Denver Broncos: Tracking roster cuts as team gets down to 53 players

The Denver Broncos have what they feel is a team that can finally make a playoff push for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50.

Following an undefeated preseason, the Broncos have named Teddy Bridgewater as their starting quarterback and will move forward with him under center, looking to win games with a controlled offense and stout defense.

The Broncos have begun to trim their roster down from 80 players to the league-mandated number of 53. That led to some difficult decisions on players and their futures with the team.

We are tracking all of the team’s cuts here at Predominantly Orange, so keep checking back for all of the latest on the team’s moves as it works to shape out a 53-man roster for Week 1 against the New York Giants.

Which players have the Broncos released (or traded)?

Duke Dawson, CB (PUP)

Essang Bassey, CB (PUP)

De’Mornay Pierson-El, WR

Parnell Motley, CB

Barrington Wade, LB

Trey Marshall, S

Trinity Benson, WR (trade to Lions)

Drew Himmelman, OT

Shaun Beyer, TE

Curtis Robinson, LB

Kendall Hinton, WR

Adam Prentice, FB

Austin Schlottmann, OL

Saivion Smith, CB

Isaiah Mack, DL

Austin Fort, TE

Seth Williams, WR

Stevie Scott, RB

Tyrie Cleveland, WR

Mac McCain, CB

Derrek Tuszka. LB

Brett Rypien, QB

Trey Marshall, S

Parnell Motley, CB

Barrington Wade, LB

De’Mornay Pierson-El, WR

Quinn Bailey, OL

Marquiss Spencer, DE

Nate Hairston, CB

Damarea Crockett, RB

Cam Fleming, OT

Shamar Stephen, DL

Both Drew Himmelman and Shaun Beyer were undrafted free agents. It’s not a surprise to see either miss the cut, but both could be further developed on the practice squad.

Curtis Robinson had an impressive training camp and had an outside chance of stealing a spot on the 53-man roster. It would be a shock if he is not on the practice squad, so long as he clears waivers.

Austin Schlottmann being released is a bit of a surprise. Many analysts doing 53-man roster projections had him making it. Does this mean Cam Fleming is safe?

Adam Prentice was another undrafted free agent who spent time at Colorado State. He would have needed to outperform Andrew Beck to make the team, and the odds of that were not really high.

Kendall Hinton will live in Broncos history forever regardless of what happens with the rest of his career. He is of course the man who had to step in against the New Orleans Saints last season when the team had all of its quarterbacks ruled out for violating the COVID protocols.

He drew some headlines in OTAs for his work as a wide receiver and some thought he had an outside shot of making the team. The emergence of Trinity Benson likely helped lead to his dismissal.

Austin Fort caught a touchdown in the preseason finale, but that wasn’t enough to get a spot on the team. This means that Eric Saubert has won the No. 3 tight end job, at least for now.

This is a bit of a surprise, as the Broncos used a sixth-round pick on Seth Williams.

It appeared to be good news for Tyrie Cleveland when the team moved on from Seth Williams, but he is out too, which is quite a surprise. This means the team is almost certainly keeping Diontae Spencer.

Mac McCain barely got his feet wet this summer as he was slowed by injuries. He would be an ideal player for the practice squad and could perhaps get another shot to show what he can do with the team down the road.

Derrek Tuszka was surpassed by rookie Jonathon Cooper in the pecking order and was never able to really get back into the competition at outside linebacker, despite looking better than he did as a rookie.

With all of the issues teams have around the league with COVID protocols, and the Broncos can attest to that, keeping just two quarterbacks active is risky business. I would have had Brett Rypien on my 53 simply because of what happened in that Saints game a year ago.