Denver Broncos: Depth at key positions created tough cutdown decisions

The Denver Broncos had to make some difficult decisions at key positions today to get down to 53 players. Some cuts were due to depth at certain positions.

Before today’s roster cutdown deadline, it was easy to determine that certain players on the Denver Broncos were not going to make the final cut to 53-players. Some of those decisions the Broncos made today were surprising to some.

At quarterback, the team chose to keep all three that were on the roster: Case Keenum, Chad Kelly, and Paxton Lynch. It was somewhat of a surprise that the team kept all three. Lynch would have been the odd-man out but Denver had other plans.

The organization still sees something in the former first-round quarterback and feels like patience is still the key.

“That’s the key thing: we’ve got to keep coaching him, too. Obviously, once you get in the season there’s only so much you can do, but obviously Paxton has got to take it upon himself to continue to try to improve and he’s going to get a lot of reps with the scout team.”

At running back, Devontae Booker, Phillip Lindsay and third-round pick Royce Freeman made the team, as well as fullback Andy Janovich. That was at the expense of 2018 draft pick Dave Williams and 2017 draft pick De’Angelo Henderson.

The decision to keep Booker as opposed to Henderson came as a surprise to Broncos Country. Booker hadn’t done much and has less talent than Henderson. The Broncos just chose to go with the guy with more experience rather than the one who has more to offer.

The Broncos cut wide receivers Isaiah McKenzie and River Cracraft as well. Those were the surprising wide receiver cuts because if they were going to go in a new direction, I thought it would be between Tim Patrick and Cracraft.

McKenzie was expendable when the team signed Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones to upgrade special teams returns. With depth at wide receiver, it was time for McKenzie to go.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Broncos have probably the strongest linebacking core in the entire league. They chose to cut veteran Bronco Zaire Anderson, as well as outside linebackers Jeff Holland and Marcus Rush.

The biggest surprise to me was Holland’s release. I thought he did enough to solidify his spot on the roster, but in the NFL, it’s a numbers game. Everybody is good. John Elway said of Holland’s release that they had other players who were better.

Denver’s depth at cornerback was also the cause for multiple cuts. Denver released Brendan Langley, Michael Hunter, and CJ Smith. Langley was a third-round pick in the 2017 draft, which makes it frustrating that he couldn’t last longer on the team.

Of all the players who the team released on Saturday, Four of those players were drafted by the team just last year. Wide receiver Carlos Henderson, running back De’Angelo Henderson, wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, and cornerback Brendan Langley.

In all, the decisions that surprised me were Devontae Booker taking the spot of De’Angelo Henderson, receiver River Cracraft being let go, Broncos keeping just five receivers, offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio being released, and outside linebacker Jeff Holland being cut.

The waiver wire period comes next. Denver gets the fifth spot on the wire. That means if the four teams ahead of them don’t put in a claim for the same players as them, they get the rights to said player.