Only one preseason game stands between the Denver Broncos and the August 30 cutdown deadline, and after a 33-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the roster picture is starting to harden in a hurry. There may not be many true openings left on this team, but the final few decisions are still getting some real shape from the preseason tape.
At quarterback, nothing has changed. Stidham and Ehlinger are not locked in a real fight, and the Broncos do not appear headed toward keeping three passers.
Running back looks just as trimmed down. Even with some concern around Dobbins, the Broncos are still projected to carry only three backs.
That leaves Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin on the outside looking in, while Schrader appears to have the inside track to the practice squad. He’s earned that edge by outplaying both backs in the preseason games.
Sean Payton has already made it clear there will be a fullback on the roster, and new offensive coordinator Davis Webb seems to have a specific plan for using one.
The receiver room is where things get a little more interesting. Humphrey is projected to miss the 53-man roster because of the numbers game, though there is still a path for him to stick around.
The Broncos clearly trust him as a weapon, with Nix, Payton, and Webb all seeming to value what he brings. Behind him, Ross has flashed on offense, while Katsis has stood out as a return man.
Tight end remains unsettled, and Denver still needs help there. Until that changes, this is the way the room projects to line up. Lohner’s injury absence only makes his case more complicated, and every missed day increases the possibility that he lands on injured reserve at cutdown as a player who could return later.
Up front, the offensive line has started to sort itself out. Crum has struggled badly in the preseason, which opens the door for the undrafted rookie Miller to make a push.
Crum has been working with the second unit, while Miller has been operating with the fourth-unit offensive line, which tells you where the staff currently sees the depth chart. Throckmorton has helped himself with strong work in games and practice, and that should put some pressure on Forsyth, who was not impressing in practice before getting hurt.
Throckmorton’s versatility also gives him an advantage Forsyth does not have. Beyond those two, the interior line is essentially settled.
On the defensive side, the line looks locked in unless something unexpected happens via trade. The Broncos like to keep seven there, and those seven are already clear.
Miller got on the field in the second half against Green Bay, while the last defensive linemen didn’t appear until the fourth quarter. He has done enough to look like a strong practice squad candidate.
The edge group is also mostly spoken for. The Broncos’ five outside linebackers are considered locks unless there’s a surprise cut or trade.
The top three are settled, but the fourth spot is still open, with Turner and Murdock fighting for it. Both have had rough moments and some encouraging ones, but Turner gets the nod here because of his special teams work.
York is out of the roster conversation after multiple special teams mistakes against the Packers.
Cornerback remains one of the more interesting decisions, especially with the question of whether Denver keeps five or six. Fresch has made a push with his play on defense and special teams, but he still looks like someone the Broncos could try to stash on the practice squad. The top five corners, though, are already set, and that depth is a good sign for the defense.
At safety, Rapp makes the team as a new addition because of his football IQ and his ability to learn the defense quickly. He also upgrades a third safety spot that needs help.
That bumps Key back into a special teams role and leaves him as the fourth safety. Skinner stays because of his work in the third phase, while Scott and Robertson have done enough to keep developing.
Specialists are straightforward. Lutz and Crawshaw are safe, and Fraboni is clearly ahead of Luke Basso. That position battle no longer looks like much of a battle at all.
In Other News...
Sean Payton Leaves Broncos Fans Waiting On J.K. Dobbins Decision
J.K. Dobbins sat out the Broncos preseason matchup with the Packers after a minor soft-tissue injury in training camp, leaving Sean Payton to navigate the backfield without one of the biggest offseason additions. In Dobbins absence, Denver leaned on its other runners, with RJ Harvey getting the start and also adding a touchdown catch to help carry the workload.
Payton said Dobbins could be in line to make his debut in the final preseason game against the Vikings, which gives Denver at least one more chance to see how the backfield pieces fit before the games start to count. For a Broncos offense still sorting out roles, Dobbins status is worth watching closely, especially with the team trying to balance caution now with the need to get him ready for the real thing. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos May Have A Davis Webb Problem If Bo Nix Takes Off
The Broncos built this offseason around Bo Nix, and the ripple effects have already shown up in the coaching staff. Denver added receiver Jaylen Waddle to help give the rookie quarterback more juice on the perimeter, then elevated Davis Webb to offensive coordinator with play-calling duties. Webb has handled the offense well in the preseason, and the early returns have only strengthened the sense that the Broncos are trying to create the kind of structure that can help Nix settle in quickly.
Davis Webbs rise, though, comes with the kind of long-term wrinkle Denver knows all too well. He is young, he has already shown an ability to organize the offense, and that combination can make a coach look like a future head-coaching candidate before long. The Broncos have lived through staff turnover before, and if Nix takes off the way they hope, Webb may not stay tucked away for long as the teams offensive brain trust starts drawing outside attention. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Roster Crunch Could Turn One Familiar Name Into A Trade Chip
The Broncos are in the middle of the kind of late-summer roster sorting that forces tough decisions on players who have been around the building and know the system, but still may not fit once the 53-man cutdown is done. Denver has to weigh depth, special teams value and future upside all at once, and that puts names like Franklin, McLaughlin and Skinner in the mix as the front office looks at who stays put and who might be exposed to waivers.
Franklin stands out because he carries the most trade value of that group, which gives Denver a little more flexibility if another team comes calling before the roster picture settles. McLaughlin and Skinner could also factor into the churn depending on how the Broncos prioritize their needs, but nothing has been finalized yet, and this is the kind of situation that can shift quickly as teams around the league make their own last-minute moves. [Read more 🡒]