The Denver Broncos have one more preseason night to sort through a crowded undrafted class, and Friday’s finale against the Minnesota Vikings is the last audition.
That matters in Denver, where the club has made a habit of finding a place for an undrafted rookie. In 21 of the past 22 years, one has earned a spot on the 53-man roster out of training camp.
Last season, that player was linebacker Karene Reid. This year, the path is much steeper, but five undrafted rookies still have a real chance to force the issue.
Kolbe Katsis sits near the top of that list. Special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi was the one who targeted him as a college free agent, and the Broncos have gotten exactly what they hoped for from him in the return game.
With Marvin Mims Jr. injured this summer, Katsis has been Denver’s most effective returner. Rizzi said Tuesday, “Kolbe has had a couple of plays where he really gained a lot of yards, gained a lot of ground,” Rizzi said on Tuesday.
“He had two really good ones last week where you can see him put his foot in the ground, make a guy miss, get vertical.” If he finishes the preseason with another strong showing, he could push the Broncos toward keeping six receivers.
Ross is in a similar lane, though he’s shown more than just return ability. Denver brought him in for that same special teams role, but he’s also flashed as a pass-catcher and as a runner. Katsis appears to have the edge in Rizzi’s eyes, yet Ross still looks like a candidate for the practice squad at minimum because of the juice he’s brought on offense.
Linebacker level is where the math gets tougher. York is the clear last man in that room, and his 5-foot-10, 220-pound frame is a big reason he went undrafted.
He’s had moments in the preseason, but the Broncos are in a 3-4 scheme, not a 4-3 setup that might have suited him better as a Will linebacker. If he’s going to jump two players on the inside linebacker depth chart, Friday night has to be loud, with splash plays and no wasted chances.
At cornerback, the top five is already spoken for, which leaves Austin trying to pry open a sixth spot. The former Cal defender has played tight coverage and done his work on special teams, but he’ll likely need a play or two against Minnesota to separate from Denver’s other depth options. Even if he falls short of the 53-man roster, the practice squad looks like a real possibility.
Then there’s Robertson, who has built his case the hard way. He walked on at Oklahoma State, earned a scholarship, and turned himself into a productive safety and special teams contributor.
His lack of measurables pushed him out of the draft, but the Broncos clearly value the kind of player he is. He’s been solid in the preseason, including last week against the Green Bay Packers, and now he gets one more shot to fight for one of the two open safety jobs.
That’s the problem, though: JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson, and rookie seventh-rounder Miles Scott are all in the mix too. There may not be enough room for Robertson to separate completely. Still, with the starters unlikely to see much action Friday, he should get a healthy workload to make his case.
For Denver, the undrafted tradition is still alive. Whether any of these five can extend it again comes down to what they do against the Vikings.
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