Denver Broncos roster sets rookie UDFA franchise record
An undrafted free agent from the respective year's draft has made the Broncos' 53-man roster in 19 out of the past 20 seasons
The Denver Broncos' initial 53-man roster was revealed, and like most of the time, it includes an undrafted free agent from the respective year's NFL Draft. The 2023 roster has something unique in particular, a team-record of the most undrafted free agents on the initial 53-man roster.
In the past 20 seasons, the Broncos' initial 53-man roster has had at least one undrafted free agent, and now it has four more to add to the legacy.
The roster includes four undrafted free agents, none of which are overly surprising on an individual basis The undrafted guys that made the roster are running back Jaleel McLaughlin, tight end Nate Adkins, offensive lineman Alex Palczewski, and edge rusher Thomas Incoom. Additionally, DL PJ Mustipher was signed to the Practice Squad (among other UDFAs)
With that being said, let's take a look at all four guys ...
1. RB Jaleel McLaughlin:
McLaughlin is a very explosive player who adds versatility to the Broncos' running back room, especially with the uncertainties on Javonte Williams, despite him saying that he is at 100%. Jaleel is a very speedy running back with NCAA records, and he led the NFL preseason in rushing touchdowns with three. He was also the 13th-best in rushing yards with 113. Additionally, he had a receiving touchdown, and was the fourth-best player in points scored during the preseason, with 24, just behind kickers Greg Zuerlein (31), Daniel Carlson (30), and Evan McPherson (27).
McLaughlin won the RB3 competition, over Tyler Badie and Tony Jones Jr., who had more NFL experience than him. Despite his size, Jaleel is a running back who creates a lot of space in tackles, and he does not need to run in the open space, so could be used a lot in short-yardage plays. Once again, this is a player who can bring versatility to the offense in both the running and passing game. He can even help on special teams.
In the preseason, he finished with the following stats: 21 carries, 113 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 7 receptions, 33 receiving yards, and one receiving touchdown.