Curious murmurs and stunned smiles have swept through Denver’s locker room this week after the addition of 41-year-old tight end Marcedes Lewis, a man whose first NFL game came when many Broncos were still in elementary school.
Now, Lewis is set to take the field Sunday for the first time as a Bronco in his 20th NFL season.
Denver is elevating Lewis from its practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Texans, a source told The Denver Post. It was an expected move after the Broncos signed Lewis this week, in need of blocking-tight-end help with injuries to Nate Adkins (left knee) and Lucas Krull (foot).
Head coach Sean Payton said Lewis had “absolutely” shown enough this week to be elevated from Denver’s practice squad, and Lewis appears to have earned a vote of confidence from teammates.
“At practice, he looks really good … this guy is huge, too,” running back J.K. Dobbins said Thursday. “He’s a man’s man. So it’s really cool to see this type of guy in the building. And I’m going to try my best to learn from, too. ‘Cause, like, 20 years? That’s some knowledge that I can take away.”
Lewis last played in 2024 with the Chicago Bears, appearing in 17 games and starting four while catching just one pass in a dirty-work role. Payton said Lewis has been working out twice a week throughout this 2025 season, and he could step in for key run-blocking snaps Sunday against a stalwart Texans defense.
With Denver also down receiver Marvin Mims Jr., the team is also elevating practice-squad wideout Michael Bandy to the active roster against Houston, a source said. It’ll be Bandy’s first game up in Denver since 2023.
Palczewski suddenly questionable: On Saturday, the Broncos added left guard Alex Palczewski to their injury report with an illness, tabbing him questionable against the Texans. It’s a notable development, as Palczewski is the third left guard the Broncos have started this season. If he can’t go, reserves Calvin Throckmorton and Alex Forsyth would be the next men up.
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