Denver Broncos: Todd Davis should not be viewed as a surprise cut

The Denver Broncos made the decision to cut ties with linebacker Todd Davis on Friday.

Todd Davis was given his walking papers during his seventh season with the team. He was slated to be one of the team’s starting linebackers going into the 2020 season, but the Broncos made other plans with the move to let him go.

Many fans will see the headline and be surprised that Davis was let go, but they really shouldn’t be. Sure, he was a long-term member of the team, but he never really did anything to stand out. He was just kind of there.

Davis was claimed off waivers in 2014 after the New Orleans Saints let him go. In that time, he racked up 448 total tackles with two sacks and one interception. He also made 59 starts from 2016-19.

Davis was consistent in terms of being available, but he wasn’t consistent in playing well. He was average at best in pass coverage and this summer, a calf injury kept him out of a handful of practices.

The Broncos acquired veteran linebacker Mark Barron and he has done enough in camp to help the team be convinced it could move on from Davis. The team then traded with the Cincinnati Bengals to obtain Austin Calitro, which made Davis expendable.

The Broncos have an intriguing inside linebacker position now with Alexander Johnson, Josey Jewell, Barron and Calitro. The team can get by without Davis there and in fact, will likely have a group that is better equipped to drop back into coverage and help contain tight ends.

That’s not to say that Davis was bad or that his services won’t be remembered fondly. For a guy who went undrafted out of Sacramento State, he has done quite well for himself. But the Broncos know what they have in him, they have seen his ceiling.

It was best for the team to move on without him. The hope is that both Barron and Calitro will be better fits in Vic Fangio’s defense.

The NFL is a business and this time of year, you will see teams make moves that will surprise many, whether that be for financial savings or other reasons. Davis’ release should not be on that list of surprises, however, or at least not as a major surprise.

Davis was a decent player and he provided decent results. But his release was coming and now the team can hopefully replace him with a better player.