The Broncos made their call on Pat Surtain II before kickoff in Arizona, and the answer was to hold him out.
Surtain, who came into the game listed as questionable, will sit as Denver faces the Cardinals in the desert. With Riley Moss fully back in the saddle and Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine both on the rise, the Broncos have enough in the secondary to manage without Surtain for another week. Week 8 is the target for his return.
Denver will also be without safety Talanoa Hufanga, who is missing his second straight game after suffering an ankle injury in Week 5. That absence is the reason the Broncos elevated Taylor Rapp again from the practice squad. The hope is that Hufanga can be back next week alongside Surtain.
The Broncos’ other inactives include rookie draft picks Sai'vion Jones and the pair of Casey and Bentley, who still have yet to dress this season. Unless something changes because of injuries ahead of them, they were not expected to be active.
Jackson and Onyedim being out is the more interesting wrinkle. That move suggests Denver is not overly concerned about Arizona’s running game. Onyedim, the highest draft pick the Broncos made this year, has now been a healthy scratch in every game.
At some point, the question becomes when Onyedim gets his chance. Sai'vion Jones has started seeing more defensive snaps, and he followed the same path last year as a third-round pick who spent most of his rookie season inactive.
Even so, the decision stands out. Denver is 31st against the run, and Onyedim was one of the 2026 draft class’ best run-defending defensive tackles. The Broncos’ front can rush the passer with the best of them, but stopping the run has been a different story.
Quarterback Sam Ehlinger will be active as the emergency quarterback, though he officially counts as a healthy scratch. That is one of the newer NFL roster rules, and Denver uses it regularly.
On the Cardinals’ side, Budda Baker is in. He was questionable, but he’s dressing.
Arizona’s biggest losses are Love on offense and Nolen on defense. With Love out, the Broncos should see plenty of Tyler Allgeier, and Nolen’s absence gives Denver an even better chance to get the ground game moving.
In Other News...
Broncos Fans May Have A New Concern About Alex Singleton
Alex Singletons name is back in the league office conversation after the Broncos linebacker was fined for a hit on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold in the Oct. 15 win over Seattle. The play drew no penalty in the moment, but the NFL later ruled it unnecessary roughness and levied a $23,882 fine, adding another layer to an already active season for one of Denvers most physical defenders.
It is the third time Singleton has been fined this year, even though one of the earlier penalties was eventually rescinded on appeal. For the Broncos, the concern is less about one isolated hit and more about a pattern that can keep putting a key defensive leader under league scrutiny, especially as Denver continues to lean on his presence in the middle of the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Suddenly Have A Blockbuster RB Question To Answer
A running back market that was expected to stay quiet suddenly has some real heat, and Jonathan Taylor is right at the center of it. ESPNs Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported that the Packers, Seahawks and Broncos are among the teams weighing a possible trade for the Colts star, a development that lands at an especially messy moment in Indianapolis after the team fired GM Chris Ballard and could start looking at veteran deals.
Taylor only signed an extension this year and has already appeared in six games this season, so any move would be a major shift for a player still supposed to be part of the Colts long-term core. Even so, the situation is not cut and dried, because Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon reportedly still views Taylor as a key piece of the franchise, leaving interested teams like Denver to monitor whether the idea turns into something much bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Running Back Picture Just Got More Concerning Than Expected
The Broncos backfield and special teams depth took another hit with a series of roster moves that also touched the defense and secondary. Denver placed running back Tyler Badie and linebacker Jonah Elliss on injured reserve, while also activating linebacker Jonathon Cooper back onto the active roster and promoting safety Taylor Rapp and cornerback Sean Fresch Jr. from the practice squad.
Badies move matters most for a running back group that had already been trying to find its footing, and the timing only adds to the uncertainty around how the Broncos will sort out touches and depth over the next stretch. Coopers return gives the defense a familiar piece back after his extended absence, but the roster churn suggests Denver is still managing more than one spot at once as it heads into the next phase of the season. [Read more 🡒]