This Broncos roster, both by Sean Payton‘s own admission and by plain sight, is the deepest it’s been in Payton’s three-year tenure.
That is an undeniable positive. It also will lead to some excruciatingly tough decisions, with players who’ve put together strong camps nonetheless likely to land on the waiver wire.
“I was taught at a young age, the most significant thing is the right 53,” Payton said in early August. “So that’s what keeps you up at night — making sure we’re finding that group.”
Broncos 53-man roster projection: Who will make Sean Payton’s last cut?
The Broncos' brass will have long hours this week as cut day dawns, with teams required to reduce their offseason rosters from 90 players to 53 by 2 p.m. MT Tuesday. The team can elect to sign a maximum of 16 players to their practice squad if they clear waivers, and the Broncos have until 11 a.m. ET Wednesday to claim players off waivers who've been cut by other teams.
Let the rodeo begin. Here's a tracker of every roster move from the Broncos this week. The Denver Post will continue updating this list through Wednesday.
For those who missed it, here's the final roster projection from The Post's Broncos beat.
Latest updates
Tuesday
3 p.m. The Broncos' final move was to release QB Sam Ehlinger, though head coach Sean Payton said after practice the team wants him back on the practice squad.
1:27 p.m. The Broncos are down to their last move after waiving seventh-round rookie TE Caleb Lohner and putting, as expected, FB Mike Burton and ILB Drew Sanders on injured reserve. Sanders can return after four games while Burton had hamstring surgery and is out for the season. That brings their total count to 54 -- with one move left to making the 2 p.m. 53-man deadline.
The Broncos' staff -- particularly Sean Payton -- has had extremely high hopes for Lohner since swinging on him in the seventh round out of Utah, a 6-foot-7 former basketball player who caught all of four passes in his collegiate career. Lohner's proved raw, though, throughout the preseason, and Denver likely hopes to sneak him through to develop on the practice squad.
12:10 p.m.: The Broncos waived DT Kristian Williams with an injury designation, so they're down to 57. Again, up to two can be placed on IR today, so it's down to just four total moves left for Denver.
The running list of cuts/waivers the Broncos have made:
OLB Andrew Farmer
WR Joaquin Davis
CB Micah Abraham
CB Joshua Pickett (waived/injured)
OL Clay Webb
OL Xavier Truss
DL Michael Dwumfour
OLB Garrett Nelson
WR Jerjuan Newton
RB Audric Estime
RB Blake Watson (waived/injured)
CB Damarri Mathis
WR Kyrese Rowan
OT Marques Cox
OL Will Shermam
OL Joe Michalski
WR Michael Bandy
WR Courtney Jackson
S Delarrin Turner-Yell
S Sam Franklin
CB Quinton Newsome
OL Calvin Throckmorton
CB Jaden Robinson
CB Reese Taylor
WRA.T. Perry
ILB Levelle Bailey
ILB Garrett Wallow
ILB Jordan Turner
DT Jordan Miller
S Keidron Smith
TE Caden Prieskorn
FB Adam Prentice
DT Kristian Williams (waived/injured)
11:50 a.m.: The Broncos released FB Adam Prentice, a source told The Post. Prentice joined mid-camp after Mike Burton had a hamstring issue crop up.
Whether Denver wants Prentice back on the practice squad might depend on how long Burton will miss with the hamstring issue. Prentice is a vested veteran so he's not subject to the waiver wire this week. He can sign to any active roster or practice squad he wants at any time.
Denver's down to 58 players.
11:20 a.m. The Broncos are closing in on an initial 53-man. They've added rookie TE Caden Prieskorn, DT Jordan Miller and S Keidron Smith to the waiver list, sources say.
That moves them down to 59 left.
11:05 a.m.: Well, Karene Reid is the Broncos' last man -- for now -- at inside linebacker.
The Broncos are cutting undrafted rookie Jordan Turner and veteran Garrett Wallow, sources confirmed to The Post, leaving Reid free to crack Denver's 53-man roster. The Broncos' infatuation with both undrafted rookies and Utah products continue with Reid, who was a four-year starter for the Utes and has had a solid preseason.
The club's down to 62 players left, with the fates of Drew Sanders and Michael Burton (injured) still undetermined. News has yet to roll in, too, on the team's defensive line and tight-end groups, the toughest rooms to project on the roster.
9:54 a.m.: In perhaps their first truly surprising cut, the Broncos are waiving inside linebacker Levelle Bailey, a source told The Denver Post.
Bailey seemed a lock for the 53-man roster, after earning a heap of reps with the starting defense during camp while Alex Singleton and Dre Greenlaw rehabbed from injury. He'll be a natural fit for the practice squad if he clears waivers, as his ball skills turned heads during camp.
"When you see the way he comes downhill now compared to last year, and even putting on a little weight -- got a few bricks in his pocket, and stuff like that," defensive lineman Malcolm Roach said of Bailey during camp.
