Two skill players could make their Broncos debuts Saturday on the biggest stage of Denver’s season.
The Broncos elevated wide receiver Elijah Moore and tight end Caleb Lohner for their AFC divisional-round matchup against the Bills, a unique couple of moves with Denver’s full 53-man roster healthy and active heading into the playoffs. Neither Moore nor Lohner have dressed for a single regular-season game in 2025, and could throw an added wrinkle in head coach Sean Payton’s gameplan.
Moore is a familiar face to Buffalo fans, signing a one-year deal with the Bills in April before the team cut him in late November. The Broncos added him to their practice squad a week later, where the 25-year-old receiver has remained for the remainder of the regular season.
Ultimately, the move could be as simple as a reward check for Moore choosing Denver. But the 5-foot-10 wideout has been a productive receiver for both the Jets and Browns across a five-year NFL career, catching 61 passes for 538 yards last year in Cleveland before managing just nine catches across nine games with Buffalo this season.
Lohner, meanwhile, presents even more interesting potential if he’s elevated against Buffalo Saturday. Payton told the rookie tight end upon drafting him in the seventh round in April that Denver was going to make him the “next Jimmy Graham,” as the 6-foot-7 Lohner played just one season of collegiate football with Utah amid a five-year collegiate basketball career.
Lohner’s spent the year marinating on Denver’s practice squad, not seeing action in any game this season despite the occasional need for TE depth. Still, there’s potential for Payton to draw him up a goal-line look with his size and athleticism, as Buffalo has literally no possible film or way to scout the 25-year-old rookie.
“That doesn’t mean that a developmental player, by Week 8, can’t all of a sudden be someone that (contributes) – but, there’s a larger learning curve,” Payton said of Lohner before the start of the season. “And he’s getting it, and he’s getting better, and he’s improving.”
Denver traditionally only takes five receivers and three tight ends up on gamedays. If Moore was activated, it’d likely mean a demotion for Lil’Jordan Humphrey; if Payton tabbed Lohner, that could mean a blocker like Nate Adkins or Adam Prentice would be kept in sweats.
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