What will the Denver Broncos’ 53-man roster look like at the start of the regular season? What difficult cuts will have to be made?
The Denver Broncos have a very strong roster as a whole heading into the 2021 NFL season. As crazy as it sounds, we are barely three weeks away from being in the thick of another NFL season. Football is about to be in the air for the foreseeable future, and the excitement is really ramping up.
Will the Denver Broncos’ roster eventually include league MVP Aaron Rodgers? Time will tell.
For now, the Broncos have plenty of difficult decisions to make and plenty of players in-house who, if they don’t make the Denver Broncos, will almost certainly be on other teams around the league.
How will first-year general manager George Paton assemble his roster?
We’re going to try to take another crack at it with training camp looming.
Denver Broncos 53-man roster, depth chart predictions
Specialists (3, 3/53)
- Brandon McManus, K
- Sam Martin, P
- Jacob Bobenmoyer, LS
Although it seemed briefly that the Denver Broncos might seriously consider cutting Sam Martin in favor of rookie punter Max Duffy, Duffy didn’t make it out of OTAs.
For the time being, there are no other specialists even on the roster to compete with these three players. The Broncos have wisely allocated their other 87 roster spots to non-specialists.
Quarterbacks (2, 5/53)
- Drew Lock
- Teddy Bridgewater
This would mean that Brett Rypien is on the chopping block.
Let me explain.
Heading into the 2020 season, there was a clear need for teams to roster more quarterbacks, and the Denver Broncos became the exhibit of that in the worst way when practice squad receiver Kendall Hinton was forced to start a game at the position.
The 2021 season is going to be pretty different, and with teams allowed to protect practice squad players, it makes much more sense to try and stash your third QB there, if at all possible.
Rypien would not have a role on gameday. He would likely be a healthy scratch every week if Bridgewater and Lock are both available.
Unless the Broncos see a future starting QB there or unless Rypien goes out and dominates in preseason play, this is the wiser route to take.
Running Backs (3, 8/53)
- Melvin Gordon
- Javonte Williams
- Mike Boone
This top three appears to be just about set in stone.
Barring a huge preseason from Royce Freeman, LeVante Bellamy, or Damarea Crockett, I think this is the running back group we’re going to see in Denver this year.
The same logic applies here as at the quarterback position. Unless you have a fourth running back who is going to play a crucial role on special teams, you can afford to keep RB4 on the practice squad.
More often than not, that guy can be signed off the street throughout the season, too.
The Broncos love their top three backs right now and Mike Boone gives them a special teams ace in addition to a back with the ability to contribute on all three downs.
It would be a shame to see Royce Freeman let go, but hopefully, the Denver Broncos would at least be able to get something in return via trade.
Wide Receivers (7, 15/53)
- Courtland Sutton
- Jerry Jeudy
- Tim Patrick
- KJ Hamler
- Tyrie Cleveland
- Kendall Hinton
- Seth Williams
Although it may seem unconventional and even a bit too much, it’s almost impossible to see a scenario where the Denver Broncos don’t keep at least seven receivers.
There are currently 15 receivers on the roster, and the team may find a way to keep eight of them if Diontae Spencer keeps establishing himself as the unquestioned top return specialist on the team.
In this scenario, Spencer is pushed off the roster.
While that ultimately may not happen, the Broncos have guys in KJ Hamler, Tyrie Cleveland, and Kendall Hinton who could return kicks and/or punts.
The key here is going to be whether the Broncos value the return value of Spencer over the special teams play and the long-term upside of a guy like Seth Williams or Kendall Hinton.
Tight End (3, 18/53)
- Noah Fant
- Albert Okwuegbunam
- Shaun Beyer
The Denver Broncos should be looking into adding someone at the tight end position, but at this point, I’m not entirely sure where they would cut someone else on the roster to keep them around.
I ultimately think the Broncos will keep just three tight ends, though that could be considered highly risky because of Albert Okwuegbunam’s season-ending knee injury last year.
This kind of depth chart would have to be considered rather thin even though Noah Fant and Okwuegbunam make an exciting, athletic duo.
Shaun Beyer has a real shot to carry on the Denver Broncos’ rich tradition and history of undrafted free agent success. If the depth chart stays as it is and the Broncos don’t add anyone else, Beyer has as good of a shot to make it as anyone else.
He’s an effective blocker and has untapped potential as a receiver.
