Outside linebacker Drew Sanders will be eligible to play for Denver for the first time this season when the Broncos face the Cleveland Browns on Monday night.

The Broncos restored Sanders to their 53-player active roster on Tuesday. He had been on the physically-unable-to-perform list since the beginning of training camp.

Sanders sustained an Achilles-tendon tear during offseason workouts.

Sanders returned to practice on Nov. 6, opening a period of 21 days for Denver to active the linebacker. The Broncos had to return Sanders to the active roster this week or leave him on PUP for the rest of the season.

Sanders played at Alabama in the 2020 and 2021 seasons before transferring to Arkansas for 2022 and joining the Broncos in 2023 as the 67th selection in the NFL Draft.

As a rookie, Sanders played in all 17 of Denver’s games, with four starts. Those starts came at inside linebacker because of injury issues at that position.

Sanders was on the field for 258 defensive snaps (23 percent of the Broncos’ total) and 297 special-teams plays as a rookie. Sanders made 24 tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and recovered one fumble.

Denver is using Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto as its starting outside linebackers. Bonitto has 10 sacks and Cooper has seven this season. Reserves Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman have played 312 and 134 defensive snaps, respectively, in 2024.

The Broncos play the Browns at 7:15 p.m. CST Monday at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. ESPN will televise the game.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.