4 Broncos players who might get cut and where they may end up

With the NFL regular season quickly approaching, teams are faced with what is always one of the more difficult tasks: cutting the roster down to 53. 

With the Denver Broncos gearing towards more youth on the roster, here are four veterans who may get cut, and where they could end up.

1/2. Jarrett Stidham/Zach Wilson, quarterback

The Broncos have had battles at numerous positions all offseason, but obviously, the most important battle came under center. With head coach Sean Payton officially announcing rookie Bo Nix as the starter, it leaves Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson in a fight for the number two spot. 

The Minnesota Vikings are the most talked about landing spot for any quarterback right now. First-round rookie J.J. McCarthy is out for the year with a knee injury, leaving former third-overall pick Sam Darnold as the starter. He has 56 career starts under his belt across six seasons but has never played more than 13 games in a campaign. 

While they do have Jaren Hall, a former fifth-rounder out of BYU last year as an option, as well as journeyman Nick Mullens who has 16 career starts, one of Wilson or Stidham would provide a more stable insurance option if Darnold were to get hurt.

The L.A. Chargers are an interesting option because they have a star QB in Justin Herbert, but he is currently out with a foot injury and his timeline to return is questionable. If he is expected to miss games, Easton Stick would be their starter. The Chargers, like the Broncos, are undergoing somewhat of a youth movement with new head coach Jim Harbaugh, so having someone like Wilson with 33 career starts could help ease the load early on in the season. 

A third option may be the Buffalo Bills. They have had a rotating door of veteran backup quarterbacks the past few years, and they brought back a familiar face this offseason in Mitchell Trubisky. The former second-overall pick is currently week-to-week with a knee injury, so a cheap option in one of Stidham or Wilson may not be a bad idea. That being said, the most likely scenario is they run with someone like Ben DiNucci or Anthony Brown until Trubisky is healthy again.

3. Samaje Perine, running back

As valuable as Samaje Perine was to the Broncos last season, it is becoming difficult to envision him on the Broncos 53 this season. Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin are locks, and it seems like 5th-round rookie Audric Estimé will make it as well. Perine’s value comes with his pass pro and receiving, but it seems as if the Broncos are comfortable moving forward with the previously mentioned three backs. 

If Denver moves on from Perine, a reunion with the Bengals would make a lot of sense. Joe Mixon is out of town, leaving Zack Moss and Chase Brown as the two backs in Cincinnati.  Moss had a solid run in Indianapolis last season and brings a similar skillset as Perine, while Brown seems to be one of the fantasy sleepers heading into this season. 

Perine was a Bengal for the three seasons prior to joining the Broncos last year, playing in every game. The familiarity with the organization and the lack of depth behind Moss and Brown makes Cincinnati a likely landing spot if Denver moves on. 

The other teams that could make sense are the Cowboys, Giants, and Seahawks all teams without much depth at the position. 

Dallas brought back Ezekiel Elliott, although he is a shell of his former self, to pair with Rico Dowdle, who has 96 career rushing attempts. The Giants brought in Devin Singletary to be the number one, and drafted rookie Tyrone Tracy in the fifth round. Tracy looked solid in the preseason before injuring his ankle. 

And lastly, the Seattle Seahawks. Kenneth Walker is the starter and they drafted Zach Charbonnet in the second round last year. After those two, there are no backs with experience, which could mean trouble if Walker goes down considering Charbonnet is already banged up. If both are healthy, Perine could fill the Travis Homer role as a third-down back, but if given the opportunity, would be capable of holding his own as a runner. 

4. Tim Patrick, wide receiver

Let’s start with this. Tim Patrick should not, and most likely will not, be cut. But the Broncos did bring in Josh Reynolds and Devaughn Vele, two big-bodied receivers who like to do the dirty work. On the off chance Denver does move on, these two teams could be a good spot for Patrick.

The Detroit Lions would make sense after they lost Reynolds to the Broncos. After Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, they have Donovan Peoples-Jones and that is really it. Peoples-Jones, acquired at the deadline last year, barely saw any playing time in favor of Reynolds. Dan Campbell loves his hard-nosed players who do the dirty work, and Patrick fits the mold to a tee. 

Another landing spot could be the Philadelphia Eagles. They have a tendency to pick up good players who need a change of scenery and a restart, such as the recently acquired Jahan Dotson, Mekhi Becton, and John Ross. As fun as a Ross redemption story could be, the Eagles are lacking any playmakers at receiver outside of Dotson, DeVonta Smith, and A.J. Brown. Patrick would be a chain mover for the offense and block like a madman for star running back Saquon Barkley.