There is an undeniable sense of optimism at the beginning of training camp for roster bubble players, players coming off injuries, or players fighting for positioning on the depth chart. And just as quickly as that optimism appeared in late July, it can disappear before even the second preseason game.
That might be the unfortunate case with fourth-year player Drew Sanders, a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft who entered training camp this offseason as a roster longshot and a player coming off injury, but even with the optimism of a new season, it doesn't appear as though Sanders is taking advantage.
Even after having the lone sack in the Broncos' preseason win over the Falcons, Sanders has now missed three straight practices to open the following week. The frustration for the Broncos has to be boiling over, and the harsh reality for everyone involved is that Sanders might just need a change of scenery.
Broncos' unfortunate reality with Drew Sanders is officially closing in
To say Drew Sanders was already a longshot for the Broncos' roster might have been an understatement.
The lone path for him to make the team would have been the Broncos keeping a 6th player off the edge, and with so many roster gymnastics to deal with elsewhere on the team, that was a longshot idea to begin with. But at the very least, Sanders could have done his best to force the issue.
Drew Sanders is not practicing for a third-straight day
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevens) August 19, 2026
Being available for every practice is easier said than done, but that might have been the number one trait the Broncos needed to see from Sanders after three injury-plagued years to start his NFL career. As the saying goes, "Availability is the best ability." Sanders, despite his lofty NFL Draft projection back in 2023, and the fact that it felt like the Broncos got an absolute steal in the 3rd round, has been far too unavailable to warrant any additional faith in his development.
When it comes time for roster cuts in a couple of weeks, it won't be surprising in the slightest to see Sanders among the names the Broncos move on from. And he should get an opportunity somewhere else. At this point, that's simply a reality the Broncos might have to be willing to live with.
Sanders is still just 24 years old, and won't turn 25 until December 31. If he can find a way to stay on the practice field, it's possible his potential could still be unearthed. But similar to the Greg Dulcich situation, that potential may simply not be able to be realized on the Denver Broncos.
Dulcich was a 3rd-round pick in 2022, and couldn't stay on the field for the Broncos. Even when he was on the field -- by the end of his time with the team -- it wasn't pretty. He needed the change of scenery after years of struggling, and perhaps Sanders is in that same boat.
It just might not be in the stars for him to become the player the Broncos envisioned when he was drafted, at least not in Denver.
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