Matt Henningsen will miss the 2025 season after tearing his Achilles during a Denver Broncos joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers, ending his bid for a rotational interior role on the defensive line. He’s set for surgery and will land on season-ending IR, a heavy blow to a unit already navigating depth in a summer of competition. The injury compounds Denver’s interior pressure concerns as it enters the season with veterans and a mix of developing linemen vying for snaps.

Henningsen, 26, was a Wisconsin product drafted in 2022 (sixth round) who appeared in 34 games across 2022-2023, totaling 40 tackles, two pass breakups, two QB hits and one sack on limited opportunities. After spending 2024 on the practice squad, he signed a futures deal in January and had been expected to contribute in a rotational role this season. Denver’s current healthy interior options include Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, Jordan Jackson, Eyioma Uwazurike, Sai’vion Jones, Jordan Miller and Kristian Williams, with Johnny Walker already on IR. The Broncos now lean on those veterans and younger players to absorb the lost snaps as they pursue a bounce-back year in 2026.

Joint practices with the 49ers underscored the Broncos’ need for consistent interior pressure, and the loss of Henningsen will test the depth chart in camp and early games. The injury narrative tightens Denver’s defensive line storylines for fantasy and betting alike, as adjustments will hinge on who steps into the vacancy and how quickly they adapt to a higher-volume role in 2025.