Now that the initial shock of some decisions made by the Denver Broncos on their 53-man roster has worn off, we're able to do a little bit deeper digging and read between the lines on some more of their moves.
One of the most interesting position groups on the team is the defensive line, where the Broncos kept a whopping 7 players. As uncommon as it may be to keep 7 players on the defensive line, the Broncos' depth -- and investment in certain young players -- warrants it. Reading between the lines, the Broncos keeping 7 defensive linemen seems to be as much about having that many talented players as it is about one particular player being thrown a lifeline instead of getting cut.
That player is 2025 3rd-round pick Sai'vion Jones, whose development has maybe been a bit slower than anticipated. There was some talk just before roster cuts were officially made that Jones could be a candidate to be waived after a lackluster training camp and preseason.
Denver Broncos clearly throwing Sai'vion Jones a lifeline at roster cuts
Entering the 2026 offseason program, one of the biggest questions for the Denver Broncos was how they were going to replace departed free agent John Franklin-Myers. Myers was one of the key pieces of the defensive front over the last two seasons, racking up a total of 14.5 sacks.
Replacing a veteran of his consistency and caliber wasn't going to be easy, which is why the Broncos chose to do it with a group of players instead of just one individual guy. Jones was part of that group, which also included Eyioma Uwazurike and the team's top draft pick, Tyler Onyedim.
As the offseason progressed, Jordan Jackson also worked himself into that mix. The Broncos have been developing Jackson behind the scenes for a really long time now (he initially signed a reserve/futures deal in January 2023), and weren't ready to throw in the towel on his development.
But they also weren't ready to throw in the towel on Jones after just one year with the team. Especially as a 3rd-round pick (that they traded up for), investing in Jones's long-term future is the wise move, even if it means they need to allocate a 7th spot on the roster to a defensive lineman.
Make no mistake about it though: This is a lifeline being thrown to Jones.
Instead of being another 3rd-round pick to get cut before the start of his second season, the Broncos decided to reserve a roster spot for him, and continue allowing him to develop. It would be a shock if he was higher than 6th on the depth chart, maybe ahead of the rookie Onyedim. But players like Uwazurike and Jackson will almost undoubtedly be getting snaps ahead of him throughout the year.
And that's okay.
If anything, the development and progression of players like Uwazurike and Jackson can serve as a primary reason why the Broncos should stay invested in Jones's long-term future. Uwazurike was drafted in the 4th round back in 2022, and only just last season started to see real progression in his game. Granted, he missed a year due to suspension, but still.
Jackson has also seen gradual growth over a long period of time. He's set to contribute in a bigger role this season despite being on the team since 2023.
Zach Allen only played 17 games in his first two NFL seasons combined, and didn't become a full-time starter until his 3rd season.
The Broncos had to know when they drafted Jones that it might not be an overnight fix, and the way they reserved a roster spot for him proves they are throwing him a lifeline. But the plays will have to start being made at some point soon.
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