The Denver Broncos initial 53-man roster is set. It's going to look a bit different when Week 1 rolls around, as there are certain roster moves the team made, and did not make, that will end up sorting out in the end.
What I mean by that is the absence of long-snapper Mitchell Fraboni and fullback Adam Prentice, for example. Those players were 'cut' during the roster cutdown process, but they'll sign back to the practice squad and have 'free' elevations on gameday before being put onto the active roster.
Essentially, it gives the team a couple 'bonus' roster spots, and speaking of the roster, the omission of a certain rookie tight end has already sparked some debate, as the inclusion of the other rookie tight end, Dallen Bentley, was clearly done for a distinct reason...
Denver Broncos roster rookie TE Dallen Bentley, not Justin Joly
Justin Joly, the Broncos fifth-round rookie tight end, was shockingly cut by the team, and instead of Joly making the active roster, it was the other rookie tight end, Bentley, who got the nod for now...
Our initial 53-man roster is set.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 30, 2026
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This has shocked many, as Joly was picked two rounds before Bentley - the Utah tight end was the second-to-last pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, right before Red Murdock, who the Broncos also cut. Anyway, with the upside and youth that Joly potentially had, it would have made a ton of sense for the Broncos to roster him, as it really never felt like he was at risk of not making the roster.
But it's clear that the coaching staff opted for Bentley, a more seasoned player who does offer the blocking upside that Joly simply did not have, and that has to be the main thing here. The Broncos do have some in-line tight ends in Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins, but Trautman is truly 'just a guy,' and Adkins hasn't been able to stay healthy recently.
With Bentley, there is some receiving upside present, but his blocking ability is certainly something the team valued more than what Joly showed this offseason. Sure, it's shocking, but Bentley is simply a more complete player at the position than Joly is.
The Broncos could have absolutely rostered Joly and banked on his development, but that also doesn't guarantee anything. Denver may want to bring Joly back onto the practice squad if he clears waivers, but there is also a chance that another team nabs him up. The Broncos actually made the right call to pick Bentley over Joly.
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