The preseason is over and it's now time for all 32 NFL teams to make difficult decisions and decide how they are going to set their initial 53-man rosters. The Denver Broncos have some interesting decisions to make, as you would expect, after a preseason in which a lot of young talent in all three phases of the game ended up stepping up in a big way.
Everybody out there making roster predictions is going to get at least 44 or 45 of the names right. It's not that difficult to predict most of the players on a roster right, but it's those twists and turns that always take place year after year and bottom-of-the-roster favorites that can be difficult to project.
After everything we've seen in the preseason, reading all the tea leaves, following all the breadcrumbs, and considering both the present and future of the team, how do we see Broncos head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton assembling this roster?
Final Denver Broncos 53-man roster predictions after preseason
Special teams: 3 (3/53)
- Wil Lutz (kicker)
- Trenton Gill (punter)
- Mitchell Fraboni (long-snapper)
Key cut: Riley Dixon (punter)
It's not that the Broncos can save an astronomical amount by cutting Riley Dixon, but we have to ask ourselves why they brought in competition for him -- and only him -- among the special teams guys this offseason. Not only can the team save cap space by keeping Trenton Gill, but Gill is a restricted free agent beyond this season with team control contractually.
And Gill obviously has a huge leg. It would be a bit of a risk turning to a younger player, but that has been the theme of the entire offseason.
Quarterback: 2 (5/53)
- Bo Nix
- Zach Wilson
Projected trade: Jarrett Stidham
One of the big moves I could see the Broncos making in a trade before roster cuts is trading backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham. I don't think cutting any of the three quarterbacks on the roster is a valid option at this point, and certainly, when you look at Stidham right now, he should have value around the league. The Broncos could save $6 million by trading Stidham and I wouldn't be shocked if they got something decent for him.
The Broncos should not trade Stidham for less than a 5th-round pick. If they can't get proper value, the Broncos should hoard all three quarterbacks and wait for another team to get more desperate as the season progresses. As for who would actually trade for Stidham? I wouldn't be shocked if teams like the Giants, Rams, Vikings, and Packers came calling. And there would be others.
Running back: 3 (8/53)
- Javonte Williams
- Jaleel McLaughlin
- Audric Estimé
Notable cut/trade: Samaje Perine, Michael Burton (FB)
The Broncos are going to likely keep three running backs on the final 53-man roster and I don't see Samaje Perine being among them. There are a number of NFL teams out there who need running backs right now, and given the demand at the position, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Broncos actually get some trade value for Perine. I could see his former team -- the Bengals -- trying to get him back as well as maybe the Cowboys trying to add to their room.
Michael Burton may be a surprise cut here but I don't think the Broncos would be at risk of losing him and could bring him back to the practice squad. Nate Adkins is beloved by this coaching staff and can play a more versatile offensive role than Burton while also playing on special teams.
Wide Receivers: 6 (14/53)
- Courtland Sutton
- Tim Patrick
- Josh Reynolds
- Marvin Mims
- Troy Franklin
- Devaughn Vele
Key cuts/trade candidates: Brandon Johnson, LJ Humphrey, David Sills, Michael Bandy, Jalen Virgil
Out of the guys we're cutting here, Brandon Johnson might have some trade value if teams are worried he won't make it to them on waivers. Otherwise, Jalen Virgil has enough potential to get plucked off of waivers. LJ Humphrey, David Sills, and Michael Bandy would almost all undoubtedly be practice squad candidates.
Offensive Line: 9 (23/53)
- Garett Bolles
- Ben Powers
- Quinn Meinerz
- Mike McGlinchey
- Luke Wattenberg
- Matt Peart
- Alex Palczewski
- Calvin Throckmorton
- Alex Forsyth
Interestingly enough, after what we saw in the preseason, I wouldn't be shocked if the Broncos cut Alex Palczewski, who was one of their prized UDFA pickups last year. They would obviously try to get him onto the practice squad if he cleared waivers, but the depth on the offensive line wasn't as great as hoped during the preseason. I don't know that I'm certain of any of the four guys beyond the starting five here, except maybe Throckmorton for his history with Payton.
Tight Ends: 4 (27/53)
- Adam Trautman
- Greg Dulcich
- Lucas Krull
- Nate Adkins (TE/FB)
As alluded to previously, Nate Adkins makes the roster as a tight end/fullback hybrid. He takes Michael Burton's spot, and Burton could be added to the practice squad and elevated as needed. The Broncos keep Lucas Krull in this projection but there's a chance he could be practice squad-bound as well. Krull earned some high praise from Sean Payton this offseason and because of that, I think he's safe. The vision is still intact.
I wouldn't be shocked if Sean Payton & George Paton were keeping their eyes and ears open for other "Joker" types of targets as cuts come in across the league, maybe even via trade.
Defensive Line: 6 (33/53)
- Zach Allen
- John Franklin-Myers
- DJ Jones
- Malcolm Roach
- Jordan Jackson
- Eyioma Uwazurike
Key cut: Angelo Blackson
Jordan Jackson did enough in the preseason to push veteran Angelo Blackson off the roster, though Blackson could easily be a veteran addition to the practice squad. There are two questions here for the Broncos: 1. Are you keeping six defensive linemen? 2. How much do you like Eyioma Uwazurike?
Uwazurike is back from his suspension but it's going to take him some time to get back to consistent playing form. Even so, he showed flashes in the preseason and has outstanding size/length.
EDGE Rushers: 5 (38/53)
- Jonathon Cooper
- Baron Browning
- Nik Bonitto
- Jonah Elliss
- Dondrea Tillman
Key cut: Thomas Incoom
The Broncos signed Dondrea Tillman after his dominant stretch in the UFL with the Birmingham Stallions, and he's put together a fine preseason. This team's depth off the edge is enviable as we saw everybody in this group make plays throughout the preseason. I'm not sure Thomas Incoom made enough plays in game situations to beat Tillman for a spot.
Inside Linebackers: 4 (42/53)
- Alex Singleton
- Cody Barton
- Justin Strnad
- Jonas Griffith
Key cut: Levelle Bailey
Here's one position group where I think I have the Broncos a little too thin. But the only other guy I can see making it right now is Levelle Bailey, the undrafted rookie out of Fresno State. And Bailey flashed in the final preseason game, but not much before that. He would be making the 53-man roster based on the team's initial vision of him and how he's done in practices. If you swap Bailey onto this roster, I would take off Uwazurike.
Cornerbacks: 6 (48/53)
- Pat Surtain II
- Riley Moss
- Ja'Quan McMillian
- Damarri Mathis
- Kris Abrams-Draine
- Tremon Smith
I wouldn't be surprised if Levi Wallace was more of a roster lock than I'm assuming at this point. We just haven't seen him on the field and the team's special teams coaches absolutely love Tremon Smith. Damarri Mathis's ankle injury isn't expected to be serious, but his prognosis could force the team to use an initial spot on Wallace, or make him a procedural cut and bring him back for Week 1.
Safety: 5 (53/53)
- Brandon Jones
- PJ Locke
- Devon Key
- JL Skinner
- Keidron Smith
Out of all the position groups on the Broncos' roster currently, this is the one I would say I personally am the most worried about. Now, it doesn't seem that Sean Payton shares that sentiment, at least for what we've seen this offseason. The Broncos cut Justin Simmons, they cut Caden Sterns, and they've been rolling with young guys.
All of Devon Key, JL Skinner, and Keidron Smith would play crucial roles on special teams.