Denver Broncos backup offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo suffered a season-ending ACL injury in a preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, coach Sean Payton confirmed after Tuesday's practice.

Payton also said the Broncos, who signed fullback Adam Prentice on Sunday, will continue to "pay real close attention" to the waiver wire for tight end and fullback prospects as tight end Nate Adkins recovers from an ankle injury.

To make room on the roster for Prentice, the Broncos placed offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo on injured reserve. Gargiulo was carted off the field on Saturday night with what appeared to be a devastating knee injury, which will end his season. It's a tough blow for Gargiulo, who was trending towards being on the 53-man roster.

As the Broncos have endured a rash of injuries at fullback, they’ve turned to the free-agent market for an old familiar.

Prentice, who competed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2021, appeared in 48 games for the Saints over the last four seasons.

Returning from a short absence due to a bone spur in his foot, Nik Bonitto is now atop the Broncos’ extension queue. Denver extended Courtland Sutton and Zach Allen earlier during training camp, moving its other extension candidate’s negotiation to center stage.

The former Colorado State standout was originally signed by the Broncos in 2021 before moving on to Sean Payton's Saints in 2021.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/broncos as Nick Gargiulo Emerging as Key to Broncos’ Future O-Line.

First, the Broncos placed backup offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo ( knee) on their season-ending injured reserve list. Second, Denver signed fullback Adam Prentice. The team now has 91 players on the roster going into the final week of preseason.