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Broncos head coach Sean Payton and his staff first went through the entire list of players who hit the NFL鈥檚 transaction wire Tuesday.

Start with Arizona and work your way all the way to Washington. More than 1,000 players.

Some of the conversations were very short. Some more lengthy.

This was the starting point Tuesday after practice as Denver鈥檚 coaches and scouts set about trying to figure out who, if anybody, they would use waiver claims on, who might be a candidate for their 53-man roster and who they would target for practice squad consideration.

鈥淭here鈥檚 some tags we apply to each player with each team, and when the process ends we go back, and now we鈥檙e at 17 that we鈥檝e tagged,鈥� Payton said. 鈥淎nd then we discuss, is it a 鈥榗laim鈥� tag, is it a 鈥榩ractice squad鈥� tag. It抖阴ap pretty long. Then we begin to watch more film. Coaches watch the film in the morning. 鈥�

鈥淚 think the process went well.鈥�

The ultimate results drew a smile from Payton 鈥� the Broncos were No. 5 in waiver priority but didn鈥檛 put a claim on anybody.

鈥淲e did stay late,鈥� Payton said. 鈥淏ut we were pleased with our additions and some of the things we were able to do.”

Those additions: a trio of practice squad targets to add to 14 returning practice squad players who were formally acknowledged by the team Wednesday afternoon 鈥� wide receivers Phillip Dorsett (Las Vegas) and David Sills (New York Giants) and former New Orleans tight end Lucas Krull.

Payton knew plenty about Dorsett, a seventh-year player who鈥檚 spent time around the league including Indianapolis, New England, three teams in 2021 鈥� a couple games with Russell Wilson in Seattle 鈥� and then 2022 in Houston.

鈥淲e鈥檙e pretty familiar with the player,鈥� Payton said. 鈥淚 was at his pro workout. He gives you speed, transition.鈥�

When discussing Sills, the Broncos had an easy reference. Quarterbacks coach Davis Webb played quarterback for the Giants last year and as part of his duties actually spent time teaching the wide receiver group, which included Sills.

鈥淚n that meeting last night, you hit a player and he鈥檚 tagged, let抖阴ap say, the notes would be (from) in the building. It might be a coach, might be anybody that would have been with that player, whether it抖阴ap a coach, a scout. Certainly, with him, Davis had great insight.鈥�

Sills played in nine games (five starts) and caught 11 passes for 106 yards, but he appeared in only one game after Oct. 30.

Overall, the Broncos have four wide receivers on their practice squad, matching the number on the 53-man roster. Among the 14 others, each of whom spent part or all of the offseason with Denver, the numbers tend to marry with whether the 53-man is heavy or light at each position.

鈥淭he rosters have changed so much in the last five years 鈥� you鈥檙e allowed to carry more players, and when the season鈥檚 over with, you鈥檒l see every one of these teams (use extra players),鈥� Payton said. 鈥淭hey call it a practice squad, but really we have 69 players on a team.鈥�

The Broncos have 13 defensive backs until a pair go on injured reserve, and even then they will likely have 12. On the practice squad? Just cornerback Art Green and safety Devon Key. Jaleel McLaughlin forced his way onto the active roster but is a return man, so running back Dwayne Washington is on the practice squad to be an option for core special teams snaps if Denver needs them.

鈥淩emember the art of the 53 sometimes is about protecting the most vulnerable 鈥� your assets that you think could be claimed or signed,鈥� Payton said. 鈥淭he mistake sometimes is saying, 鈥榃e need five at this position, eight at this position鈥� instead of the right 53 in order to really secure the roster the way you want it.鈥�

Krull, who according to several reports is signing with Denver’s practice squad, would have been a natural target, too, considering his productive preseason with Payton’s former team in New Orleans. He had seven catches for 106 yards in the Saints鈥� preseason finale. Krull played in one game in 2022 for New Orleans.

It all made for a relatively smooth Wednesday for Denver. They鈥檒l soon move three players to short-term injured reserve 鈥� nickel K鈥橶aun Williams, offensive lineman Alex Palczewski and another defensive back, likely P.J. Locke 鈥� and re-sign veteran defensive tackle Mike Purcell, cornerback Fabian Moreau and offensive lineman Quinn Bailey.

That抖阴ap a heavy lift on the personnel front over the first half of the week, but it won鈥檛 be the last.

鈥淔rom experience, the first week-and-a-half, two weeks, beginning from this time until the next two weeks, you鈥檒l see the most roster movement around the league and then it begins to calm a little bit,鈥� Payton said.