The Broncos’ roster puzzle must be solved soon.
NFL teams must reduce their rosters from 90 players to 53 by 4 p.m. Sunday, which means as soon as Friday night’s preseason finale ends, the process of finalizing the first version of an active roster kicks into high gear.
So many of Denver’s starters and key role players return from past years and little doubt exists about their roles.
Still, there are several spots up for grabs and, perhaps more pertinently, there are several levers the Broncos can pull to get as many players back into their building as possible.
The job isn’t to pick the best 53 players, necessarily. Head coach Sean Payton always uses the term “the right 53.”
That means some players who are going to be part of Denver’s equation this season could start on the practice squad, be cut and re-signed to the 53-man roster a day later, start the season on injured reserve or any number of other machinations.
Having a deep roster means added risk of losing players between Sunday afternoon and the 11 a.m. claiming deadline, after which teams can begin assembling their practice squads.
“I think that gets weighed in a lot,” Payton said of who’s most at risk of getting claimed. “I’ll turn to the analytics and a lot of it is what kind of tape the opponents seeing. That gets weighed in a lot. Who do we feel like is more likely to get claimed? Certain positions are more likely to get claimed.
“So thatap always a challenge.”
A challenge, but one we’re taking on one final time. Here’s a last stab at a 53-man roster.
Changes from last week’s projection are italicized.
OFFENSE (24)
QUARTERBACKS (3)
Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger
Final call: Taking three quarterbacks is going to cost Denver a player somewhere else, but in the end, thatap the call here. Ehlinger didn’t sound earlier this week like a player who planned on packing his bags any time soon, then he authored a terrific preseason finale. Plus, there aren’t any good Payton-experienced quarterbacks out there as practice squad options.
If they take two to start, itap most likely because they swung a deal with Ehlinger or found a trade option they liked. Ehlinger is a veteran, so he can sign anywhere if he’s cut. Depending on how much injured reserve activity the Broncos have, they could cut Ehlinger with a promise he’s back on the 53-man roster in a day. Or they could ask him to start the season on the practice squad. The real curveball would be a two-man Nix/Ehlinger room to start.
RUNNING BACK (3)
J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman
Final call: The Broncos will press all the buttons to squeeze extra spots out of the roster. In this projection, that means cutting Adam Prentice with the agreement that he’ll be signed to the practice squad, elevated three times and/or added back to the 53 when a spot becomes available. Prentice has had a good camp and will be in the mix one way or another.
If Jaleel McLaughlin and/or Tyler Badie clear waivers and return to the practice squad, all the better. Historic odds on players claimed suggest at least one will. Cody Schrader could be a practice squad option, too.
TIGHT END (4)
Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Nate Adkins and Justin Joly
Final call: Joly hasn’t had a big training camp, but he finished with a bang on a wide-open 88-yard touchdown Friday night. Caleb Lohner hasn’t practiced at all and seems like a candidate to begin the season on injured reserve. They could wait a day and thus save a return designation for now to ensure that Lohner actually does recover and get fully healthy. Can’t rule out Dallen Bentley or Lucas Krull nabbing a spot, but they feel like the most likely to get through waivers.
WIDE RECEIVER (5)
Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin
Final call: The same five itap been all of camp. The sticking point here: Lil’Jordan Humphrey is almost certainly going to be part of the plan. In this case, he either starts on the practice squad or is a one-day cut until the Broncos place someone else on injured reserve. Denver will feel fortunate if all of its undrafted rookie receivers get through to the practice squad. There are a ton of receivers out there around the league, but Cam Ross and/or Kolbe Katsis could factor on special teams at some point in the not-so-distant future and could draw attention from other teams.
OFFENSIVE LINE (9)
Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Kage Casey, Alex Forsyth, Tyler Miller
Final call: Letap get a little bit wild. In this projection, Frank Crum is placed on injured reserve Sunday with a designation to return. Then, there’s the Tyler Miller conversation. The Broncos have lost a developmental tackle each of the past two years at the cutdown. They know the value of such players. If they can get Calvin Throckmorton and Matt Peart to agree to start the year on the practice squad, this becomes possible. The end goal here: Keep as many of this group as possible for as long as possible.
DEFENSE (26)
DEFENSIVE LINE (7)
Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Tyler Onyedim, Jordan Jackson, Sai’Vion Jones
Final call: Maybe the Broncos ultimately feel like they have to choose between Jackson and Sai’Vion Jones, but this coaching staff and front office have prided themselves on building depth in both trenches. If there are ways around cutting somebody up front, they’ll find them. Jackson is too reliable and Jones too young to part ways with just yet, though the latter has had a relatively quiet camp.
“Every year is different and you really never know,” said Jackson, whose made the 53 each of the past two years. “Five weeks to put in the work I’ve put in. We’ll see how it all comes out.”
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (5)
Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson, Dondrea Tillman, Ron Stone, Jr.
Final call: Time is ticking quickly, but in this version, the projection is that the Broncos will have clarity on Jonathon Cooper’s status — a suspension levied by the NFL or (perhaps more likely at the moment) a placement on the commissioner’s exempt list — by the time the roster cutdown arrives. Stone makes it as a depth piece, at least to start. The tough call here is what to do with Drew Sanders. Is it injured reserve? They have to use one of eight return designations to put him there Sunday but if they carry him for one day, they can stash him and decide later whether to bring him back. Still, Sanders has played four games in the past two seasons. It may be time for a fresh start. If there’s no decision on Cooper at 4 p.m. Sunday, he’ll be on the roster.
INSIDE LINEBACKER (5)
Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Red Murdock, Jordan Turner, Karene Reid
Final call: The Broncos had a curveball thrown this week when Taylor Rapp left after just one practice. Reid, Turner and Murdock are all special teams staples and itap easy to see any of them getting time on defense if either Singleton or Strnad miss time. Murdock has been calling the defense in practice, the type of investment that makes it easy to think Denver wants to keep him around for a while. The question: Are Reid and Turner worthy of among the last spots on the roster. Their special teams work last year and preseason playing time so far this summer suggest yes.
CORNERBACK (5)
Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine
Final call: One of the toughest calls to leave off the roster is Reese Taylor. The Broncos are just fortunate to have high-quality depth across the cornerback group, which works against Taylor despite his special teams ability and ability to play in the slot on defense. He’s a player who will likely feel like a little bit of a risk trying to get through waivers. He also sustained a concussion Friday night against the Vikings.
SAFETY (4)
Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner
Final call: Miles Scott is a nice developmental player, but based on his role and playing time so far in camp, perhaps Denver is hoping they can get that redshirt year done on the practice squad. Tycen Anderson was one of the most conspicuous players not to dress Friday night vs. Minnesota. Those guys are either already on the roster or definitely not making it. The guess here is the latter.
SPECIAL TEAMS (3)
Wil Lutz (PK), Jeremy Crawshaw (P), Mitchell Fraboni (LS)
Final call: Easy. They’ve got Luke Basso’s number if they need a long-snapper at any point during the season.
