DENVER — The Broncos’ 53-man roster seems to be pretty well set.
There may be a couple back-end roster spots that need confirming in the final preseason game Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field at Mile High. And yes, two to four spots are so closely contested, the preseason game against the Cardinals will serve as a tiebreaker.
Projecting the roster was a premature exercise last week. No excuses heading into the final test. Here is how I see the Broncos’ 53-man roster with the greatest uncertainty at none other than the quarterback position:
Offense (25)
Quarterbacks (3)
Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson
Comment: This is against my better judgment. There’s a chance the Broncos only keep two – Nix and Wilson. But I can’t cut Stidham when he’s been the top quarterback through the offseason and early part of training camp and no worse than the second-best throughout. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Broncos listen to offers from teams that aren’t enamored with their backup QB. I still think Wilson, for all his talent, could use more time to clear the Jets experience out of his system.
Running backs (3)
Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime
Gotta chance: Samaje Perine
Comment: Perine is still the team’s best 2-minute back because of his ability to sense when to stay in, and who to pick up, in pass protection and when to sneak out as a safety valve. There should be a steady diet of Tyler Badie and undrafted rookie Blake Watson, with a bit of Estime mixed in, in the final preseason game Sunday.
Fullback (1)
Michael Burton
Close: Nate Adkins
Comment: The veteran Burton seems to have solidified his spot, even if Payton also loves Adkins’ all-around game. Adkins is a tight end, first, but he may be the fourth tight end with the roster only having room for three. Adkins has not taken many fullback snaps the past two weeks.
Receivers (6)
Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele
Close: Lil’Jordan Humphrey, David Sills V
Comment: I can see a scenario where Franklin stays on the roster because the Broncos don’t want to expose him to waivers, but he’s also inactive the first half of the season while Humphrey or Sills are called up from practice squad to the game-day roster.
Tight ends (4)
Adam Trautman, Greg Dulcich, Lucas Krull, Nate Adkins
Comment: See there. Got Adkins on the team. With Dulcich’s injury history, best to protect with a fourth tight end. Dulcich and Krull should give Nix some promising matchup threats down the seams.
Offensive linemen (8)
Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Matt Peart, Calvin Throckmorton
Close: Alex Forsyth, Frank Crum, Will Sherman, Sam Mustipher
Comment: Crum struggled early but came on the last two weeks. The tall Wyoming product is one of the best hopes among the undrafted rookies to make the roster.
Defense (24)
Defensive line (6)
Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, John Franklin-Myers, Malcolm Roach, Jordan Jackson, Eyioma Uwazurike or Angelo Blackson
Gotta chance: Matt Henningsen
Comment: It’s really a top four – Allen, Jones, Franklin-Myers and Roach. And then a serious battle between four players – Blackson, Jackson, Uwazurike and Henningsen -- for the final two spots. The final preseason game Sunday against Arizona will be huge. Blackson has earned a roster spot over Uwazurike, who does not yet have his football power, technique and quickness as he tries to recover from his 54-week gambling suspension. But his supreme talent may not make it through waivers.
Inside linebackers (4)
Alex Singleton, Cody Barton, Jonas Griffith, Justin Strnad
Close: Levelle Bailey, Andre Smith, Waiver wire/trade.
Comment: Barton has been taking the first-team snaps alongside Singleton. Almost all of Barton’s $2.5 million contract is guaranteed. Strnad is a special teams standout who has $750,00 of his $1.3 million contract guaranteed. Griffith is getting back his football feel after suffering season-ending injuries the past two seasons.
Outside linebackers (4)
Jonathon Cooper, Baron Browning, Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss
Gotta chance: Durrell Nchami, Dondrea Tillman
Comment: Ordinarily, a team keeps five edge rushers on their 53-man roster but this is where keeping a third quarterback could reduce it to four. Nchami or Tillman could also be practice squad call-up candidates on game day.
Cornerbacks (6)
Pat Surtain II, Ja’Quan McMillian, Riley Moss, Damarri Mathis, Levi Wallace, Kris Abrams-Draine
Comment: Moss seems to have won the starting outside corner position opposite Surtain. Mathis and Abrams-Draine could be core special teamers.
Safeties (4)
Brandon Jones, P.J. Locke, Devon Key, JL Skinner
Close: Keidron Smith
Comment: Jones is trying to mend a hamstring injury that first set him back in OTAs and then forced him to miss most of training camp and the first two preseason games. There is a real concern here. Jones will get a short test Sunday in the preseason finale against Arizona. Smith had a game-changing interception in each of the first two preseason games and the Broncos would love to keep him on their practice squad.
Special teams (4)
Kicker
Wil Lutz
Punter
Riley Dixon or Trenton Gill
Long snapper
Mitchell Fraboni
Gunner
Tremon Smith
Comment: Lutz is 4 of 4 in field goals and 7 of 7 in extra points through two preseason games. I still can’t figure out who the Broncos to win the punting competition, although it seems Dixon has been more consistent. Smith is in line for a relatively healthy, if non-guaranteed $2.5 million pay out this year. That’s quite a bit for a special teamer who is not the first-string returner, but Smith is valuable to special teams coaches Mike Westhoff and Ben Kotwica.
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