Denver Broncos: Will these recent draft picks survive final cuts?

Derrek Tuszka, EDGE

On a personal level, this one hurts. As a North Dakota State Bison fan, I was ecstatic when the Broncos took Derrek Tuszka in the 2020 NFL Draft. Tuszka played on the defensive line of the Bison and racked up 133 tackles, 29.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and six defended passes.

The Broncos drafted Tuszka in the seventh round and immediately listed him as an outside linebacker.

When he was drafted, Tuszka weight 251 pounds, which is 29 pounds lighter than the lightest defensive lineman on the Broncos—Deyon Sizer at 280 pounds.

Tuszka saw time on the defensive side of the ball due to the injury to Von Miller that kept Miller out for the entire season. He did not produce a whole lot on defense. In nine games, Tuszka recorded six tackles and one tackle for loss. He participated in three percent of defensive snaps and 38 percent of special teams snaps.

When the team released its initial depth chart prior to their first preseason game, Tuszka was listed as the third weakside linebacker, behind starter Bradley Chubb and second-string Jonathon Cooper, who was a seventh-round pick in the 2021 Draft.

On August 3rd, Tuszka said that he picks the brains of Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, for simple reasons.

Any way he can improve his craft, the better. Whether or not he makes the final roster of the Denver Broncos, Tuszka will be able to carry the knowledge he received from two stars. While doing that and consistently being the first player on the practice field, Tuszka is doing everything he can to stick around. He’s doing the right things.