The Denver Broncos still have two preseason games to play but right after that, the coaching staff and front office will have some difficult decisions to make in getting the roster down to 53 players.
The NFL has recently increased a team's practice squad to 16 players so many teams use this as a place to stash their unknown commodities as a way to keep players that aren't quite ready to contribute on a weekly basis but also players that they don't want to cut ties with.
There's just one caveat when it comes to that. When a team places a player on waivers after setting its final 53-man roster, that player sits on waivers — free to be claimed by any other team — for 24 hours.
If they clear waivers, the Broncos can bring that player back and put them on the practice squad. That is generally what happens, but not always. The 31 other teams all have personnel departments that watch every game, looking for the right players to add to their teams.
So that's what makes roster building in the NFL so interesting and strategical.
If the Broncos are looking to cut these players before the start of the season and add them back to the practice squad, they better be careful. They may not get a chance to get these five guys back.
Broncos players who may not clear waivers: Montrell Washington, Wide receiver
It's quite difficult to determine what the Broncos are going to do with last year's fifth-round pick, Montrell Washington.
By many accounts, he has had a great training camp and he still offers the team a dynamic option as a return man. But the Broncos have so many wide receivers on the roster even with Tim Patrick and K.J. Hamler not standing in the way.
Washington will be a tough player for the team to cut if Sean Payton is unable to find a spot for him. But at wide receiver, the Broncos have Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, Brandon Johnson and Marquez Callaway all in a good spot to make the team.
Washington may be able to steal Callaway's spot, or the Broncos could keep six wide receivers. If neither of those things happens, Washington will probably be cut and I would be surprised if he wasn't scooped up by another team.
Broncos players who may not clear waivers: Albert Okwuegbunam, Tight end
Albert Okwuegbunam is most likely not going to make this team. He was already in a hole behind Greg Dulcich, Adam Trautman and Chris Manhertz, but with the way undrafted free agent Nate Adkins has looked this summer, Albert O's days in Denver seem numbered.
If I were general manager George Paton, I would attempt to find a new suitor for Okwuegbunam and trade him, for pretty much anything. That way, at least the team gets some kind of a return on a player that just hasn't caught on in the Mile High City.
But if the plan is to cut him and then bring him back to the practice squad for more grooming, that almost certainly wouldn't happen. Okwuegbunam is a former fourth-round pick who is still young and quite quick for his size.
There will be at least one other team in the league that feels it can work with that.
Broncos players who may not clear waivers: Elijah Garcia, Defensive lineman
Sometimes all it takes is one preseason game and teams around the league are keeping tabs on you and that could certainly be the case for Elijah Garcia after the way he played last Friday against the Arizona Cardinals.
The defensive line is probably still the thinnest position group on the team, giving Garcia a legitimate shot to come out of nowhere for a roster spot, but if he is waived another team that saw how good the 25-year old look against the Cardinals could foil any plans to bring him back.
Garcia will be a key player to watch this Saturday against the San Francisco 49ers. If he is able to build off of his preseason performance last week, the Broncos may need to consider keeping him on the roster.
He is still a relatively unknown player to he could slip through the cracks of the waiver wire, but it would also be a bit of a risky move if he is someone the Broncos see in their future plans.
Players who may not clear waivers: Jaleel McLaughlin, Running back
Jaleel McLaughlin was a darkhorse undrafted player to make some noise after the Broncos signed him and thus far this summer, he has done just that.
Many teams will likely stay away from him because of his size (5-foot-7, 187 pounds) but any team that has watched him run thus far knows that he can be a weapon at some point in the league.
McLaughlin went undrafted due to his size and the fact that he played at Youngstown State in college but he ran for a ton of yards in college and has the ability to be a terrific situational back in the NFL. Last week against the Cardinals, he found the end zone late in the game and looked good with the football in his hands.
The Broncos will have Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine in the top two spots this year, but it's hard to say beyond that. The team signed veteran running back Dwayne Washington on Wednesday and Tyler Badie has had a good camp and seems to be the team's No. 3 option.
The Broncos need to be careful with McLaughlin if they want to keep him. They will need to consider putting him as the fourth running back on the team or trying to sneak him onto the practice squad. He is a natural fit for what Sean Payton likes to do on offense and could be a major contributor down the road.
But other teams could think the same and snatch him the second he hits that waiver wire. It will be interesting to see how things progress for McLaughlin.
Broncos players who may not clear waivers: JL Skinner, Safety
The Broncos have a great situation at the safety position. The team selected JL Skinner out of Boise State in the sixth round and that seemed like fantastic value there, but he may be on a depth chart where there is just no room for him.
The Broncos have Justin Simmons, Caden Sterns and Kareem Jackson and unless something weird happens with Jackson, those will be the top three safeties this year.
Delarrin Turner-Yell has had a tremendous summer and may have taken the selection of Skinner as a personal challenge to step up his game. He is also regarded as one of the best special teams players on the roster. Veteran special teams guy P.J. Locke is still there as well.
Skinner is up against some tough competition and may just not be ready for a role on the main roster just yet. But the raw talent is there, and another team will seize the opportunity.
I think Skinner has the potential to be a starter in the league someday. Do the Broncos have the patience and room on the roster to wait for him to blossom? Will they be able to slide him over to the practice squad if he is cut?
He will be a very interesting player to keep tabs on come cut-down day.