Cornerback Blake Cotton became the first casualty of Broncos training camp, and it came at a spot Denver can actually afford to lose a body.
The undrafted rookie out of Utah left the field during the Broncos’ first “acclimation” practice last Wednesday, and the move the next day told the story. Denver signed veteran cornerback Sam Webb, a sign Cotton’s absence was more than just a minor camp hiccup. Cotton was later waived with an injury settlement after suffering a hamstring injury in practice.
“Rookie CB Blake Cotton told me he will be waived by the Broncos after signing an injury settlement. He said he suffered a hamstring injury in practice Wednesday.
'It's tough,' he said. With the open roster spot, the Broncos are signing DB Sam Webb,” The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson reported on X.
It’s a rough break for Cotton, who now has to get healthy and hope the NFL door stays open for him down the line.
Denver, meanwhile, has kept rolling through camp with no shortage of cornerbacks making noise. That’s the reality at one of the team’s deepest positions: even after the top five on the depth chart, there are still players who can make life difficult on the roster bubble.
The Broncos have especially liked the two practice squad holdovers from last season, Jaden Robinson and Reese Taylor, but the room is crowded and the climb is steep.
The rookie class has added even more traffic. Blake Austin, an undrafted corner out of Cal, has already flashed early in camp. At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, he wasted no time getting noticed.
Sean Fresch Jr. has also been one of the early standouts. He went undrafted out of Rice last year, couldn’t find an NFL opportunity, and took his game to the UFL instead.
With the St. Louis Battlehawks, Fresch made his name as a cover man and led the UFL in punt return yardage. He also earned All-UFL honors.
Once the UFL season ended in June, Denver moved quickly to sign Fresch, along with Battlehawks teammate Hakeem Butler, the big wideout who was another early winner from the first week of camp. At first, Fresch looked like a depth move behind Marvin Mims Jr. on returns, especially on kickoffs, where the Broncos wanted another option to support their two-time All-Pro.
But Fresch has shown more than return value. He’s been active and disruptive in coverage, and his interception last week, along with several pass break-ups, put that on display.
Cotton’s exit was unfortunate, but it hasn’t changed the bigger picture at corner for Denver. The Broncos still look strong there.
The same can’t quite be said for linebacker Drew Sanders, who now looks like the other camp situation worth watching closely. Since the Broncos’ first “acclimation” practice, Sanders has not taken part in the next three sessions.
On Friday, Sean Payton brushed off the issue, saying there were “no updates” and adding, “I think we’ll see.”
Payton also made it clear he isn’t eager to talk injuries unless he has to. Sanders dealt with a tendon injury in his foot during training camp last summer and missed the season after already losing much of the 2024 campaign to an Achilles injury.
It’s not clear whether Sanders has aggravated that foot injury or is dealing with something new. There’s also the possibility it’s simply part of the Broncos’ “load managment” approach with players coming off injuries.
Still, there’s a big difference between a rest day and missing three straight practices, so something is going on. Given Sanders’ injury history and the fact that he’s in a contract year, the hope in Denver has to be that this is nothing major.
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