Denver Broncos: Players on the roster bubble after third preseason game

Alexander Johnson, LB/ST

The Broncos had to pay up to get Alexander Johnson.

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Now, they didn’t guarantee him millions of dollars or anything like that, but they did give him the highest guarantee for an undrafted rookie ($50,000) that any such player has been given in the John Elway era, perhaps ever for the Broncos.

Johnson has rewarded Denver with two punishing hits on special teams in two games.

The fourth and final preseason game will provide Johnson a chance to prove what he can do with some extended snaps defensively.

To this point, we have not seen that.

The Broncos brought him in knowing full well he would not have much time to prove himself on the field, but has he done enough with two big special teams plays to inspire confidence in coordinator Tom McMahon?

Has he done enough that Joe Woods feels like he can be a top-four linebacker on this team ahead of a veteran like Zaire Anderson?

Johnson may go through to the practice squad, but as much as the Broncos had to pay (bid over other teams) to get him, who knows if they will be able to sneak him through waivers, especially if he plays well on Thursday against the Cardinals?

He’s got one more game to prove himself to be un-cuttable.