ENGLEWOOD – During a team meeting Friday, Sean Payton had an announcement to make.

The Broncos coach put up images in the team room of six players. Five are well-known stars in guard Quinn Meinerz, tackle Garett Bolles, defensive lineman Zach Allen, cornerback Pat Surtain II and safety Talanoa Hufanga. Also shown was reserve safety Devon Key.

But just like the others, Key had received All-Pro recognition. He was named a special-teams representative, joining on the first team Meinerz, Bolles and Allen while Surtain and Hufanga were on the second team.

“It was super cool when coach put it up in the team room, all of the All-Pros we had this year,’’ Key said after Wednesday’s practice at Broncos Park. “I feel Sean does a great job of if somebody on the team does something special, he wants the whole team to know about it.”

What Key did on special teams during the regular season was indeed special. He had 26 tackles, setting a team record.

“I just feel like it’s a credit to the team and support system around me and the coaches that have just put me in position to make those plays this year,’’ Key said.

With the Broncos having the AFC’s No. 1 seed and getting a first-round playoff bye, Key next will take the field against No. 6 Buffalo in Saturday’s divisional playoff at Empower Field at Mile High. It will be the second career playoff game for Key, who got in for 15 plays on special teams in Denver’s 31-7 loss at Buffalo last season in a wild-card playoff game.

After that defeat, the Broncos signed safety Sam Franklin and wide receiver Trent Sherfield, both regarded as aces on special teams. But as it turned out, Franklin didn’t make the opening day roster and Sherfield was waived Nov. 15. Franklin is now with the Bills.

While the moves on Franklin and Sherfield didn’t work out, Key emerged as Denver’s best player on special teams. Key, undrafted out of Western Kentucky in 2021, spent his first three NFL seasons on practice squads, including with the Broncos in 2022 and 2023. He made the 53-man roster in 2024 and has played in all 34 games the past two seasons with two starts.

Key, an impending exclusive rights free agent, is in line to return to Denver next season.

The Broncos look to be set moving forward at the starting safety spots with Hufanga and Brandon Jones, but Key has established himself as a special-teams ace.

“I just want to attack every offseason and go into training camp like I’m going to be the starter on defense,’’ he said. “And if that doesn’t play out, then I’ll find my role on special teams. And now that I’ve obviously made the All-Pro on special teams, I feel like that’s the standard for me.”

Franklin-Myers ready to go

Defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers sure was grateful the Broncos had a first-round playoff bye.

Franklin-Myers’ wife, Rita, gave birth Saturday to a baby girl. With that in mind, he was asked what he might have done had Denver not had a bye and played a game last weekend.

“We don’t have to worry about that,’’ he said before adding, “I’m a father first.”

Franklin-Myers will return Saturday after sitting out the Jan. 4 regular-season finale due to a hip injury suffered Dec. 25 at Kansas City.

“I feel great,’’ Franklin-Myers said. “I just needed a little time (to recuperate). I’m good.’’

There was one big downside for Franklin-Myers sitting out against the Chargers. Franklin-Myers had a roster bonus of $30,000 for every active regular-season game. He got a total of $480,000 for playing in the first 16 before losing out on the last bonus.

“That cost me a little money, but that’s all good,’’ he said. “I made that 30K up with the first playoff check. That’s how you got to look at it.”

Dobbins works on side field

Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins, who was placed on injured reserve after suffering a foot injury Nov. 6 and undergoing surgery, did work Wednesday on a side field.

That seems to have increased the chances of Dobbins being able to return later in the playoffs if the Broncos defeat the Bills. Payton has said that there is a chance of that happening.

It remains to be seen if Dobbins could be back if the Broncos play Jan. 25 in the AFC Championship Game. Super Bowl LX is scheduled for Feb. 8.

Injury report

For the second straight day, all 53 players on Denver’s active roster took part in practice.

All were full participants with the exception of linebacker Dre Greenlaw being listed as limited for the second straight day. But Payton said Tuesday that Greenlaw, who has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury, will play against the Bills.

The Broncos again listed as limited linebacker Drew Sanders (foot) and tight end Lucas Krull, who both have been designated to return from injured reserve.

The Bills listed seven players as limited in practice Wednesday and cornerback Maxwell Hairston (ankle), running back Ty Johnson (ankle) and safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring) as not participating. Poyer already has been ruled out for Saturday.

Briefly

Receiver Marvin Mims Jr. is well aware it helps the Broncos’ salary-cap situation when Bo Nix is on his rookie deal. “Bo’s going to get a big contract and it’s going to clamp us in the salary cap and all that stuff,’’ Mims said. “At the end of the day, we just got to keep going out here and playing ball and just keep progressing as a team.” … John Morton, fired last week as Detroit’s offensive coordinator, observed Wednesday’s practice after being invited by Payton. Morton was Denver’s pass game coordinator from 2023-24. … Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi emphasized the need to run the ball well against Buffalo. “Every week it’s a goal to establish the run and run the ball effectively,’’ he said. “It takes a lot of stress off of everybody.”