The work of building, assembling, and tinkering with an NFL roster is never truly "complete", but the Denver Broncos don't have to change much.
The two biggest revelations from the initial assembly of the team's 53-man roster for 2026 are that the Broncos are one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, and they're currently one of the healthiest teams in the NFL as well.
Even though there weren't a ton of surprises on the first 53-man roster to open the season, there are intriguing storylines all over the place. Let's take a look at each position group on the roster and the biggest takeaways from every one.
Takeaways from Denver Broncos' 53-man roster for the 2026 NFL season
Quarterback (3)
Roster: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger
Practice squad: None
The biggest takeaway from the quarterback position is that the Broncos kept three players here instead of two. Sam Ehlinger played too well throughout training camp and the preseason to be cut, and the Broncos didn't want to lose him as part of that room.
Maybe the bigger surprise here is that the Broncos kept Jarrett Stidham at his $8 million cap hit. Stidham hasn't justified that price tag as the backup, and had a rocky preseason.
Running Back (4)
Roster: JK Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman, Tyler Badie
Practice squad: Cody Schrader, Adam Prentice (FB)
The one missing piece from the crew of running backs the Broncos took into the offseason program is Jaleel McLaughlin, the former UDFA success story who played a key role on the team in his first two seasons.
Now, McLaughlin is officially gone and replaced, and the Broncos have revamped their room significantly over the last two years.
The biggest "surprise" here is simply that Tyler Badie was kept on the roster. The assumption coming away from the preseason was that the Broncos would keep three, but Badie's ability on special teams and in pass protection was too valuable.
Wide Receiver (6)
Roster: Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, Lil'Jordan Humphrey
Practice squad: Michael Bandy, Kolbe Katsis, Dane Key
Throughout training camp, the question was whether the Broncos would keep five or six receivers on the 53-man roster. Lil'Jordan Humphrey made a strong case for himself both in the preseason as well as throughout training camp, and the Sean Payton favorite remains.
What does that mean about Troy Franklin as a potential gameday inactive? Franklin was 2nd on the team in targets last season, but appears poised to have his role significantly diminished this season.
Tight End (4)
Roster: Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, Dallen Bentley
Practice squad: Lucas Krull
The Broncos cut rookie 5th-round pick Justin Joly, a player they traded up for in the Spring. The decision to cut Joly wasn't something they took lightly, but fellow rookie Dallen Bentley showed a more NFL-ready skill set and made the team over him.
Still, cutting Joly stings. Had he made it through waivers, he might have come back to the Broncos, but we'll never know. He's now with the Miami Dolphins, and the Broncos are hoping Bentley can provide some type of future solution at a position that has been sorely lacking in recent years.
Offensive Line (9)
Roster: Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey, Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz, Luke Wattenberg, Alex Palczewski, Kage Casey, Alex Forsyth, Matt Peart
Practice squad: Calvin Throckmorton, Gavin Ortega, Tyler Miller
With Frank Crum heading to short-term IR, there are no real surprises among the 53-man roster selections on the offensive line.
The one name you could argue here as a surprise would be Matt Peart. But the Broncos have enviable talent and depth on the offensive line. They have invested in some young players, but this group is considered one of the best in the league for a reason.
Defensive line (7)
Roster: Zach Allen, DJ Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Jordan Jackson, Tyler Onyedim, Sai'vion Jones
Practice squad: None
This is a position group that is deep and talented for the Broncos. They lost John Franklin-Myers this offseason, which is part of the reason we see 7 guys here instead of 6. It's going to take a village to initially replace Franklin-Myers, and the Broncos are banking on the short-term impact of players like Eyioma Uwazurike and Jordan Jackson while also believing the future is bright for Tyler Onyedim and Sai'vion Jones.
Outside Linebacker (4)
Roster: Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson, Dondrea Tillman
Practice squad: Johnny Walker, David Agoha
Broncos pass rusher Jonathon Cooper was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List after his offseason arrests, so his timetable for return is up in the air right now.
The rest of this group is top-tier in terms of talent. Nik Bonitto is one of the best pass rushers in the league, and the young duo of Jonah Elliss and Que Robinson could absolutely explode onto the NFL scene in 2026.
Inside Linebacker (4)
Roster: Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Karene Reid, Jordan Turner
Practice squad: Red Murdock
This is the most questionable position group on the entire roster.
The Broncos are taking a huge risk rolling with the duo of Singleton and Strnad at linebacker after telling everyone that the talent needed to be upgraded just last year with the decision to sign Dre Greenlaw in free agency.
Both Singleton and Strnad are under a ton of pressure to not only perform at a high level this year, but also to stay healthy, because the depth pieces here have essentially zero NFL experience.
Cornerback (5)
Roster: Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja'Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine
Practice squad: Brent Austin, Sean Fresch Jr.
The Broncos have the best cornerback room in the entire NFL. The fact that there is such a talent logjam at the top that 2025 1st-round pick Jahdae Barron was not even really competing for a starting job this offseason says it all. The Broncos have the best corner in the NFL and five guys who would start for almost any team in the league.
Safety (5)
Roster: Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson
Practice squad: Miles Scott
For the time being, this group doesn't include veteran Taylor Rapp, but it should at some point. Sean Payton said there is a better chance than not that Rapp eventually will return.
Talanoa Hufanga was outstanding in his first year with the Broncos. He and a healthy Brandon Jones form a truly elite safety duo. The depth behind them, however, is unproven.
Specialists (2)
Roster: Wil Lutz, Jeremy Crawshaw
Practice squad: Mitchell Fraboni (LS), Luke Basso (LS)
The Broncos have their top long snapper -- Mitchell Fraboni -- on the practice squad to start the year. That's yet another sign of this team's roster depth. They have Luke Basso on the practice squad as well, and perhaps feel like they have 6 weeks of "free" roster spots with those two guys.
We'll see if Basso gets any actual playing time this year, or if the Broncos will eventually promote one of these guys to the roster on a full-time basis.
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