The Denver Broncos made a notable linebacker move on December 17, designating Karene Reid to return from injured reserve after the rookie missed the required four games with a hamstring injury, per the NFL’s official transaction wire. The timing is significant with inside linebacker Justin Strnad dealing with an ankle injury that kept him out of practice, raising immediate depth questions ahead of Week 16 vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Denver also signed offensive lineman Nash Jones to its practice squad, adding another piece of depth as the roster continues to churn late in the season.
NFL Transaction Wire Opens the Door for Reid’s Return
Reid landed on injured reserve in November after injuring his hamstring, a move that required him to miss at least four games. That minimum has now passed, and the Broncos have officially opened his return window.
Being “designated for return” doesn’t automatically mean Reid is back on the active roster yet. It does, however, start the clock on a key late-week storyline: whether Denver will elevate him in time to help against Jacksonville, or continue to play it cautious.
Reid’s return path matters because the Broncos have already been forced to mix-and-match at inside linebacker at different points this year, and Reid had carved out a role as a special teams contributor before the injury.
What It Means for Denver With Strnad Sidelined
Strnad’s ankle issue is the kind of midweek development that turns a “nice-to-have” return into something that can quickly become a necessity. Strnad left the Broncos’ win over the Green Bay Packers after suffering the injury and was initially labeled questionable to return.
If Strnad can’t go (or is limited), Denver’s linebacker snap distribution becomes a real question heading into a game the Broncos can’t afford to treat lightly, even at home. The Jaguars come to Empower Field on Sunday (5:05 p.m. EST on FOX), with the Broncos also staring at a short-week Thursday game at Kansas City right after that.
The Broncos also had running back RJ Harvey (ribs) taking part in indoor practice work, another health situation worth tracking as the week continues.
Denver’s decision to open Reid’s window also gives the Broncos a little more flexibility in how they handle reps this week. If Strnad is limited, Denver can lean on a rotation that protects starters while still keeping special teams coverage intact, often where depth linebackers make the quickest impact. Reid’s availability could matter even if he isn’t immediately penciled in for a heavy defensive workload, especially with the Broncos juggling multiple “day-to-day” situations in the front seven. With a Sunday game against Jacksonville and a quick turnaround to Kansas City on Christmas Day, Denver may value fresh legs as much as anything.
Broncos Also Add Nash Jones to Practice Squad
Denver’s other move Wednesday was signing Nash Jones to the practice squad, a depth add up front that gives the team another option in the trenches.
Jones previously worked out for Denver earlier this month, per a Broncos Wire report on a group of tryouts that included him. The Broncos circling back now is a classic late-season pattern: teams often bring in familiar tryout players once injuries and short-week scheduling start stacking up.
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