Notably missing from the depth chart and roster is TE/FB Andrew Beck. Pat Shurmur’s offense simply does not highlight the fullback enough to keep Beck for that reason alone, and although Beck is a special teams guy, Beyer could replace him in that phase of the game.
Offensive Line (9, 27/53)
- Garett Bolles
- Dalton Risner
- Lloyd Cushenberry III
- Graham Glasgow
- Bobby Massie
- Calvin Anderson
- Quinn Meinerz
- Netane Muti
- Cameron Fleming
At this particular point in time, the offensive line projection for the Denver Broncos appears to be pretty straightforward.
These nine players offer the best combination of starting experience, talent, and upside. We’ll have to wait and see if someone like Austin Schlottmann keeps a reserve spot, or Patrick Morris, or even Quinn Bailey who is going to get a shot at right tackle.
You could argue that one of Fleming or Massie would be let go depending on who wins that right tackle job, but the Broncos can’t really afford to be caught with their pants down if someone gets hurt during the season.
Defensive Line (6, 33/53)
- Shelby Harris
- Dre’Mont Jones
- Mike Purcell
- Shamar Stephen
- McTelvin Agim
- DeShawn Williams
Barring any additions to the roster, this seems like a solidified unit for the Denver Broncos as well.
Shelby Harris was given a very well-deserved big-money contract in the 2021 offseason.
Dre’Mont Jones is a budding star on the interior defensive line and had a breakout 2020 campaign despite dealing with an injury.
Mike Purcell is coming off of injury, so the team brought in veteran Shamar Stephen for some much-needed veteran depth.
The Broncos will be expecting McTelvin Agim — a 2020 third-round pick — to take a step forward in the 2021 season as well.
DeShawn Williams did really well as a reserve in 2020 and should continue to be a factor in the rotation.
Edge rushers (4, 37/53)
- Von Miller
- Bradley Chubb
- Malik Reed
- Derrek Tuszka
The big question off the edge for the Denver Broncos will be who takes that fourth spot? If there’s another question, it’s whether or not the team keeps four or five here.
It would be great if 2021 seventh-round pick Jonathon Cooper could force his way onto the roster and into the rotation, but he may need a year on the practice squad to get up to speed.
The Broncos got to see Derrek Tuszka in some special teams reps last year and the hope is that he can take a big jump this year as a factor in the pass rush rotation as well.
Linebackers (5, 42/53)
- Alexander Johnson
- Josey Jewell
- Justin Strnad
- Baron Browning
- Josh Watson
The Broncos are going to need Strnad, Browning, and Watson to all play key roles on special teams in the 2021 season. Joe Jones is gone, signing in free agency with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Broncos also let go of Austin Calitro, and just between those two guys will need to replace almost 600 special teams snaps.
Watson is the team’s returning leader in special teams snaps at inside linebacker. Strnad will be expected to jump in that mix as well as the rookie third-round pick out of Ohio State.
Cornerbacks (6, 48/53)
- Ronald Darby
- Kyle Fuller
- Bryce Callahan
- Pat Surtain II
- Michael Ojemudia
- Essang Bassey
The Broncos may have the most enviable depth of any team in the NFL at the cornerback position. The top four of Ronald Darby, Kyle Fuller, Bryce Callahan, and Pat Surtain II is better than any other quartet in the NFL.
The Broncos did not have the luxury of this kind of depth last year or even in their Super Bowl 50 campaign with the No Fly Zone.
Michael Ojemudia and Essang Bassey were essentially starters last year, and they will now be 5th and 6th on the depth chart at the position.
Will the Broncos be able to cut guys like Kary Vincent Jr. and Parnell Motley?
Stay tuned on that one.
Safeties (5, 53/53)
- Justin Simmons
- Kareem Jackson
- Caden Sterns
- Jamar Johnson
- PJ Locke
The Broncos have to consider the future a bit here with some of these roster decisions. Caden Sterns is an outstanding athlete who will undoubtedly be able to come in and play significant special teams snaps.
Jamar Johnson will have to do the same, and PJ Locke has already proven himself there. He was the Broncos’ leader in 2020 in special teams snaps played.
Denver Broncos: 11 young players to watch closely at training camp
The Denver Broncos have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. Which young players should fans be keeping an eye on at training camp?
Trey Marshall doesn’t make it in this scenario, so Sterns and Johnson would have to help replace his 282 special teams snaps, third-most on the 2020 Broncos.