The Denver Broncos quietly made one of their more intriguing “under-the-radar” roster moves of the season on December 15, claiming running back Cody Schrader off waivers from the Houston Texans, according to the NFL transaction wire and the team’s official announcement.
And while the Schrader pickup jumps out because of his eye-popping college resume, and immediate elevation to the active roster, the move also came with a meaningful cost on defense: Denver placed safety Brandon Jones on injured reserve with a pectoral injury in the corresponding roster transaction.
The Broncos also saw the New York Jets sign defensive back Keidron Smith off Denver’s practice squad on Monday afternoon.
Broncos Claim Cody Schrader After Texans Waive Him
Schrader’s path to Denver has been a bit of an NFL pinball machine this season.
He spent time with the Jaguars and Texans in 2025, and the Broncos noted he previously played a pair of regular-season games for the Los Angeles Rams since entering the league in 2024.
Houston had only just claimed him earlier this month before waiving him again, creating the opening for Denver to jump in and add him to the active roster.
Schrader has real production on his resume. At Truman State (Division II) in 2021, he posted a massive 2,074 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns, a season that put him on the map before his Missouri breakout.
Then at Missouri, Schrader’s final collegiate season was equally headline-worthy: 1,627 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, and he finished eighth in Heisman voting.
That’s the profile Denver is taking a shot on now, an ultra-productive runner looking for a stable NFL landing spot.
Broncos Place Brandon Jones on IR With Pectoral Injury
The more immediate football impact may be the IR decision.
Jones had appeared in all 14 games for Denver this season before suffering the injury against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, per the Broncos. With the IR placement, Jones is required to miss at least the next four games, which forces the Broncos to rework safety depth and special teams roles down the stretch.
Denver didn’t spell out a return timetable beyond the minimum, but the transaction makes one thing clear: they’re planning for life without him for a meaningful chunk of the schedule.
Jets Sign Keidron Smith Off Broncos Practice Squad
One more transactional note that matters for depth: the Jets signed Keidron Smith away from Denver’s practice squad and placed defensive back Isaiah Oliver on injured reserve in the corresponding move.
Smith is a name Broncos fans may recognize. He appeared in nine games for Denver last season, but didn’t appear in a game for the Broncos this year before the Jets made the move.
For Denver, the Schrader claim is a low-risk swing at a highly productive runner as the season grinds on. Late-year roster moves like this often double as contingency planning, giving the Broncos another option if injuries pile up or roles shift in the backfield. Combined with the Jones injury and the loss of Smith to New York, Monday’s transactions underscore how quickly depth can be tested as the Broncos push through the heart of the schedule.
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