After four weeks on injured reserve with an ankle injury, Denver Broncos rookie running back Jonah Coleman is set to return next Sunday. Despite an overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, the Denver offense has struggled mightily early in the season.
With the fourth-round pick returning to the backfield, Coleman has the chance to unlock head coach Sean Payton's offense.
After not taking any carries in the Broncos' season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, the former Washington star made his NFL debut in Week Two at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Coleman led his team in rushing, taking 10 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. While the numbers won't jump off the stat sheet, the rookie came up clutch, as his first career trip to the endzone came as the go-ahead score, giving his squad a 20-13 win over their AFC foes.
Unfortunately for the 5-foot-8, 220-pound former Washington star, he suffered an ankle injury in his first extended NFL showing, resulting in a trip to the IR, forcing him to miss the next four weeks. While Denver has managed to go 3-1 in that span, a big part of that has been due to strong defensive play, holding opponents to just under 18 points a game in the last month.
Jonah Coleman is heading to IR with an ankle injury.
— Maddox McCloud, PT, DPT (@MaddoxMcCloudPT) September 26, 2026
Looking back at the game from Sunday. Looks like Coleman got his foot stuck in the turf late in the 1st quarter, creating a significant twisting mechanism at the ankle.
He was able to return and finish the game. Thay type of… pic.twitter.com/v6GWadF4SL
After promoting former passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb to offensive coordinator and play caller, Payton retook play-calling duties following a Week Four loss to the San Francisco 49ers. While the longtime head coach's play-calling brings a sense of familiarity to quarterback Bo Nix and the offense, the struggles have continued. Through six weeks, the Broncos rank No. 26 in points per game and No. 25 in rushing yards per game, sitting at an average of 84.2.
Without Coleman, the running back room has struggled to find an identity. The duo of veteran J.K. Dobbins and second-year player R.J. Harvey have yet to make a major contribution, averaging 45 and 16 yards per game on the ground, respectively. After showing promising flashes in the preseason and his lone regular-season appearance, the former All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection has an opportunity to make his case for the starting role.
Now with a little extra rest before hitting the road to take on the Arizona Cardinals, Denver's rushing game has a chance to pick up some steam against one of the most vulnerable defenses in the league. Assuming the young back is able to make his return to play, he'll have the chance to establish himself as the featured back for an offense in desperate need of a spark.
This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Denver Broncos RB Jonah Coleman Set to Make Return Off IR