Among the ways to evaluate a final roster is to first rummage through the players recently discarded.
Unlike last season, the 2006 Broncos decided the likes of Bradlee Van Pelt, Ron Dayne, Darius Watts, David Terrell, Dwayne Carswell and Roc Alexander were unworthy of their 53-man roster. Those players were among the final cuts Saturday.
Nor did the Broncos believe such stalwarts as Trevor Pryce, Mike Anderson and Jeb Putzier would help them get to the next level. They were dumped months ago, released to free agency before finding NFL employment elsewhere.
As for that next level, the Broncos are situated better than most. They are not longing for improvement, crossing their fingers for a playoff spot or limiting expectations to an AFC West title.
After reaching the AFC championship game last season, the next level for the Broncos is Super Bowl XLI, to be played Feb. 4 in Miami.
Is this the 53-man roster that will take them there? The Broncos believe digging into the number of quality players who didn’t make it provides full knowledge about those who did.
“As I look at this 53, there are more depth players that could be starters elsewhere,” said Ted Sundquist, the Denver general manager who helped coach Mike Shanahan finalize the team’s roster Saturday. “I see more quality depth with starting capability if in midstream we have to make a change or fill in for an injury.”
He mentioned cornerback Domonique Foxworth as a player who starts on most teams if the Broncos didn’t already have such remarkable speed and athleticism at his position in Champ Bailey and Darrent Williams.
Now that Gerard Warren is back from his big-toe injury, Demetrin Veal – who had two sacks in a preseason game against Tennessee – becomes a defensive line super sub. Adam Meadows was a six-year starting offensive lineman for the high- powered Indianapolis Colts. He will begin this season as a backup with the Broncos.
Linebacker Nate Webster, safety Sam Brandon and rookie guard Chris Kuper are others who would have more prominent roles on teams not coming off a 13-3 regular season.
And if the preseason can be used as an accurate indicator of young talent, it appears the Broncos are considerably stronger at No. 2 quarterback and No. 2 receiver than they were in 2005.
At quarterback, rookie Jay Cutler is not expected to play, despite his impressive preseason. It will be Jake Plummer who leads the Broncos’ offense for a fourth season.
“Jay was a great college quarterback, but you want to give him a year to adjust from the college game to the pro game,” Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said. He then thought back to his third year as the Broncos’ boss, the fourth year that John Elway was the boss on the field.
“The Drive didn’t happen until ’86,” Bowlen said. “So it took him four years before he became John Elway. It takes a quarterback, no matter how talented they are coming out of college, time to adjust to the pro level.”
Besides, Plummer was highly efficient last season, and could have greater big-play freedom this year with newcomer Javon Walker replacing Ashley Lelie at No. 2 receiver.
Perhaps more than any other player, Walker is considered the key link in connecting the Broncos to the Super Bowl.
“It’s not fair to expect him to catch 100 out of 100 this year,” Sundquist said. “But he’s got the ability to extend and bend back and dig out low throws. And he’s a physical guy. You don’t have to throw the ball right on the money for him to come down with it.” Besides quality depth, the Broncos’ roster also appears balanced with speed and brawn.
Houston Texans coach Gary Kubiak, who no longer is as biased as he was during his long reign as Denver’s offensive coordinator, described the Broncos last week as having the Colts’ speed and Jacksonville Jaguars’ power.
If true, the Broncos’ 53-man roster has a chance to become a potent cocktail of talent.
Concerns? Sure, the Broncos have a few. Mike Bell and Cedric Cobbs, who join Tatum Bell in the Broncos’ three-man tailback rotation, have little or no NFL experience.
“With all due respect to the fantasy football people out there, I don’t care who we have back there,” Sundquist said. “Our football team will rush the football. It’s who we are.”
Veteran punter Todd Sauerbrun will begin the season by serving a four-game suspension after testing positive for the banned substance ephedrine. His replacement, Paul Ernster, has an extremely strong leg.
The defensive line has questions following the departure of Pryce and preseason injuries to Warren and Courtney Brown. And after Rod Smith and Walker, the Broncos’ next four pass targets – receivers David Kircus, Brandon Marshall and Todd Devoe, and rookie tight end Tony Scheffler – have a mere 15 combined NFL receptions.
“I wouldn’t call them concerns, but there is some question of the unknown,” Sundquist said. “We will have a lot of guys who are going to be out there for the first time. They have to prove it.”
Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
Broncos’ moves
The following are the roster moves Denver made on Saturday to get down to the 53-man roster:
Released
Roc Alexander, CB; Antwon Burton, DT; Dwayne Carswell, OT; Brian Clark, WR; Ron Dayne, RB; Tyler Everett, S; Amon Gordon, DT; Corey Jackson, DE; Brandon Miree, FB; Damien Nash, RB; Micah Knorr, P; Preston Parsons, QB; Jeff Shoate, CB; David Terrell, WR; Cameron Vaughn, LB; Khaleed Vaughn, DE; Bradlee Van Pelt, QB; Darius Watts, WR; Ray Wells, LB; Taylor Whitley, OL.
Reserve/injured
Greg Eslinger, C.
Reserve/suspended
Todd Sauerbrun, P.
This story has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to an editor’s error, it said Paul Ernster had yet to kick in an NFL regular-season game. Ernster has not punted. He did, however, handle the kickoffs in last season’s opening game for the Broncos.
