Matt Henningsen spent all of 2025 on the sideline with a torn Achilles. Now the Denver Broncos defensive lineman is back, and his coach has taken notice.
Henningsen, 27, turned heads this spring when he picked off a pass for a pick-six during a June practice. Head coach Sean Payton was asked about the performance last month.
"Well, you saw the reaction [to the interception]," Payton said. "He does a great job of seeing those screens or underneath throws. He's doing really well. He's exceptionally smart. He has great respect from his teammates. He knows the technique and the defense well. In a position that gets rotated and plays a lot, he's going to be competing for one of those spots."
According to Yahoo Sports, Henningsen was originally drafted by Denver in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Wisconsin. He stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 291 pounds. In his first two seasons he totaled 40 tackles and one sack as a rotational lineman. He spent the 2024 season on the practice squad before competing for a larger role in 2025, when the Achilles injury cut his season short before it started.
The Broncos lost John Franklin-Myers in free agency this spring, opening spots along the defensive line. Henningsen is one of four players competing to fill that void, along with Eyioma Uwazurike, Sai'vion Jones, and Tyler Onyedim.
Training camp opens Tuesday, with the Cardinals and Panthers the first teams to bring in veterans for the Hall of Fame Game. Denver's camp will give Henningsen a chance to build on his spring work and compete for a roster spot heading into the 2026 season.
