The Denver Broncos didn't have a single selection until the 3rd round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and somehow, the rookie class has already been a massive disappointment.
As roster cuts are unfolding, the team has made the shocking and very unexpected decisions to cut both tight end Justin Joly (5th-round pick) and linebacker Red Murdock (7th-round pick). It's possible those two players could clear waivers and still come back to the Broncos, but the team subjecting them to the waiver wire is indicative of the bigger problem at hand:
As deep as the Broncos are overall, they have a serious problem identifying talent at tight end and linebacker.
Denver Broncos surprisingly cut rookies Justin Joly and Red Murdock
Justin Joly was the No. 152 pick overall. I believe that makes him the highest pick waived by the Broncos at the roster deadline as a rookie since Maurice Clarett in 2005 (No. 101).
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 30, 2026
The Broncos actually traded up in the 5th round to get Joly in the 2026 NFL Draft, and at the time, it felt like they were getting him a round (maybe two) later than he should have gone. Joly was a pretty well-liked prospect by the NFL Draft "consensus", and was considered one of the best pass-catching options in this year's deep class.
Even though he was "just" a 5th-round pick, the fact of the matter is, the Broncos passed on other opportunities to upgrade the position, and the way they addressed a clear area of weakness was by taking Joly.
At the very least, you figured this would be a year where Joly would be on the roster, but effectively as a "redshirt" player as he grew into a capable NFL tight end in all aspects of his game. Roster spots were apparently much more limited than anyone knew going into cut day.
The decision to cut Red Murdock is a major shock. The Broncos have spoken highly of Murdock all offseason, especially his understanding of the defensive scheme. He had some sink-or-swim moments during the preseason, but once again -- he was the team's biggest addition at a major position of need this offseason.
Perhaps he was significantly overrated because of that, but the Broncos didn't have any other answers besides what was on the roster last year. And what was on the roster last year wasn't good enough to prevent the team from going after Dre Greenlaw in free agency.
After Greenlaw was cut, certainly the team would do something else to upgrade the position. They didn't.
The biggest additions at linebacker were Red Murdock and UDFA rookie Taurean York.
That's an okay strategy...if it works.
So far in the preseason, we've seen a major communication issue from starting linebacker Alex Singleton, and nobody showing much of anything behind him and Justin Strnad in the depth department.
At some point, the Broncos are going to have to ask the question: Why can't we properly evaluate these positions?
Joly and Murdock are simply the most recent examples, and even if they manage to return to the practice squad, their lack of readiness to contribute in any sort of way to this team is concerning. And it's not concerning from the standpoint that the player wasn't ready, but the fact that the team hasn't been able to identify a "fit" at these positions.
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