The Broncos never really lost Sean Fresch Jr. - not for long, anyway.
After waiving the defensive back to create room for a trade that was supposed to bring in Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley, Denver watched that deal collapse when Henley failed his physical. That left a roster spot open and sent Fresch through waivers, where he went unclaimed before the Broncos moved quickly to bring him back on the practice squad.
It’s the latest twist in a season that has already given Fresch a few different looks. He’s played in four games, including his NFL debut in Week 5 against the Chargers, and he was elevated to the 53-man roster ahead of Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers.
In that game, the 5-foot-9, 181-pound defensive back made an immediate impact by taking the opening kickoff 41 yards and helping set up Bo Nix and the Broncos offense with strong field position. He finished with 62 return yards on two attempts, a 31-yard average.
Across the three earlier games in which he was elevated from the practice squad, Fresch has logged six kick returns for 153 yards, a 25.5-yard average. He’s also chipped in three solo tackles on special teams while covering punts and kicks.
Fresch’s path to Denver has been anything but straightforward. He went undrafted out of Rice last year and did not land a priority free-agent contract after the draft. The Kansas City Chiefs brought him in for a tryout at rookie minicamp, but he didn’t get an offer there either.
From there, he kept moving. Fresch signed with the San Antonio Brahmas in the UFL, then entered the UFL draft after the Brahmas went under.
The St. Louis Battlehawks picked him in January 2026, and he went on to lead the league in punt return yardage while earning All-UFL honors.
St. Louis reached the playoffs before falling in the semi-finals to the Louisville Kings on June 7.
Nine days later, on June 15, the Broncos signed Fresch and his Battlehawks teammate Hakeem Butler. Both former UFL standouts flashed early in OTAs and minicamp, but once training camp arrived, Fresch kept climbing while Butler faded and was eventually waived.
Denver clearly knew it was getting a dangerous return man. What may have taken a little longer to fully appreciate was what Fresch could offer on defense. He showed well in the preseason, and while he didn’t quite stick on the initial 53-man roster, the Broncos kept him close by re-signing him to the practice squad.
His 25th birthday came Wednesday, the same day Denver waived him to make room for Henley. The expectation, though, was that the Broncos wanted to keep him in the organization if he cleared waivers. He did.
That matters because the Broncos have some future decisions to make. Marvin Mims Jr. and Ja’Quan McMillian are both in contract years, and Fresch gives Denver another possible option beyond 2026 if it can’t keep either one. His upside is obvious on special teams, especially as a returner.
As a defensive back, he still has work to do. But with Fresch back on the practice squad, the Broncos have time to keep developing him, and it wouldn’t be a shock if they moved him back to the 53-man roster before Week 11’s home game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Even if that promotion doesn’t come, Fresch’s three practice-squad elevations have reset, which means Denver can keep using him on game day for the foreseeable future.
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