The Denver Broncos will have no shortage of difficult decisions to make when it comes to making roster cuts in the 2021 offseason. Leading up to training camp, the roster that George Paton and the front office have assembled looks formidable, even if there are lingering questions at the quarterback position.
Putting together a 53-man roster is one of the more difficult jobs for an NFL brain trust anyway, but especially when you might be cutting players that would easily go to another team and make an impact right away, it’s even more difficult.
The Denver Broncos will have to calculate which players on their roster have the best chance to clear waivers and get back to the practice squad with the NFL keeping the expanded practice squad rules that were implemented a year ago due to the pandemic.
There is always the benefit of most NFL teams wanting to keep more of their own in-house players than bringing in guys from the outside, but there are always teams looking to leech talent and steal players on the wire, which the Denver Broncos are certainly no strangers to doing in recent years themselves.
Difficult decisions remain, and as players get the chance to prove themselves, those decisions will become even more difficult.
How will George Paton and company make their final calls? Which players could wind up being “surprise” cuts, whether from the perspective of Denver Broncos fans or the casual NFL fan?
Let’s take a look at five names of players who could be let go at final cuts, even if the Denver Broncos try to bring them back later on.
1. Brett Rypien, QB
After the acquisition of Teddy Bridgewater the day before the 2021 NFL Draft, the possibility of Brett Rypien not being on the active 53-man roster to open the 2021 season increased at least a little bit.
Rypien emerged in the 2020 season as the backup to starter Drew Lock after some horrendous play from Jeff Driskel, and he remained in that spot following Driskel’s spot start against the eventual NFL champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rypien looked really good early on for the Denver Broncos in his start against the New York Jets, but along with the feast came some famine as Rypien threw three interceptions and nearly the victory in his first NFL start.
With Bridgewater in the fold, the Denver Broncos have two guys they would be planning on playing this season with Rypien as a clear and probably distant third option. Barring a long-term injury, Rypien’s value to the team may not be enough that he is kept around as a third quarterback.
You could easily make an argument against that, but without the same COVID protocols as last season, it’s not unreasonable to think that more NFL teams will go back to carrying just two quarterbacks.
Considering you already carry three “specialists” on every roster, having a third quarterback is somewhat of a luxury.
Rypien’s play in the preseason will dictate whether this is even possible, as teams will undoubtedly be trying to snatch him up on waivers if he plays well in the preseason.
Even so, this possibility remains, as surprising to some as it may be.
2. Royce Freeman, RB
Many are going to see Royce Freeman’s inclusion on this list and immediately fire back that it would not be the least bit surprising to see the fourth-year back cut after the moves the Denver Broncos have made to sign Mike Boone and draft Javonte Williams in 2021.
I’m going to argue that and say that I do think it would be surprising to see Freeman cut outright given he should have at least some trade value by the end of the preseason. Not every NFL team is loaded at running back, and not every team is going to have a shot at Freeman on the waiver wire.
There could be some trade competition for Freeman especially if he has a good preseason for the Denver Broncos, which he very well may. What Freeman is putting out there from now on to NFL teams will be his audition tape, and I have an inkling we’re going to see him run as hard as ever.
It was not that long ago the former Oregon Ducks star was the clear RB1 in Denver and looked like what everyone hopes Javonte Williams is going to look like.
Freeman is a good receiver out of the backfield and he has three-down value. He can break tackles and despite his career-low usage last year, there’s a chance he still cracks this Denver Broncos roster.
A former high third-round pick, Freeman should not just be a preemptive cut for the Denver Broncos, though it is certainly possible he will eventually be.
3. One of Bobby Massie or Cameron Fleming, RT
Ultimately, the financial ramifications of the Denver Broncos letting go of one of their two recent right tackle acquisitions alone are enough to make the potential of this move a surprise.
Counting a combined $3.925 million against the 2021 salary cap, offensive tackles Bobby Massie and Cameron Fleming give the Denver Broncos some nice and necessary starting experience after the loss of Ja’Wuan James.
Still, only one of Massie and Fleming can start at the right tackle position. If you buy what Vic Fangio has been putting down, it’s possible that neither guy would be the starter as of the season opener. That role could go to young Calvin Anderson or Quinn Bailey, two players who are being given legitimate shots to win the right tackle job with James now officially gone.
Again, given the price of both Massie and Fleming, even combined at under $4 million, it would be a shock to see the Denver Broncos cut either one.
The issue with Massie the last couple of seasons has been health, which might be a legitimate reason for the Denver Broncos to try and avoid paying him money not to play. That happened last year with Mark Barron and probably didn’t leave the most pleasant taste in everyone’s mouths.
Without the benefit of seeing all of these guys on the field to play and how steady these veterans are, it’s impossible right now to say that one or the other would be favored to be cut.
The Broncos paid a pretty small price all things considered for what should, at worst, be league-average play at right tackle. Right now it makes too much sense to keep the depth with this price, but if one of Calvin Anderson or Quinn Bailey (or both) emerges at training camp and through the preseason, this is not impossible.
4. Sam Martin, P
The Denver Broncos brought in free agent punter Sam Martin last offseason and he was expected to solidify a position that was seemingly constantly in flux and inconsistent.
Martin at least stabilized the punting game for the Broncos, even if blocks (or near blocks) were a serious issue.
Martin was paid pretty handsomely for a punter last offseason, and he’s currently slated to count just under $3 million against the Denver Broncos’ 2021 salary cap. None of that money is guaranteed, however, so the Broncos could let Martin go and save $2.3 million.
Why would they do that when they know they have average or possibly above average punting guaranteed in Martin?
Well, the team brought in Max Duffy, one of the top-rated punters in the 2021 NFL Draft class and a guy who can really boom it.
It would not be surprising in the least if Duffy came in and played well, but it might surprise a lot of people if the Denver Broncos decide after one season to move on from Sam Martin.
There’s obviously a reason that Duffy was brought in and neither Brandon McManus nor Jacob Bobenmoyer is facing any offseason competition. The Broncos want a weapon in the punting game with as strong as their defense has the potential to be, and Duffy could really be a game-changer there as he was for Kentucky.
5. Diontae Spencer, WR/RS
As I was putting this piece together, it was honestly difficult to pinpoint five players that would be surprises, but I guess that’s why they would be considered “surprise” cuts.
After showing progress in the 2020 season as a return specialist and proving himself over two years of work to be a major asset in that regard, it would be surprising to see the Denver Broncos move on from Diontae Spencer, but we can make it make sense.
Tyrie Cleveland has a good amount of experience dating back to his time at Florida as a kickoff returner, and the Denver Broncos could use KJ Hamler, Kendall Hinton, or perhaps some others in the punt return game.
The key for Diontae Spencer for the remainder of the 2021 offseason is going to be proving himself as a returner once again but also proving that he can come in and actually contribute offensively.
If the Broncos keep Spencer as just a return specialist again for 2021, that’s four spots on the roster devoted to strictly special teams guys. Even though he has the ability to go out there and line up on offense, he has to actually make some plays.
In two seasons with the Broncos, Spencer has proven his worth as a return man but has just 15 touches on offense and for only 82 yards.
Denver Broncos: 53-man roster prediction at 2021 OTAs
The Denver Broncos will have some difficult decisions to make regarding the roster leading up to the 2021 season. Who makes the final 53?
With Spencer’s elite-level speed, it’s surprising he has not been able to carve out at least somewhat larger of a role. With alternative options in the return game, it would be surprising but it’s possible the Denver Broncos make this move.