Ex-Jaguars RB Curiously Claimed By Broncos Before Week 16 Battle

A former member of the Jacksonville Jaguars' offense is now a member of the Denver Broncos, right before the two sides take battle on Sunday..

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton stands on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to face arguably their toughest opponent of the season in a Week 16 road clash with the Denver Broncos.

And in the lead-up to the Jaguars' big test on the road in Denver, it appears the Broncos have made an interesting related roster move before the Jaguars come to town.

Broncos Move

Just a week after the Jaguars saw former running back Cody Schrader claimed on waivers by the Houston Texans, Schrader is heading to another Jaguars foe. The Broncos officially claimed Schrader on waivers on Monday, less than a week before they kick off against the Jaguars in a game that could have big implications in the AFC.

The fact this move was made the same week the two sides face off would be a simple coincidence most weeks. But also consider the Broncos were not exactly hurting for healthy running backs. They had three on their active roster before claiming Schrader, along with Sincere McCormic and Deuce Vaughn on the practice squad.

Aug 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Cody Schrader (32) carries the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In short, there is enough reason to think this is a gamesmanship move by the Broncos, and all is fair in love and war. Schrader spent several months with the Jaguars as a part of their running back room, but how much that could actually help the Broncos is likely negligible.

With that said, the stakes for this game are clear and the Jaguars have become the kind of team that belong in these playoff-like battles. There is a lot of clear respect between both sides as each team prepares for a major battle.

May 28, 2025; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Cody Schrader (32) during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"That's a good football team. I've been following them and had a lot of crossover tape with those guys, have watched them execute at a high level from afar and defensively, do a really nice job. So, we know this is darn good opponent. Going on the road, I think Mile High is a really cool place to play and compete at," Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said on Monday.

"You think about football, you think about going and playing a game like this. So, this is going to be a really good challenge for us. As you mentioned, there's a lot of similarities right now in some ways and being explosive. Their quarterback can run, he can throw it down the field and their defense has played at a really high level and it's a good solid special teams unit as well. So, I've always had a lot of respect for [Broncos Head Coach] Sean Payton.”

Aug 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay congratulates running back Cody Schrader (32) after a touchdown during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Jaguars when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news.  SIGN UP HERE NOW.

Follow us on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and make sure you like our Facebook page, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.