The Broncos have spent the last few days trimming their roster, and not every move has landed well. For a team that looks built to contend, Denver made a few choices that are hard to square - especially at positions where the depth chart already felt thin.
The biggest eyebrow-raiser might be Justin Joly. Denver used a fifth-round pick on the tight end in the 2026 NFL Draft with the idea that he could grow into something more, and he came with real upside as both a blocker and a receiver.
Instead, the Broncos went in another direction and kept Dallen Bentley, the second-to-last pick in the draft, over Joly. That’s a tough one to explain for a rookie with that kind of draft capital and developmental promise, especially when the tight end room is arguably the weakest on the roster.
Joly is now with the Miami Dolphins, and Denver has already lost the chance to keep working with him.
Taurean York’s situation feels just as puzzling. The undrafted inside linebacker got the biggest signing bonus and guarantee among Denver’s rookie free agents, and then didn’t even make it back onto the practice squad. As Mike Klis reported: “A bit surprising but undrafted rookie ILB Taurean York is NOT re-signing to the Broncos' practice squad per source.
York received the greatest signing bonus ($25,000) and guarantee ($325,000) among Broncos' undrafted rookies.
Then again, 7th-round pick ILB Red Murdock got…”
That move is tough to defend because inside linebacker, like tight end, is one of the roster’s biggest weak spots. Denver clearly needs long-term help there, with Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad both getting up there in age. York is only 21, so passing on a chance to develop him at a position of need stands out.
The running back decision was odd for a different reason. Jaleel McLaughlin got cut in favor of Tyler Badie, apparently because Badie offers more in pass protection and on special teams.
That may be enough to tip the scales, but it still leaves Denver with a back who does not bring much as a runner or receiver. McLaughlin, by comparison, is simply the better football player.
The Broncos already have J.K. Dobbins, Jonah Coleman, RJ Harvey, and fullback Adam Prentice in the mix, but there was still room to keep McLaughlin, especially with some pass-protection ability already in the room.
Then there’s the quarterback situation, which feels like a sign that Denver doesn’t fully trust either Jarrett Stidham or Sam Ehlinger. Stidham looked overwhelmed in the AFC Championship Game and had a worse preseason this year than he did last year.
Ehlinger made progress this offseason, but he still doesn’t have backup-caliber experience. Keeping both on the roster suggests the Broncos don’t see a clean answer at QB2, but the better move may have been to keep one as the third quarterback and try to bring the other back on the practice squad.
That would have opened a spot for another player at a more pressing position of need.
For a team with championship ambitions, these are the kinds of roster choices that make you stop and ask what Denver is seeing behind the scenes.
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