The Denver Broncos don't have a playoff opponent to prepare for this weekend, but the team is still looking over the roster with a fine-toothed comb.
The Broncos will have a bye as the AFC's No. 1 seed and will wait for the results of Wild Card Weekend before finding out who they will play in the divisional round. On Wednesday, the team made several transactions.
The Broncos are looking to shore up areas where they have an injury, building more depth before the biggest game of the season. That started when the team brought back safety Tanner McCalister to the practice squad on Tuesday. McCalister was with the Broncos last season as a member of the practice squad. After being waived this summer, he had short stints with the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. Now, he's back in Denver to add more help at safety with Brandon Jones still on injured reserve.
After being waived on Tuesday from the 53-man roster, both Marcedes Lewis and Geron Christian were brought back to the practice squad after clearing waivers.
Christian will serve as an additional offensive lineman for the team, while Lewis, one of the oldest active players in the league, has played in four games for the Broncos this season. The team may appreciate his veteran presence on the roster to help out in practices, as Evan Engram, Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins are all healthy entering the postseason.
Finally, perhaps the most interesting move the team made was to sign center Michael Deiter to the practice squad. A third-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2019, Deiter has also played for the Houston Texans and Washington Commanders. He has appeared in 92 career games with 35 starts.
That may not bode well for the return of Luke Wattenberg as the Broncos have Alex Forsyth and Sam Mustipher on the 53-man roster at the center position but this move gives the team more depth should there be another injury. Forsyth left briefly last week with an ankle injury, so the Broncos appear to be covering all bases.
Deiter spent this season on the practice squad of the Commanders. He was released on Tuesday, freeing him up to be signed.
To make room on the practice squad, the Broncos released offensive linemen Nash Jones and Joe Michalik. It's tough news for Michalik, who spent the entire season on the practice squad after a solid preseason following the team's signing him as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State.
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Michalik will likely get a shot elsewhere, but the Broncos felt the veteran experience of Deiter came around at the perfect time.
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