The Broncos still have one preseason game left, but the roster churn is already hovering over Friday night’s finale against the Minnesota Vikings. Denver’s depth is strong enough that, if the front office wanted to get creative, there are a few names that could draw interest before the 53-man deadline on Sunday.
That doesn’t mean a deal is coming. It just means the Broncos have some movable pieces if they decide to turn depth into draft capital or cap relief.
Jarrett Stidham is the clearest one to watch. He’s in a contract year and has spent the summer locked into the backup quarterback battle with Sam Ehlinger.
If Stidham were to lose that job, Denver probably wouldn’t keep three quarterbacks, which would put him squarely in trade-or-cut territory. Releasing him would clear $4.5 million in cap space and leave a dead-cap hit of $3.5 million, so a trade would be the more appealing route.
Even so, Stidham still appears to have the edge. His rough outing last week against the Green Bay Packers didn’t knock him off track, and as the Broncos’ backup over the past three years, it would take a lot for him to be bumped.
Ehlinger would need to be undeniable against the Vikings, and that feels like a long shot. Still, Denver clearly likes him, which is why the team re-signed him to a $2 million deal in March.
Receiver is another spot with some real traffic. Jaylen Waddle’s arrival has pushed the room down the depth chart behind Courtland Sutton, and that creates a squeeze.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey is in the mix, while undrafted rookies Kolbe Katsis and Cameron Ross have both flashed strong return ability this summer. That leaves Troy Franklin in an interesting spot, with his role shrinking and the possibility that he lands as the fifth receiver.
That kind of receiver usually needs special teams value, and that’s not Franklin’s strength. If Denver decides it prefers Humphrey or one of the rookies, Franklin’s place gets even tighter.
The Broncos are still expected to keep him, and they’re not going to simply waive him, but if another team calls about receiver help, Denver would at least listen. That makes Franklin a name worth keeping an eye on.
The last position to monitor is outside linebacker, where Jonah Tillman could become a trade chip if the Broncos decide their youth is ready for more snaps. Tillman is entering his third season and has been one of Denver’s better run defenders on the edge, while also posting nine sacks over the past two years. But the Broncos are loaded there, and if they want to carve out a bigger role for Que Robinson in Year 2, moving Tillman would be one way to do it.
Robinson has had a strong summer, and Jonah Elliss has too. Dasan McCullough, Johnny Walker and newcomer Ron Stone Jr. could also factor into the picture if one of them pops on Friday night.
There’s even the Drew Sanders question hanging over the group. If Denver isn’t ready to give up on its 2023 third-round pick, trading Tillman would at least open a spot for Sanders if he gets healthy enough to contribute in his contract year.
Sanders could help on special teams as well, though the more likely outcome is that he is waived or placed on injured reserve with a chance to be activated later in the season.
Tillman is set to be a restricted free agent next offseason, and the Broncos may not want to tender him, which only adds to the logic of dealing him now if the return is right. But there’s one major wrinkle: Jonathon Cooper.
If Denver believes Cooper will be suspended this season, then moving Tillman becomes much harder to justify. Cooper has a court date on Monday, when he’s scheduled to be arraigned on felony assault charges, and the Broncos have to make their initial roster decisions by 2 pm MDT on Sunday.
That timing means a Tillman trade would probably only happen if another team makes an offer GM George Paton can’t turn down.
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ESPNs Jeff Legwold recently walked through each draftees preseason showing, and a few names already appear to be separating themselves from the pack. Tyler Onyedim, Jonah Coleman and Kage Casey look positioned to carve out roles, while the tight end battle between Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley still looks unresolved. Safety Miles Scott appears more likely to land on the practice squad, leaving the Broncos with at least one more decision to sort through before the roster gets finalized. [Read more 🡒]