths, but both teams still have plenty to play for in Week 17.
Denver can clinch the top seed in the AFC if they beat the Chiefs on Thursday night while the Chargers, Patriots, Jaguars, and Bills all lose their games. They can also claim the AFC West title with a win and a Chargers loss or tie against the Texans on Saturday. They also win the division with a tie and a Chargers loss.
The Seahawks have a trickier path to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They need a win over the Panthers on Sunday along with a Rams loss and a tie between the Bears and 49ers. The NFC West will be theirs with a win and losses or ties by both the Rams and the 49ers. A Seahawks tie would be enough if both the Rams and 49ers lose their games.
Elsewhere in the AFC, the Jaguars will win the South with a win over the Colts and a Texans loss or tie while the Patriots will take the East with a win over the Jets and a Bills loss or tie against the Eagles. A Steelers win over the Browns or a Ravens loss to the Packers will make Pittsburgh the AFC North champs.
The Texans will clinch a playoff spot with a win or a Colts loss. The Packers are in a similar situation in the NFC as they’ll book a postseason spot with a win or a Lions loss to the Vikings on Christmas.
The Bears will be the NFC North champs with a win or a Packers loss while the Panthers will take the NFC South with a win and a Bucs loss or tie in Miami.
If the Packers, Texans, Panthers, and Steelers all clinch their playoff spots this week, all 14 playoff berths will be filled before the final week of the regular season.
The AFC and NFC rosters for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games were announced on Tuesday morning.
Votes from fans, coaches and players were used to select the teams. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce led the fan vote and was named to his 11th Pro Bowl. Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, and Bears safety Kevin Byard were the other leaders in that vote, but Williams is not on the initial NFC roster.
Chargers tackle Joe Alt did make the AFC roster despite playing in only six games before being shut down with an ankle injury.
Three teams — the Jets, Saints and Vikings — have no Pro Bowlers. The Broncos, 49ers, Ravens, and Seahawks each had six players selected.
The Pro Bowl Games will be held in San Francisco on February
The full rosters appear below with starters indicated by an asterisk.
AFC
Quarterback: Josh Allen*, Buffalo Bills; Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Running back: De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins; James Cook, Buffalo Bills; Jonathan Taylor*, Indianapolis Colts
Fullback: Patrick Ricard*, Baltimore Ravens
Wide receiver: Ja’Marr Chase*, Cincinnati Bengals; Nico Collins*, Houston Texans; Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens; Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Tight end: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders*; Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive tackle: Joe Alt*, Los Angeles Chargers; Garett Bolles*, Denver Broncos; Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills
Offensive guard: Quinn Meinerz*, Denver Broncos; Quenton Nelson*, Indianapolis Colts; Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
Center: Creed Humphrey*, Kansas City Chiefs; Tyler Linderbaum, Baltimore Ravens
Defensive end: Will Anderson Jr.*, Houston Texans; Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders; Myles Garrett*, Cleveland Browns
Interior linemen: Zach Allen, Denver Broncos; Chris Jones*, Kansas City Chiefs; Jeffrey Simmons*, Tennessee Titans
Outside linebacker: Nik Bonitto*, Denver Broncos; Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers; T.J. Watt*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Inside/middle linebacker: Azeez Al-Shaair, Houston Texans; Roquan Smith*, Baltimore Ravens
Cornerback: Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots; Derek Stingley Jr.*, Houston Texans; Pat Surtain II*, Denver Broncos; Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns
Free safety: Jalen Ramsey*, Pittsburgh Steelers
Strong safety: Kyle Hamilton*, Baltimore Ravens; Derwin James Jr., Los Angeles Chargers
Long-snapper: Ross Matiscik*, Jacksonville Jaguars
Punter: Jordan Stout*, Baltimore Ravens
Place-kicker: Cameron Dicker*, Los Angeles Chargers
Return specialist: Chimere Dike*, Tennessee Titans
Special-teamer: Ben Skowronek*, Pittsburgh
NFC
Quarterback: Matthew Stafford*, Los Angeles Rams; Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks; Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Running back: Jahmyr Gibbs*, Detroit Lions; Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers; Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk*, San Francisco 49ers
