Predicting the Broncos’ 53-Man Roster Before Training Camp Kicks Off

The Denver Broncos are nearing the start of training camp, which means they will soon be narrowing down their 90-man roster, essentially a 91-man roster with their international player exemption, to the 53-man squad. Players will have approximately a month of practices and three preseason games to make their case for the roster.

Over the past two months, we have looked at every Broncos player at every position to gauge their chances of making the roster, except for special teams. Now, using those breakdowns, let’s take a swing at predicting the Broncos' 53-man roster with the rookies having reported for training camp.

Quarterback (2)

Bo Nix | Jarrett Stidham

There isn’t any debate about the quarterback position, outside of Sam Ehlinger being able to force three quarterbacks. After last year, there isn’t a need, unless Ehlinger is excellent in the preseason, which seems doubtful.

Running Back (4)

RJ Harvey | J.K. Dobbins | Jaleel McLaughlin | Audric Estime

The Broncos' running back position is wide open. Harvey is the lone guarantee to make it, with Dobbins seeming almost guaranteed to make it. The way Dobbins' contract is structured keeps him from being fully guaranteed, but in this projection, he makes it.

McLaughlin, Estime, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson are competing for the final two spots. Watson is the odd man out and has the longest shot of making it, so it's more of a three-way battle. McLaughlin is a slasher-style back, even at his smaller size, and none of the other backs are that style.

Estime and Badie are different backs, but Estime has shown good ability on special teams, while Badie missed time last year with a back injury. That leads to McLaughlin and Estime beating out Badie, who has a good chance of sticking on the practice squad.

Wide Receiver (6)

Multiple positions seem pretty much set, and wide receiver is one of them. Sutton, Vele, Bryant, and Mims are all set to make it, with the first three for what they offer on offense and Mims being an All-Pro returner. Sherfield was signed for special teams and blocking, and he is the lone gunner option at the position.

The open spot, if there is one, is Franklin, and that is a minuscule chance for an undrafted rookie to unseat Franklin on the roster.

Tight End (3)

Evan Engram | Adam Trautman | Nate Adkins

It would be nice to keep four tight ends, but looking at Sean Payton’s trends, it didn’t work out with the roster math. If the Broncos do keep four tight ends, Lucas Krull and Caleb Lohner are competing for that spot, and special teams could be a difference-maker for it.

As for the top three tight ends, they seem pretty much set. Engram is the mismatch receiver, Trautman the versatile guy, with Adkins as the blocking tight end.

Offensive Line (10)

Starters: Garett Bolles | Ben Powers | Luke Wattenberg | Quinn Meienrz | Mike McGlinchey

Backups: Matt Peart | Clay Webb | Alex Forsyth | Alex Palczewski | Xavier Truss

The starting five is set, but there is a question about the depth. Typically, teams keep nine offensive linemen, but Payton has often kept 10, with a preference for a backup left tackle and a backup right tackle over a swing tackle. Peart is the backup left tackle, with Palczewski, even with his versatility on both the inside and outside, being the backup right tackle.

Forstyh is cemented as the backup center, with eyes on him for the starting job next year, as Wattenberg is in the final year of his deal. The backup guards are where the battle is, as the Broncos spent to make sure they landed Webb and Truss as undrafted free agents.

Webb is a versatile interior blocker, while Truss is another of those inside/outside blockers. Frank Crum has a good chance of making it over Truss and likely has a better shot. Payton has tended to rotate that last lineman every year, which is why Truss over Crum in this projection.

Defensive Line (6)

The Broncos' defensive front is well set, with their top five all locked in, barring a surprise cut or trade, which seems unlikely to happen. There is a battle for the sixth spot among Jordan Jackson, Uwazurike, Matt Henningsen, and the field.

After keeping Uwazurike after a year suspension, the Broncos seem to like what they have, so the edge goes to him despite the time Jackson saw the field last year. When Jackson saw the field, he was a liability, while Uwazurike did well in his limited action.

Outside Linebackers (5)

Nik Bonitto | Jonathon Cooper | Jonah Elliss | Dondrea Tillman | Que Robinson

There isn’t much debate here as the top five edge rushers are set and clear. The only difference will be whether a team makes an offer for one of the Broncos' edge rushers and they take it.

That could open the door for a different rusher to make it, but odds are, the Broncos keep five. Tillman is the one at most risk of being traded, but after one year in the NFL as a part-time player, he may not have the value to warrant a trade.

Inside Linebackers (4)

Dre Greenlaw | Alex Singleton | Justin Strnad | Levelle Bailey

With the injury concerns at the position, there was an attempt to keep five linebackers, but ultimately, the numbers didn’t work out. This is one spot that could very well end up wrong due to the injury concerns with Greenlaw and Singleton, as well as Greenlaw being the only one 100% set to make it.

Singleton is likely to make it, but there is a chance he doesn’t. There is also the unknown of Sanders and whether he can secure a spot on the roster, as he is currently on the outside looking in.

Cornerbacks (5)

Patrick Surtain II | Jahdae Barron | Riley Moss | Ja’Quan McMillian | Kris Abrams-Draine

There was some debate about five or six corners, but ultimately, it was decided to use five corners and five safeties instead of six and four. The expectation is that multiple corners make the practice squad.

Four of these five corners seem fairly set to make it, with McMillian being a potential change if a team makes a good enough offer to trade for him. Outside of that, McMillian likely makes the roster.

Safeties (5)

Brandon Jones | Talanoa Hufanga | P.J. Locke | Sam Franklin | JL Skinner

Both Jones and Hufanga are safe to make it, with Locke, Franklin, and Skinner all competing for a spot. Locke makes it with his experience as a starter in the defense, while special teams play of Franklin and Skinner keep them around on the roster.

Special Teams (3)

Wil Lutz (K) | Jeremy Crawshaw (P) | Mitchell Fraboni (LS)

There isn’t any competition for any of these positions. Lutz has been a stable kicker, and Fraboni has been stable as a long snapper. Crawshaw is a rookie and currently carries the international player exception, but with no competition, the job is his to lose.