ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos have been busy.
Since their last preseason sport, the workforce has made a slew of roster moves, set its initial 53-man roster, monitored waiver claims and assembled a 17-player practice squad.
As Head Coach Sean Payton put it Monday, the Broncos “haven’t tattooed this roster” as a collection of moves proceed to ripple throughout the NFL. Still, the inspiration of the Broncos’ 2026 roster is in place — and Payton and Co. like how the final day has unfolded.
“We’re pleased with what transpired in the last 24 hours, for the most part, as we looked at it,” Payton stated Monday.
The Broncos had been in a position so as to add 16 gamers again to their practice squad on Monday who competed with the workforce this offseason, together with 2026 draft picks in security Miles Scott and inside linebacker Red Murdock.
Those additions, as General Manager George Paton indicated after the Broncos set their 53-man roster on Sunday, had been a part of the puzzle that make up an NFL energetic roster and practice squad.
“Every year is hard, regardless of your depth,” Paton stated Sunday. “… This year, I think we spent more time on this roster going through a lot of different scenarios with a lot of these players that were released. It’s a puzzle. It’s ongoing.
“… It’s fluid, and but sure, this was a troublesome roster to make.”
On Monday, Payton dove deeper into several of those decisions:
… The Broncos kept three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster for the first time since 2024, and Payton said Sam Ehlinger “earned it” along with his efficiency.
“He performed nicely, particularly completed the preseason nicely,” Payton said. “We felt that grew to become a better choice as we acquired into camp a little bit bit additional.”
Later in his Monday media availability, Payton gave a nod to Ehlinger as one of the most improved players of training camp.
… The Broncos had a pair of players claimed off waivers, including 2026 fifth-round pick Justin Joly. Payton said the Broncos “felt strongly that he was coming again to our practice squad” if he didn’t get claimed. The Dolphins claimed both Joly and cornerback Reese Taylor.
Asked about the decision to keep rookie tight end Dallen Bentley at the position, Payton indicated the seventh-round Utah product had earned his place on the roster.
“They are two several types of gamers,” Payton said of Bentley and Joly. “If I used to be attempting to clarify, they’re fully completely different sort gamers, however we felt that Bentley earned that.”
… On Sunday, Paton indicated that waiving running back Jaleel McLaughlin was perhaps the team’s toughest decision. A day later, Payton provided more context on Tyler Badie earning a spot on the active roster.
“All of these guys actually performed nicely,” Payton said. “The edge goes within the kicking sport, which is necessary. … I believe a lot of this last equation comes right down to particular groups as we’re attempting to challenge a imaginative and prescient when it is shut.”
The Broncos also signed running back Cody Schrader to their practice squad.
… The Broncos kept seven defensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster for a second consecutive year, and Payton said the decision was made, in part, to try to keep the most players — either on the active roster or practice squad.
“The conversations get into, then, as an instance a sure defensive lineman vs. a good finish vs. a runner,” Payton said. “Then, is that this participant going to get claimed or signed with one other workforce? Again, what you are attempting to do is get all of them, and we felt like we had been in a position to do this for probably the most half. If you had sat in all these conferences, the ultimate 12-hour conferences are revolving round 4 gamers. Then, as an instance three are going to discover a 53 spot, one’s going to be [waived]. Who’s least prone to be claimed or protected. Then, you return and also you begin watching the tape once more. What have they seen from possibly a rookie? The factor that is tough is we see all of it, after which the surface simply sees three video games. So, you have to actually placed on the targets, placed on the hit performs for any one in all these gamers and watch what our 31 groups are seeing after which put your self in that place. That’s the Rubik’s Cube of all of it.”
One possible example features Murdock, who was waived — and then cleared waivers to return to Denver’s practice squad. The seventh-round pick joins the four inside linebackers who made the 53-man roster.
“The course of [is] ‘How can we get the 53, the 16 [player practice squad] as finest we are able to?'” Payton said. “That’s the science of it, and it is by no means actual.”
In Murdock’s case, the Broncos were able to keep another player by solving the Rubik’s Cube in that particular situation.
… Payton said it was “fairly clear” that tackle Frank Crum and tight end Caleb Lohner were going to be the Broncos’ pair of players placed on injured reserve and designated to return. On Sunday, Paton noted a potential late October return for Lohner.
Payton said Monday that Lohner suffered his injury “24 hours after the deadline to place somebody on PUP [Physically Unable to Perform].”