The Broncos’ 53-man roster puzzle is well underway.
Denver started the process of trimming from 90 players down to 53 ahead of Sunday’s 4 p.m. deadline on Saturday when they made their first 11 moves.
Most notable among them was agreeing with fullback Adam Prentice to start the season on the practice squad. Prentice, though, will be a key contributor to the Broncos this fall regardless of where he’s technically signed Monday.
Denver made 10 other moves, too, in releasing and waiving players across the roster.
They now have 80 players left and still must make 27 moves on Sunday. That will likely include an injured reserve placement or two — offensive lineman Frank Crum is a candidate to start the season on IR and miss the first four games — along with more traditional waivers and releases. The Broncos will likely work with more veterans about the possibility of either starting on the practice squad or being released and then re-signed to the 53-man roster. Could a trade pop up, too?
The countdown is on.
Here’s the latest:
Sam Ehlinger makes the 53-man roster
The Broncos are going to start the season with three quarterbacks on their active roster.
Sam Ehlinger has been told he’s making the 53-man roster, sources confirmed to The Post.
Ehlinger told The Post earlier this month that he had a high degree of trust in Sean Payton, George Paton and the Broncos’ brass and did not sound like a player who planned on packing his bags.
Indeed, he not only will carry on in Denver but will do so as a member of the active roster.
Ehlinger finished his preseason with three touchdown passes Friday night against Minnesota. After the game, he said his wife is due with their first child, a son, on Tuesday. So, a whirlwind stretch in all sorts of ways for the former University of Texas quarterback.
Denver, then, will have both Jarrett Stidham and Ehlinger behind Bo Nix in the quarterback room. Payton has not yet been willing to say who the No. 2 will be this fall.
Broncos waive a pair of 2026 draft picks
The difficulty of making this roster is on full display for Denver’s 2026 draft class.
The Broncos on Sunday waived fifth-round tight end Justin Joly and seventh-round safety Miles Scott on their way down to 53 players.
Joly had an overall quiet training camp but finished with a flourish and an 88-yard touchdown in Friday’s preseason finale. Scott had been quietly having a solid camp and told The Post on Friday night that he thought his last week of practice and Friday’s game against the Vikings had been his best work yet in camp.
Cooper placed on commissioner’s exempt list
The Broncos do indeed get clarity on Jonathon Cooper’s status ahead of the roster cutdown. He was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list by Roger Goodell on Sunday, meaning he’ll continue to be paid but cannot practice or play for Denver. He can be in the building, attend meetings, work out and receive treatment from the team.
Meanwhile, while Cooper is on the exempt list he does not count against Denver’s 53-man roster.
Broncos roster counter as moves toward 53 continues
Denver has 71 players on its roster and must make 18 more moves.
Sunday’s moves
OLB Jonathon Cooper (exempt list)
CB Brent Austin
WR Kolbe Katsis
OL Gavin Ortega
S Miles Scott
OLB Dasan McCullough
TE Justin Joly
OL Tyler Miller
LS Luke Basso
Saturday’s moves
FB Adam Prentice
DT Israel Antwine
OLB Ron Stone Jr.
DT Jordan Miller
WR Joseph Manjack IV
OL Foster Sarell
WR Kyrese Rowan
C Lecitus Smith
OL Reid Holskey
CB Ricardo Hallman
S Parker Robertson