The move, though, likely indicates one of undrafted rookies Jordan Turner or Karene Reid has leapfrogged Bailey in the pecking order. The Broncos can't afford to keep just three ILBs on the initial roster with both Greenlaw and Singleton's injury concerns, and veteran Justin Strnad now appears a lock behind them.
9:12 a.m. Denver's secondary continues to solidify, as the Broncos are waiving cornerbacks Reese Taylor, Jaden Robinson and Quinton Newsome, sources said. Taylor, in particular, is a candidate for the practice squad, an option for Denver at nickel who's been hurt for a few weeks. The moves bring Denver down to 64.
The bubble players left in Denver's secondary: Devon Key, Keidron Smith, JL Skinner.
8:25 a.m. The Broncos are making moves to get down to 53.
The list of known cuts and waivers so far today: OLs Will Sherman and Joe Michalski, WRs Michael Bandy and Courtney Jackson, safeties Delarrin Turner-Yell and Sam Franklin.
Franklin is a veteran and his release is likely good news for JL Skinner and Devon Key. Jackson, meanwhile, had a really strong camp both as a receiver and a return man.
Denver is at 67 players now.
7:10 a.m.: The Broncos enter cutdown day with 76 players left on their roster and, thus, 23 moves still to make. Up to two of those can be injured reserve placements and the rest will be cuts and waivers. Once all the moves are made today, teams have until 10 a.m. Wednesday to make waiver claims. At that point, practice squads start coming together.
We learned quite a bit yesterday, as Denver whittled its running back room to four by waiving Audric Estime and Blake Watson. We're down to one undrafted receiver left in the mix in Courtney Jackson. And it's appearing less and less likely — though still not out of the question — that an undrafted rookie cracks the initial 53.
It'll be a be a busy day today around the league. We'll have all the updates right here.
Here are the moves Denver's made so far.
Waived/cut so far:
OLB Andrew Farmer
WR Joaquin Davis
CB Micah Abraham
CB Joshua Pickett (injury designation)
OL Clay Webb
OL Xavier Truss
DL Michael Dwumfour
OLB Garrett Nelson
WR Jerjuan Newton
RB Audric Estime
RB Blake Watson (injury designation)
CB Damarri Mathis
WR Kyrese Rowan
OT Marques Cox
Monday
6:55 p.m.: One undrafted wideout's left. The Broncos are waiving undrafted rookie Kyrese Rowan, a source told The Denver Post Monday night.
Rowan seemed as good a candidate as any to crack Denver's initial 53-man roster, after earning heavy snaps with the 2s and 3s throughout camp and catching a prayer for a touchdown from Sam Ehlinger Saturday. He'll be primed for Denver's practice squad if he clears waivers -- although, if the Broncos also cut Courtney Jackson, it'd be a lot to take four undrafted rookie wideouts. Decisions, decisions.
4:50 p.m.: The Broncos' moves are coming in quickly now. They've waived RB Blake Watson and CB Damarri Mathis, sources confirmed to The Post.
Watson will get an injury settlement after injuring his left knee Saturday at New Orleans. His waiver along with Estime means the Broncos' RB room is down to four: RJ Harvey, J.K. Dobbins, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie.
Watson, like Estime, could be a practice squad candidate if he clears waivers.
Mathis, meanwhile, has looked like the odd man out for months in a deep cornerback room. A fourth-round pick in 2022, Mathis stepped in as a rookie and played well but has struggled to regain his form fully after struggling badly as a second-year player. He had a spot role and did it pretty well in 2024, but then the Broncos drafted Jahdae Barron in the first round of April's draft.
Waiving Mathis is also the most substantial move the Broncos have made so far as it pertains to the salary cap, as it will create $3.4 million in space. Denver is down to 78 players now.
4:33 p.m.: Denver's slowly chipping down its wide-receiver room, as a source confirmed to The Post the club's waiving undrafted rookie Jerjuan Newton.
He's Broncos' second cut, after Joaquin Davis, of their stable of four UDFA wideouts. And like all, Newton made more than his fair share of plays during camp after spending six years at Toledo, emerging as a reliable deep threat for QB3 Sam Ehlinger. Like Davis, there was a minimal chance of Newton cracking Denver's initial 53-man, but the Broncos -- if he's not snapped up by another NFL team -- may have interest in keeping the rookie on their practice squad.
4:15 p.m.: The Broncos waived second-year running back Audric Estime, multiple sources told The Post.
Estime was a fifth-round pick in 2024 and in the middle of last season looked like he might leap into the lead role for Denver. Instead, his role never fully materialized and he was a healthy scratch for the Broncos' Wild Card game at Buffalo. Then the Broncos revamped their running back room by adding veteran J.K. Dobbins via free agency and RJ Harvey in the second round of the draft, and Estime fell behind in the race for roles.
Estime had his best performance of the preseason in Saturday's finale vs. New Orleans but couldn't play his way onto the roster. Payton deployed Denver's running backs in different ways over the three preseason games but one constant was that Estime found himself near the back of the line.
"I'm blessed to be part of this roster and hopefully I'll be part of this roster going forward," he said after Saturday's game. "You've just got to learn from the guys that are there in the room with you and that's what I've been doing this whole preseason."
