ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --A day after he underwent surgery for a serious condition known as lateral compartment syndrome, safety Rahim Moore has been placed on injured reserve with a designation to return.
The move means Moore must miss six weeks of practice and eight weeks of games before he is eligible to return to the active roster.
That sets Moore up for a return in the AFC Championship Game, if the Broncos reach it. He could return to practice on Dec. 31, which is the week leading up to the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
"Obviously it hurts to lose Rahim," Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway said. "He's been playing so well, but to be able to have this happen to him is terrible. But we have to battle through that. Rahim I know is upset as anybody. So we had to put him on injured reserve with a designation to return so if he could come back he would be eligible to come back if we were to make it that far for the championship games."
In the meantime, the Broncos signed safety Michael Huff. The eighth-year veteran started the season with the Baltimore Ravens, playing in seven games and starting one, before he was released in October.
The former first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders has 11 interceptions in his career to go with 54 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 5.5 sacks. He spent seven seasons in silver and black before signing with Baltimore in the offseason.
"(He's) a veteran that's played in this league for a long time and (we) thought that in a pinch he's going to be able to come in and help us," Elway said.
When Moore left Sunday's win against the Chiefs, safety Mike Adams replaced him in the lineup. The 10th-year veteran started all 16 games for the club in 2012. The team also has special-teams captain David Bruton and converted cornerback Omar Bolden at the safety position on the active roster.
The club signed another safety -- John Boyett, a sixth-round pick of the Colts in the 2013 NFL Draft -- to the practice squad Tuesday. To make room, the club released running back Edwin Baker from the practice squad.
