Pat Bryant is back.

After four weeks on injured reserve, the Denver Broncos officially activated Bryant on Saturday. In a corresponding move, the Broncos placed defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike on IR.

With a road game against the Carolina Panthers on deck for Sunday, the Broncos also elevated safety Taylor Rapp and running back Cody Schrader from the practice squad and signed cornerback/returner Sean Fresch Jr. to the 53-man roster.

Bryant suffered a scary ankle injury in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers that looked much worse than it ended up being. He was carted off, but fortunately, it was just a sprain and nothing more.

The Broncos could really use Bryant as their passing offense begins to take flight. He can win off the line of scrimmage and use his big 6-foot-2 frame to his advantage, boxing out defenders.

Bo Nix has forged a strong connection with Bryant, so I would expect to see the ball going his way often, even with other mouths to feed, like Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. Nix trusts Bryant, and the second-year receiver's blocking on the perimeter will be a welcome bonus for the Broncos' still fledgling run game.

D-Line Shuffle

As for Uwazurike, he suffered a shoulder injury in last week's win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos must have believed that his recovery window will stretch beyond three weeks, so they placed him on IR. That means he'll be eligible to return in Week 14.

Meanwhile, the Broncos' defensive line rotation will have to step up. There will be a shift, as Uwazurike has been the fourth guy up front, which means we're either going to see a lot more of the veteran Jordan Jackson, or maybe even rookie third-rounder Tyler Onyedim, the last of whom has been a healthy scratch in all eight games thus far.

Sai'vion Jones might be the guy to move up into Uwazurike's spot as the fourth guy onto the field, but it wouldn't be a shock to see Jackson leapfrog him. And give Onyedim's stoutness against the run, I'm hopeful that Uwazurike's injury opens up some opportunities to not only dress the rookie, but also maybe even actually play him.

A Fresch Opportunity

It's cool to see the Broncos reward Fresch with a roster spot. The first-year pro has been elevated from the practice squad a few times this season, and he's contributed well on special teams, including as a returner.

The Broncos like the former UFL standout a lot, but when it's time for other players to return from IR, he'll likely be the first guy to go, though the team will certainly hope to re-sign him to the practice squad.

Practice Squad Maneuvers

As for the Broncos' two practice squad elevations, this is Rapp's third and final. After Sunday, the Broncos will either have to release him or sign him to the 53-man roster, as he has maxed out his three allotted elevations.

If the Broncos release Rapp before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline, he could immediately re-sign to the practice squad, where his three elevations would reset to zero. After the trade deadline, as a vested veteran, the Broncos would have to waive him, which means that another team could claim him, before re-signing him to the practice squad.

I would expect the Broncos to release Rapp immediately after Sunday's game, or at least, well before the trade deadline at 2 p.m. MDT on Tuesday, at which point, he could promptly be re-signed to the practice squad. Clear as mud?

With RJ Harvey and Tyler Badie both on IR, the Broncos only have two healthy running backs on the 53-man roster — Jonah Coleman and J.K. Dobbins — so they've elevated Schrader once again. Schrader stood out in the preseason back in August, and this will be his second elevation of the season, though he's yet to touch the ball.

The Takeaway

There's a good chance Talanoa Hufanga will play on Sunday, though he's officially listed as questionable. He's been out for three games with an ankle injury, so if he were to miss this game, it would raise questions about why the Broncos didn't place him on IR and make use of his roster spot.

Fellow starting safety Brandon Jones has been ruled out with a hamstring, so it should be Hufanga and Rapp at safety, with a strong dose of Devon Key to boot.

Broncos-Panthers kicks off at 11 a.m. MDT on Sunday. The game will be broadcast locally by CBS, with Ian Eagle and Ross Tucker calling the game.