Sean Paton and the Denver Broncos continued to rework their roster while awaiting an official opponent for the AFC Divisional Playoffs.
Their latest slew of moves saw them officially announce that they signed Marcedes Lewis back to their practice squad after releasing him earlier in the week. The Broncos did not stop there, though.
Moreover, they added some championship pedigree in their flurry of transactions.
Broncos Add ‘Big Dog,’ Super Bowl Champion Amid Roster Moves
GettyDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton in action during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Broncos confirmed Lewis’ re-signing, as well as that of Geron Christian and the addition of former Washington Commanders draft pick Michael Deiter.
“Christian, a veteran offensive tackle, signed with the team in November but has yet to appear in a regular-season game,” DenverBroncos.com’s Aric DiLalla wrote in the team’s official release on the slew of transactions on January 7. “He rejoins the practice squad after being waived on Monday.”
Christian, 29, was also drafted by the Commanders, taken 74th overall in 2018. He has started 25 of 63 games and was a reserve for the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in 2022.
Christian has also played for the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, and Los Angeles Rams.
The Broncos doubled down on bolstering their offensive line depth, adding another former Commander in Deiter.
“Deiter, a 2019 third-round pick, has appeared in 92 games and started 35 contests in his NFL career,” DiLalla wrote. “He appeared in two games for the Commanders in 2025 and has also played games for the Dolphins and Texans.”
The Commanders selected Deiter 78th overall in his draft class.
The 29-year-old has started 35 of his 92 career games, and he even caught a pass as a rookie, though it did not gain any yards.
Broncos Part Ways With 2 Players
GettyDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on during a game against the Houston Texans.
All of the additions to the Broncos’ practice squad roster meant Denver needed to make corresponding moves. They did, announcing that they “released guard Nash Jones and center Joe Michalski from the practice squad,” per DiLalla.
Both players are former undrafted free agents.
Jones is a rookie out of Texas State, who garnered support as a late-round draft pick before the 2025 cycle.
“Nash is a high Day Three pick,” NFL Draft Diamonds wrote in 2024. “He has the raw tools, including the size and arm length and foot speed, necessary to be a legitimate prospect. His fundamentals can be fixed with good coaching.”
Michalski is also a rookie, but he played his college ball at Oklahoma State.
Unlike Jones, Michalski received an invite to and attended the 2025 draft combine. However, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein gave Michalski a “priority free agent” grade, which he was.
“Athletic but undersized center prospect who plays with consistency and a feel for his assignment. Michalski’s first-step quickness creates early advantages as a run blocker, but he might not have enough size to maintain those advantages against pro defenders. He’s smooth in pass protection and is effective in space as a move blocker,” Zierlein wrote before the draft.
“Long-armed defenders could put him in a tough spot if singled up in pass protection. Michalski is a feisty competitor with good tape and might be able to compete for a roster spot even though he lacks favorable measurables.”
The Broncos’ roster remains in flux. Encouragingly, it is largely at the practice squad level.
Broncos Add Super Bowl Champion, Ex-Commanders Draft Pick in Roster Shake-Up