Denver Broncos add Peter Kalambayi to linebacker mix
The Denver Broncos have added another linebacker to the 90-man roster in former Houston Texans sixth-round pick Peter Kalambayi. Kalambayi was taken in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Stanford.
We've signed LB Peter Kalambayi.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 7, 2021
Listed at 6-foot-3, 254 pounds, Kalambayi is on the Denver Broncos’ roster as just an “LB” while others are specified as OLB or ILB, so it’s possible we could see him coming off the edge in addition to playing some off-ball linebacker.
The more appropriate listing for Kalambayi’s position should be “ST” for special teams. This guy has been a special teams weapon for the Houston Texans since he got into the league in 2018, and there’s not a whole lot more you could ask of a sixth-round player.
Kalambayi had a very good career at Stanford where he played four seasons and racked up 189 total tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, one interception, and one forced fumble.
A former big-time recruit from the state of North Carolina, Kalambayi came to Stanford with high expectations and certainly lived up to them in terms of his productivity and consistency. He was a two-time team captain for the Cardinal, and played with current Denver Broncos undrafted free agent Curtis Robinson as well as former Denver Broncos UDFA Alijah Holder.
The Broncos let Joe Jones walk in free agency this year, so it makes sense they would have their eyes out for some possible depth to use in that phase of the game. In my latest roster prediction post, I had the team keeping Natrez Patrick for his special teams experience.
Kalambayi will compete for the same type of role on the team.
The Denver Broncos have no shortage of fun athletes at the linebacker position built with size and speed. Josey Jewell is really the only “throwback” type on the team at this point with the rest of the guys being upwards of 6-foot-3 and most at 235 pounds or heavier.
It will be fascinating to see if Kalambayi can win a roster spot on special teams with what the Broncos have on the roster in young draft picks Justin Strnad and Baron Browning.
His experience and athleticism will undoubtedly come into play but he’ll have to be making an impact early and often.