ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — There are so many good ones and only six at most can stay around on the big-boy roster.
Sean Payton isn’t sure if he’s seen anything like the quality depth the Broncos currently have at their receiver position.
Given health, the locks to make the 53-man roster are Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin.
Sutton is the No. 1 receiver about to make $13.5 million. Reynolds is the No. 2 receiver making a guaranteed $4.5 million this year. Mims is a second-year, second-round draft pick and a second-team All Pro kick returner who may be an even better punt returner.
Franklin is a rookie whom Payton and general manager George Paton traded away their fourth, fifth and sixth-round draft picks in order to move up 19 spots in the fourth round to take the speedy Oregon receiver. Even if Franklin hasn’t quite kicked in yet, he shows up every day, seems to work hard, and the investment in him is substantial.
The next two receivers to make the roster, maybe only one, will come from an eight-man group that includes veterans Tim Patrick, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Brandon Johnson, Phillip Dorsett, Jalen Virgil, Michael Bandy, David Sills V and seventh-round rookie Devaughn Vele, who has led the Broncos in outstanding catches during training camp.
“More than I recall anywhere the depth and competition at that position group,’’ Payton said.
The Broncos can’t keep them all. And no longer is there a lot of time. Final cut down day to 53-man rosters is Aug. 27, or less than two weeks away. Then there is a day of waiver claims and more cuts. By 2 p.m. August 28 the Broncos should have their season-opening, 53-man roster pretty well set.
It’s a two-day flurry where several Broncos receivers today won’t be in two weeks.
“We potentially might have guys that wind up playing for another team,’’ Payton said.
The Vele body
Payton taught us a nuance on how NFL coaches, personnel and scouts evaluate players when he was asked about the rookie Vele.
“I like his transition and his body control for someone who’s 6-4,’’ Payton said. “Now he’s low-cut and that helps him.’’
Low-cut?
“Leggy receivers have a little bit more challenge,’’ Payton said. “But he’s a little bit more torso build and that allows him to transition a little better. So he’s put some good tape out there and continues to improve.”
The picture we're getting is Vele has to buy longer shirts and shorter jeans than other 6-foot-4 men.
Injury update
Starting left guard Ben Powers (ribs), backup tight end Lucas Krull (toe) and backup cornerback Art Green (concussion) didn’t practice Wednesday.
Calvin Throckmorton took snaps for Powers on Wednesday while Hunter Kampmoyer got a good look in place of Krull.
Starting safety Brandon Jones (hamstring) practiced on a limited basis after sitting out the previous two weeks. Backup cornerback Levi Wallace (hamstring) appears to be sidelined a second consecutive week of practices.
Backup outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, who has missed most of the first three weeks with a back injury, returned on a limited basis. Dondrea Tillman got Bonitto’s snaps Wednesday with Durrell Nchami also mixing in at outside linebacker.
Mock returns, Jaylon Allen waive/injured
The Broncos made a roster transaction official Wednesday by again re-signing Air Force rookie inside linebacker Alec Mock and placing rookie outside linebacker Jaylon Allen on waivers with an injury designation.
Allen suffered what should be a two-week ankle injury in the Broncos' preseason game Sunday at Indianapolis. Allen is already in Houston and will begin his rehab Thursday. The Broncos gave Allen a $10,000 signing bonus and $120,000 in total guarantees to sign him out of Memphis as an undrafted rookie in late-April. The team may bring him back to their practice squad in two weeks.
Mock has been cut twice and signed three times by the Broncos since late-April.
Excused for baby
All Broncos players stay at the same team hotel during the first three weeks of training camp. Several veterans were allowed to return to their homes this week.
The birth of Mike and Brooke McGlinchey’s first child, a son they're calling Tripp, in the middle of camp got the Broncos’ starting right tackle out of the team hotel and back home a little earlier than the rest.
“It did,’’ McGlinchey said. “My wife and I are battling no sleep and all that stuff but it’s been a lot of fun. He’s great, my son ‘Tripp,’ has been awesome in the last 9 days since we had him.
“My wife has been an absolute rock star. Not only these last 10 days but the entire time I’ve known her. It just makes you that much more appreciative of the partner you pick.”
Bronco Bits
The Broncos will practice in pads Thursday and again for their joint practice with the Green Bay Packers on Friday (Fans are allowed to attend). Then it’s the preseason game Sunday night (6 p.m. kickoff, 9NEWS) against the Packers at Empower Field. …
With a relatively quick turnaround between a physical joint practice Friday and preseason game Sunday, Payton said he will make sure the first-, second- and third-team units get equal time.