As with every team in the NFL, the Denver Broncos must reduce their roster from 90 to 53 players on August the 29th, 2023, which is nine days before the NFL Kickoff game between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs on September 7. The league modified the roster cuts rules to only one date (August 29) instead of three throughout the preseason.
Last year, and the years before, every team had to trim their rosters from 90 to 85 before preseason Week 2, from 85 to 80 before preseason Week 3, and from 80 to 53 after the final week of preseason. Now, as I previously mentioned, NFL teams will have only one deadline day to reduce their rosters from 90 to 53. Each team must cut/waive 37 players, meaning a total of 1,184 players will be cut and/or waived after preseason Week 3.
Something important to mention is that every team must have a 16-player practice squad, so from the 1,184 released players before the deadline, 512 will have the opportunity to land in a practice squad. Yes, it is tough for these guys, but as with every sport, football is also a business, and teams cannot be paying 90 players when only 22 start a game for their respective team (11 on offense, 11 on defense).
Like every year, there are always players that technically had a guaranteed roster spot secured, but in the end, they get cut/waived. With that being said, let's dive into five Denver Broncos players who are definitely in the roster bubble and can be surprise cuts before the 53-man roster deadline ...
1. Mike Purcell, Defensive Lineman
Purcell started training camp on the Non-Football injury list, and he is still there at the time of this writing, as he is still recovering from a knee injury suffered last season. He played in all 17 games in the 2022-23 season but had a career-low in starts (since he joined the Broncos). He started in only four games.
Over his four seasons with the Denver Broncos, Purcell has started per season: seven games, six games, 10 games, and four games. Once again, 2022-23 was his career-low in starts with the Broncos. Statistically, he was not that bad, as he had 45 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery.
Moving on from Purcell would save the Broncos $3.5 million, but DL depth is something that Denver needs. He can easily be a cut candidate and instead, add a younger guy.
2. Kareem Jackson, Safety
Jackson was brought back for a 5th season with the Denver Broncos on a cheap one-year deal. He is a veteran player who is on the verge of losing his spot in the starting defense, as it looks like Caden Sterns will start next to Justin Simmons in 2023.
Kareem played in 99.6 percent of the Broncos' defensive snaps in the 2022-23 season, but it is very unlikely that he will be a starter for Denver in 2023. He was brought back knowing that it was going to be more to have a veteran presence in the young safety room. If Sterns can stay healthy during the season, it is very likely that he will be the starting strong safety, as he is younger, more athletic, and more dynamic of a safety than Jackson.
Jackson will enter the season at 35 years old. Football is a sport where age weighs, and do not be surprised if he does not make the team, especially with young guys such as rookie JL Skinner and Delarrin Turner-Yell, who have impressed so far in preseason and in training camp. These are young safeties that can not only be good backups but can be key contributors for special teams, something that KJack might probably not do.
For me, Jackson is a cut candidate for the Broncos, if the two guys previously mentioned (Skinner & Turner-Yell) continue to impress in preseason.
3. Albert Okwuegbunam, Tight End
Albert O is a guy that has not only struggled in the field but is a player that cannot stay healthy due to injuries. Since he was drafted, he has not played for more than 14 games in the same year. In his rookie year, he appeared in only four games. Last season, he appeared in only eight games, although that had less to do with injuries and more to do with the fact that the coaching staff didn't seem to like him.
Statistically, he has not produced notable numbers. He has only had one 130+ yard season (330 in 2021). He only had 10 receptions last season.
As a blocking tight end, he has not looked too solid. Denver traded for Adam Trautman during the Draft, who is the number one tight end on the preseason depth chart. Plus Greg Dulcich looked way better than Okwuegbunam. Additionally, the Broncos signed Chris Manhertz, and rookie Nate Adkins, who are two really good blocking tight ends compared to Albert.
An injury on Dulcich/Trautman is the only way Okwuegbunam might even be considered a starter, so cutting him or even looking to trade him will make obvious sense for the Denver Broncos.
4. Tremon Smith, Cornerback/Kick Returner
Tremon Smith was signed to be a depth cornerback. He was the starting kick returner for the Houston Texans, but in Denver, it looks like he is not even considered as the starter at that position. It looks like it will be between receivers Montrell Washington and rookie Marvin Mims.
Denver drafted Riley Moss, and he has missed most of the training camp with an injury, but still, they signed veteran Fabian Moreau, who has way more starts at cornerback than Smith in the past couple of seasons. The starting cornerbacks are Pat Surtain II and Damarri Mathis. Smith has no chance to be a starter, and so far is a player whose name did not show much in training camp. Additionally, he had an awful preseason week one game against the Cardinals.
I think that the Broncos would rather have Moreau than Smith on the roster. Moreau has 27 starts, 127 tackles, and 21 pass breakups in the past two years, while on the other hand, Smith has 4 starts, 43 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 4 pass breakups.
5. Tony Jones Jr., Running Back
With the Javonte Williams recovery uncertainty, and with the losses of Latavius Murray and Chase Edmonds, the Broncos signed Samaje Perine and Tony Jones Jr. in free agency.
With Tyler Badie and undrafted rookie signing Jaleel McLaughlin impressing lately, and likely being the two candidates fighting for the third-string running back job, it looks like free agent signing Tony Jones Jr. has no chance of making the Broncos' 53-man roster. Jones Jr. had only 10 carries for 24 rushing yards in 2022, he even had more receiving yards (30) than rushing yards last season.
Statistically, in the week 1 preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals, Jones Jr. was the player with the least amount of rushing yards, just eight on three carries. The player with the second-fewest rushing yards for the Broncos in that game was not even a running back, it was backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who had 19, 11 more than Jones and even with fewer carries.
I do not know if the Broncos will have four running backs in the final 53-man roster. Even if you assume they will, I still do not think that Tony Jones will be one of them.
Which other players do you think can be surprise cut candidates for the Broncos ahead of the 2023-24 season?