Wide receiver: Puka Nacua*, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba*, Seattle Seahawks; George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Tight end: Trey McBride*, Arizona Cardinals; George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive tackle: Penei Sewell*, Detroit Lions; Tristan Wirfs* Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive guard: Tyler Smith*, Dallas Cowboys; Joe Thuney*, Chicago Bears; Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons
Center: Drew Dalman*, Chicago Bears; Cam Jurgens, Philadelphia Eagles
Defensive end: Aidan Hutchinson*, Detroit Lions; Micah Parsons*, Green Bay Packers; DeMarcus Lawrence, Seattle Seahawks
Interior linemen: Jalen Carter*, Philadelphia Eagles; Leonard Williams*, Seattle Seahawks, Quinnen Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Outside linebacker: Brian Burns*, New York Giants, Jared Verse*, Los Angeles Rams; Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams
Inside/middle linebacker: Jack Campbell*, Detroit Lions; Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles
Cornerback: Jaycee Horn*, Carolina Panthers; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks
Free safety: Kevin Byard III*, Chicago Bears; Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Strong safety: Budda Baker*, Arizona Cardinals
Long-snapper: Jon Weeks*, San Francisco 49ers
Punter: Tress Way*, Washington Commanders
Placekicker: Brandon Aubrey*, Dallas Cowboys
Return specialist: Rashid Shaheed*, Seattle Seahawks
Special-teamer: Luke Gifford*, San Francisco 49ers
Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw injured his hamstring during Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars. He played 50 of 70 defensive snaps.
The team estimated Greenlaw as a non-participant on Monday’s practice report.
The Broncos, though, could see the return of linebacker Justin Strnad (foot). Strnad was among the players the Broncos listed as full participants ahead of the Christmas Day game against the Chiefs.
Strnad injured his foot in the Broncos’ Week 15 game against the Packers and missed Sunday’s game after not practicing last week.
In 14 games this season, including seven starts, he has 50 tackles, four tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, 3.5 sacks, two passes defensed and an interception.
The Broncos estimated tight end Nate Adkins (knee), wide receiver Pat Bryant (concussion) and center Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) as non-participants.
Every other player on the report was listed as a full participant, including cornerback Riley Moss (ankle) and guard Ben Powers (biceps).
The Chiefs listed four players as out of practice on Monday’s estimated report.
Wide receiver Rashee Rice (concussion), cornerback Trent McDuffie (knee), wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (concussion) and cornerback Jaylen Watson (groin) were listed as non-participants.
Offensive tackle Jaylon Moore (knee) and defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (illness) were limited.
Seven players were estimated full participants, including safety Mike Edwards (shoulder), cornerback Kristian Fulton (knee/wrist), tight end Noah Gray (shoulder) and offensive guard Trey Smith (ankle).
The Chiefs placed quarterback Gardner Minshew on season-ending injured reserve on Monday.
The Jaguars sank their teeth into a stray comment last week from Broncos coach Sean Payton regarding Jacksonville being a “smaller market.” And it worked.
Jaguars coach Liam Coen mentioned it in his address to the locker room. He repeated it in his post-game press conference. And he’ll likely keep using it to inspire his players for as long as their inevitable postseason run lasts.
On Monday, Payton was asked about the catch phrase he inadvertently gift wrapped for the Duval upstarts.
“It was very complimentary and those guys are playing outstanding football,” Payton told reporters. “That topic came up strictly because, hey, not enough of the country has seen how good these guys are playing. . . . The point is though, listen, that was a good job by Liam. He was looking for a rallying cry. Obviously, if you were listening to the press conference, the intention was strictly, ‘Hey, quietly these guys are sitting here right near the top of the AFC, they’re ready to win their division.’ I spent 16 years at a small market. It was just a way for a coach to take it and use it to his advantage.”
He’s right. And Coen was smart to seize on the remark in an effort to give his team a late-season spark.
Coaches look for anything they can use. It’s part of the job. Finding any actual, perceived, embellished (if necessary), or fabricated (if all else fails) disrespect to fuel the fire.
In this case, here’s what Payton said about the Jaguars last week: “As you look at them and you watch the tape, it’s a smaller market but you see a real good team.”