Instead, he'll be on waivers and it'll be up to the other 31 teams in the league to determine if there's a taker for him. If he clears waivers, the Broncos have interest in getting him back on their practice squad, a source told The Post.
3:41 p.m.: Denver's likely done with its cuts at outside linebacker, as the team's waiving Garrett Nelson, a source confirmed to The Post Monday afternoon. The Broncos signed the 2022 Nebraska product in late July after placing rookie OLB Johnny Walker Jr. on injured reserve, and Nelson played a role on special teams throughout the preseason. He could well land on the Broncos' practice squad, as Denver isn't taking Andrew Farmer and will more than likely keep the other five edge rushers on their roster.
3:21 p.m.: The Broncos have largely sat tight -- at least publicly -- for the majority of the day, but the club put a couple more cuts on Monday's wire: guard Xavier Truss and defensive lineman Michael Dwumfour. Truss has been with Denver since April, signed after the draft out of Georgia. Dwumfour was signed last week as another body on the defensive line. That brings Denver down to 83 -- still a long way to go.
9:10 a.m.: It's one of the most brutal days on the NFL calendar. Teams around the league will be doing the heavy lifting today to get their rosters down toward the 53-man limit. They've got until tomorrow at 2 p.m. to make their moves official, but many could well get most of the work done today.
On the watch list for the Broncos: Could any more trades materialize? Are there any surprises in store from Sean Payton and George Paton in the form of veteran cuts? And how will Denver handle its short-term injured reserve situation? Remember, teams can now place two players on IR on Tuesday with designations to return (meaning they only have to miss four games) and not count them against the 53-man roster. Payton said pretty categorically that the team hasn't been planning to put TE Nate Adkins on IR, leaving the two most obvious candidates as ILB Drew Sanders (foot) and FB Mike Burton (hamstring). Fullback and tight end are among the positions that are tough to peg even as the deadline approaches and there are several questions for Denver to try to answer.
Burton started last year on the practice squad and could do the same this year if he's not on IR to start the season. If he's unavailable, do they roll with recently signed Adam Prentice or rookie TE Caden Prieskorn, who has got some work in at FB? And do they think they can get seventh-round rookie Caleb Lohner and/or Lucas Krull to the practice squad? That's just one corner of the roster puzzle Paton, Payton and Co. are assembling over the next day.
The Broncos start the day with 85 players and 32 moves total to make.
Sunday
7:27 p.m.: Denver's made its first offensive-line cut, waiving rookie guard Clay Webb, who signed with the Broncos after falling undrafted out of Jacksonville State. Webb had some flexibility on the interior, but Denver's deep on tackles and only has a few reserve OL spots up for grabs. He could easily wind up being a practice-squad stash, though, after he was widely viewed as a potential Day 3 pick in April.
6:45 p.m.: The Broncos are making another cut to a stuffed secondary, as they've waived rookie UDFA Joshua Pickett with an injury settlement, a source confirmed. Pickett was held out of Denver's Week 2 preseason game with a hand injury, but had a toe-tap interception against the 49ers in early August. The Broncos still have a slew of corners on the bubble to sort out, between Damarri Mathis, Quinton Newsome, Reese Taylor and fellow rookie Jaden Robinson.
6:05 p.m.: Denver's waiving cornerback Micah Abraham, who was brought in in mid-August for some extra defensive-back help amid injuries. The Broncos first signed the 2024 sixth-round pick out of the UFL.
3:40 p.m.: On to the receiver room -- Denver's waiving undrafted rookie Joaquin Davis, a source confirmed Sunday. It was an expected move, as the Broncos just traded Devaughn Vele because of a surplus of talent at wideout. Still, Davis could be a natural candidate to develop on the practice squad — a toolsy blend of 6-foot-4 height and sub-4.4 speed. He's an ideal Sean Payton wideout, and veteran wideout Courtland Sutton developed a visible affinity for Davis during camp.
3:34 p.m.: The Broncos have made their first cut, according to sources: outside linebacker Andrew Farmer, who was entering his second year in Denver after an eight-game stint with the Chargers in 2023. Farmer made a number of standout plays throughout camp, but the Broncos' edge depth was set. A source told The Post that Farmer isn't expected to sign to Denver's practice squad either, but the 25-year-old has some solid tape to put forth to the NFL's other 31 teams.
1:05 p.m.: Welcome, all. Sean Payton, George Paton and company have a heck of a few decisions to make, and a lot of potential leverage around the league. They already traded Devaughn Vele to the New Orleans Saints for draft capital last week because of the Broncos' depth at receiver; they might have another trade piece in QB3 Sam Ehlinger, who authored a standout performance against the Saints on Saturday. The Vikings for a 2026 fifth-rounder and a 2027 seventh-rounder. Could Paton jump on some QB-needy team and get a pick for Ehlinger?
Keep an eye on players like DL Eyioma Uwazurike, RB Audric Estime and CB Damarri Mathis, too, after all had strong performances against New Orleans.
