Denver Broncos bring back former first-round pick Sylvester Williams

The Denver Broncos brought back former 1st-round pick Sylvester Williams.

The Denver Broncos have been ravaged by injuries throughout the 2020 season, more than most teams in the NFL, which has led to a flurry if in-season roster moves needing to be made.

With so many practice squad promotions in recent weeks, the Broncos had plenty of spots on their practice squad to fill, and with the rules all across the NFL this year allowing teams to have up to six vested veterans on the practice squad, really all of free agency is open if players are willing to sign on.

The Broncos actually didn’t utilize that a ton with their initial practice squad group, but they have started to use that rule to their advantage more in recent weeks, and they have actually used it as a means for a fun reunion.

Former first-round pick Sylvester Williams is coming back to the Broncos for the first time since 2016 when he set career highs with 29 tackles and five quarterback hits.

The Broncos selected Williams out of North Carolina in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Even though he never became an Aaron Donald type of playmaker on the interior defensive line, Williams was a key contributor on the Broncos’ defense for all four of his years in the Mile High City.

He wound up getting a shot with the Titans in 2017 before bouncing around to the Lions, Dolphins, and Chargers in 2018-19.

Since he left Tennessee in 2017, Williams doesn’t have a tackle for loss, sack, or quarterback hit.

Williams will turn 32 in November, but he’s getting a rare opportunity to finish his NFL career in Denver where it started. The Broncos’ defensive line rotation has been depleted by injuries and Williams could, at the very least, be a capable run defender if called upon.

Vic Fangio had informed the media that he looked ‘fine’ in his workout with the team and he hoped he still had some good ball left in him.

I suppose that means the practice squad is merely a primer for a guy like Williams, whose value is much greater on the gameday roster than on the practice squad.