Denver Broncos: Derrek Tuszka sounds practice squad bound

Denver Broncos rookie Derrek Tuszka could be practice squad bound.

The Denver Broncos had 10 selections in the 2020 NFL Draft, and they wound up keeping all of them. One of the two seventh-round picks the Broncos had turned into North Dakota State edge rusher Derrek Tuszka, one of the most productive FCS players in the class.

The Broncos got themselves a tremendous athlete and hard worker in Tuszka, who is the epitome of the kind of risk you want to take with your seventh-round picks. He has upside athletically, production at the college level (regardless of position) and he’s certainly not going to be cut for lack of effort.

With all of that said, even guys who work as hard as Tuszka, showing up to the practice field before everyone else, need ‘seasoning’.

That’s what Vic Fangio said at his Thursday press conference as he was asked about the former North Dakota State star.

Among other things, Fangio did not sound overly optimistic about Tuszka’s immediate chances at making the roster, noting he needs more seasoning, needs to get stronger, and needed to adjust from coming from an FCS program to the NFL.

It’s a tough business.

Tuszka would have really benefited from having preseason games where he could put some tape out there for the Broncos of course, and other teams as well. It works to the Broncos’ advantage that he has not had that chance, and with roster cuts looming, it feels likely that Tuszka will sneak through waivers and make it to the practice squad.

One team can certainly change that if they loved Tuszka’s upside, but considering he was one of the final picks of the 2020 NFL Draft, it’s more likely teams will opt to keep the guys they have spent the offseason and training camp developing.

That’s again good news for the Denver Broncos, who can afford patience with Tuszka given their deep room of edge rushers, led by Von Miller and Bradley Chubb.

There’s always a chance that Tuszka could get added to the active roster later in the season, but Fangio makes it sound like the Broncos want him to work on some things physically and play the long game.