The Denver Broncos didn’t exactly hide their feelings when it came time to sort out the 53-man roster. One of the clearest messages came on the defensive line, where they chose to keep seven players and, in doing so, gave recent draft pick Sai’vion Jones a path to stay in the picture.
That’s notable because Jones, a 2025 third-round pick the Broncos traded up for, had been mentioned as a possible cut after a training camp and preseason that reportedly didn’t do him many favors. Instead of moving on, Denver kept him around and bought more time for his development.
The decision fits the way the Broncos approached replacing John Franklin-Myers, who left in free agency after putting up 14.5 sacks over the last two seasons. Rather than handing that job to one player, Denver spread the responsibility across a group. Jones was part of that plan, along with Eyioma Uwazurike, the team’s top draft pick Tyler Onyedim, and later Jordan Jackson, who has been in the Broncos’ developmental pipeline since signing a reserve/futures deal in January 2023.
That’s the real story here: Denver wasn’t ready to give up on Jones after one season, even if he’s still a work in progress. Keeping him on the roster says the Broncos still believe the long-term investment is worth it, especially for a player they traded up to draft.
At the same time, this isn’t a sign that Jones is anywhere close to a major role. He’d likely sit no higher than sixth on the depth chart, maybe even behind Onyedim. Uwazurike and Jackson figure to be ahead of him for snaps during the season.
And that part matters too, because Denver has already seen how patience can pay off on this front. Uwazurike, a 2022 fourth-round pick, didn’t really start showing real progress until last season.
Jackson has also taken time to develop and is in line for a larger role this year. Zach Allen’s early career offers another reminder, since he played only 17 games across his first two NFL seasons and didn’t become a full-time starter until his third.
So the Broncos’ message is pretty plain: Jones is still here, still being developed, and still getting a chance. But the window won’t stay open forever. At some point, the plays have to start showing up.
In Other News...
Broncos Bring Back A Familiar Name As Roster Churn Continues
Roster movement kept rolling in Denver as the Broncos filled out their practice squad with 17 players, a group that included a familiar face in fullback Adam Prentice. It is the kind of late-summer housekeeping that often goes unnoticed outside the building, but it matters for a team trying to keep depth in place while sorting through the final edges of the roster.
Prentices path back to Denver gives the move a little extra familiarity. He first joined the Broncos as an undrafted free agent, later spent time with the New Orleans Saints, and then returned to Denver, where he appeared in all 17 games in 2025. For a club still cycling through personnel, keeping a player who already knows the system and the environment can be useful as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Kept A Fan Favorite Rookie In The Mix At Key Spot
After trimming to their initial 53-man roster, the Broncos made one more quiet move to keep a young defender in the fold by signing rookie inside linebacker Red Murdock to the practice squad. The seventh-round pick did enough during the offseason and preseason to stay on the teams radar, even if he did not crack the active roster on cutdown day.
Murdock now gets to keep developing within the same system rather than starting over somewhere else, and Denver gets a chance to keep evaluating a player who flashed enough to remain part of the conversation. With the roster settled and a few rookies already making their way onto the team, the practice squad spot gives the Broncos another look at a player they clearly were not ready to let go completely. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Just Made Their 2026 Intentions Impossible To Miss
The Broncos have spent this offseason acting like a team that believes its window is wide open. Rather than tearing things down or chasing a major overhaul, Denver kept most of its 2025 roster intact for 2026, preserving the core that stayed healthy and pushed the club close to the Super Bowl. The biggest additions were straightforward and purposeful, with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle arriving to strengthen the passing game and rookie running back Jonah Coleman joining the backfield mix.
What stands out is how little Denver has changed relative to the stakes it is clearly embracing. Management and the coaching staff have made no secret of their confidence in an experienced group that already proved it can contend, and the roster decisions reflect a team trying to turn promise into a championship run rather than reset the timeline. The Broncos look committed to chasing that next step with the same foundation that got them this far, which is about as strong a signal as a front office can send. [Read more 🡒]