Englewood, Colorado – The Denver Broncos made a tough decision on Tuesday, waiving veteran wide receiver Josh Reynolds as they faced a deadline to bring him back onto the roster from injured reserve. Reynolds, an eight-year veteran, had been designated to return from injured reserve on November 13, but the Broncos opted to part ways with him, allowing two rookie receivers to take on more prominent roles in the team’s rotation alongside Marvin Mims Jr.
Reynolds had signed a two-year, $9 million deal with the Broncos in free agency last March, but his time on the field was cut short by a fractured finger injury sustained in October. Despite his limited playing time, Reynolds managed to record 12 receptions for 183 yards and one touchdown in five games. The Broncos will pay him $4.245 million guaranteed for his brief tenure with the team.
Broncos head coach, Sean Payton, praised the efforts of rookies Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin, who have emerged as key contributors in the receiving corps. Vele, in particular, has shown promise, ranking second among the team’s wide receivers in catches (33) and receiving yards (377). Meanwhile, Mims delivered a standout performance in Monday night’s victory over the Cleveland Browns, recording 105 yards on three catches, including a 93-yard touchdown.
Aside from his on-field challenges, Reynolds also faced adversity off the field, having been injured in a shooting in Denver in October. The Denver Police Department made arrests in connection with the shooting, charging two men with multiple counts of first-degree attempted murder and assault. Reynolds, who sustained “non-life threatening” injuries to his head and left arm, has not publicly addressed the incident.
As Reynolds hits the waiver wire, the Broncos have the option to bring him back to their practice squad if he clears waivers. Alternatively, he could become a free agent and sign with another team. Despite his departure from the Broncos, Reynolds’ contributions to the team will be remembered, while the young receivers step up to fill the void left by his absence.