The fact that the NFL left one of the most compelling games of Week 16 in a 4:05 p.m. ET regional window highlights the reality that the league and the networks still aren’t expecting big numbers for Jaguars games. The failure to nudge the contest to 4:25 p.m. ET (where Steelers-Lions headlined the window) or 8:20 p.m. ET (where Patriots-Ravens supplanted Bengals-Dolphins) proves it.
So don’t be mad at Sean Payton. Be mad at the NFL. Heck, be mad at anyone and everyone who acknowledges the undeniable, objective fact that Jacksonville has one of the 32 NFL franchises despite being the country’s 41st biggest market, just ahead of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
If it works, use it.
The Chargers will not have one of their key defensive players for the last two weeks of the regular season.
The league announced on Monday that linebacker Denzel Perryman has been suspended for two games for repeated violations of player-safety rules.
The NFL’s announcement notes that Perryman was flagged for unnecessary roughness for delivering a forcible blow to the helmet of Cowboys receiver Ryan Flournoy while he was on the ground after making a catch during the second quarter of Sunday’s game. That action violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 10(b), which prohibits “using any part of the helmet or facemask to butt or make forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck area.”
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports Perryman will appeal the suspension, which would be heard and decided by Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson — the NFL and NFLPA’s jointly appointed hearing officers.
Notably, this is Perryman’s second two-game suspension for repeated violations of player-safety rules. The first came back in 2023 when he was playing for the Texans.
Currently, Perryman is eligible to return to Los Angeles’ active roster on Monday, Jan. 5, the day after the team’s currently scheduled regular-season finale against the Broncos.
The Broncos had gone a long time without a loss before the Jaguars rolled over them for a 34-20 victory in Denver on Sunday afternoon.
It was September 21 when the Broncos last lost a game and they put together an 11-game winning streak over the last three months. That means it has been a while since the Broncos have had to rebound from a loss, but they’ll need to do it quickly with a game against the Chiefs on the docket for Christmas and quarterback Bo Nix said after the game that he thinks the situation could prove to be a beneficial one for the team.
“We got hit in the mouth today, and they played a good game and we let it get away,” Nix said, via the team’s website. “But you’d rather have it hit you now than in the first round of playoffs. I wouldn’t call it a wake-up call, because we were playing well. It’s just one of those that will reset you and put you back in, get you back to where you need to be. It’ll put you in a good mindset if you’ll let it. You can’t let this one linger. We have to move on and attack this week on just a short couple of days.”
The NFL hoped that the Christmas game would feature a pair of teams vying for supremacy in the AFC as the season came to an end. The Chiefs did not hold up their end of that bargain, but it might make them the right kind of opponent for the Broncos to find under the tree as they try to bounce back from Sunday’s disappointing result.
Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant suffered a scary injury on Sunday on which he stayed down for several minutes, was taken off the field on a stretcher, and put directly on an ambulance. But the news on Bryant Monday morning is good.
Bryant was released from the hospital within hours, according to multiple reports.
Although Bryant was diagnosed with a concussion, he cleared all other testing and does not have a neck or spinal injury, which was an initial concern given his posture when he was knocked to the ground.
Bryant was hit hard by Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown while leaping to catch a high pass over the middle from Bo Nix on the second-to-last play of the Broncos’ 34-20 loss. Brown led with his shoulder, and while one official initially threw a flag, after a discussion Brown was not penalized for the hit.
Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant stayed down for a long time after taking a legal hit from Jaguars defensive back Montaric Brown late in Sunday’s 34-20 home loss and he was eventually placed on a stretcher to be carted off the field.
Reporters at the game noted that Bryant was then taken to an ambulance to leave the stadium.
Head coach Sean Payton said at a postgame press conference that it was “encouraging” that Bryant had movement in his extremities. A league source told PFT that Bryant was taken to a local hospital as a precaution and that he is being evaluated for concussion-like symptoms.
Bryant took a hard hit to the chest and shoulder while trying to catch a pass from Bo Nix as the Broncos tried for a last-ditch rally in the final minute of the game. He had five catches for 42 yards before the injury.
