Denver Broncos: Predicting the first five roster cuts for 2021

4. Pita Taumoepenu, OLB

This one would actually be a bit unfortunate, but the Denver Broncos are in a clear numbers game at the outside linebacker position.

Everyone knows at this point that Von Miller and Bradley Chubb are making the team. There is no question about Malik Reed’s roster status.

Behind Malik Reed, the Denver Broncos seem to have a pretty solid trio of young players coming off the edge in rookies Jonathon Cooper and Andre Mintze as well as 2020 seventh-round pick Derrek Tuszka. The Broncos may opt to keep Taumoepenu past the initial wave of cuts simply to protect themselves in the event that one of the edge guys they want to keep as depth doesn’t make it through waivers, but they should be able to poach someone equally capable later on if need be.

The fact that all of Cooper, Mintze, and Tuszka played well in the Denver Broncos’ preseason matchup against the Minnesota Vikings does not bode well for Taumoepenu, who missed the game due to injury.

He was back at practice on Monday, but is it too late for him?

With Baron Browning back and also capable of flexing around the formation and coming off the edge, it makes sense that the Broncos would thin the herd a bit at outside linebacker.