Broncos activate OLB Bradley Chubb from injured reserve

Bradley Chubb has been out of action since undergoing ankle surgery in September, but he's set to make his return after getting activated by the Denver Broncos ahead of a Week 12 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

It's not yet a guarantee that Chubb will play against the Chargers, and Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said Thursday that the linebacker is "truly 50-50" for the game. However, his Saturday activation shows the Broncos are optimistic about his chances of contributing, even if it's only for a few snaps.

Chubb, 25, missed the first game of the year with an ankle injury and played just 19 snaps against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2 before aggravating the injury. He had arthroscopic surgery days later and was placed on injured reserve.

The Broncos' 2018 first-round pick earned Pro Bowl honors in 2020 after finishing the year with 7.5 sacks. He returns to a defense that has thrived in 2021, despite being without Chubb and trading Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams. Through 10 games, the Broncos have allowed just 18.3 points per game, the third-best mark in the NFL.

Denver bounced back from a four-game losing streak to win back-to-back games in Weeks 8 and 9.