The Denver Broncos made some tough decisions over the weekend, parting ways with some tenured veterans and several rookie draft picks.
Cutdown day is the point on the NFL calendar that coaches and general managers dread, and while it's often painful, if the a team like the Broncos can arrive at picking the right 53 players for the roster, it's well worth it.
The Broncos' initial 53-man roster and 17-man practice squad are set, which gives us an opportunity to reflect on the biggest snubs. There were a handful of players who deserved to make the team but fell victim to the roster math for one reason or another.
The Broncos were fortunate to retain some of these deserving players on the practice squad, so that's the good news. Let's examine the true snubs.
Denver Broncos running back Cody Schrader (25) after the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Schrader deserved to make the roster as the fourth and final running back, but the Broncos went with Tyler Badie instead, a veteran. The reason? Badie can play on third down and contribute on special teams.
But that's only if he dresses. Meanwhile, Schrader was the Broncos' best running back after RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman this summer. That's especially true in the preseason. Schrader outshined Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin , both of whom have been in the Broncos' system for years.
Schrader just looked different, showcasing excellent vision, wiggle, and no shortage of burst. He also proved to be a capable receiver out of the backfield, as evidenced by his six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown in the preseason finale.
Fortunately, Schrader passed through waivers unclaimed, so the Broncos were able to re-sign him to the practice squad. But he's a guy I could see outside teams keeping an eye on as the regular season progresses. If an injury befalls one team or another, Schrader could be scalped off the practice squad.
Calvin Throckmorton prepares to snap to Bo Nix. | Dustin Bradford / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
Throckmorton literally bled for the Broncos this summer. A savvy veteran with a journeyman's resume, he entered camp as a second-team offensive guard, but when the Broncos were wracked by an injury epidemic at center, he stepped into the fray and held down the position with gusto.
Throckmorton played at an extremely high level in the preseason and kept the Broncos' first- and second-team offenses humming along as the center. Late in camp, when a Bronco-on-Bronco melee broke out, he emerged from the pile with a gash on his forehead that required five stitches .
Two days later, Throckmorton started at center in Bo Nix 's first game back since fracturing his ankle in the playoffs. Throckmorton did a great job and deserved a roster spot.
Instead, the Broncos went with Alex Forsyth , who missed most of training camp and all of the preseason with an injury. Forsyth is a center-only player, and while he's a former sixth-round pick, he's in a contract year, while Throckmorton can play any of the three positions on the interior offensive line.
After releasing Throckmorton, though, he quickly re-signed to the practice squad. Hats off to him for one heck of a summer.
Denver Broncos tight end Justin Joly (80) pulls in front Green Bay Packers safety Trey Dean (38). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Broncos knew they were looking at a project when they traded up from the sixth round to draft Joly in Round 5. He was going to take some time to ripen on the vine, but the Broncos didn't have the patience to give it to him.
Joly is a big receiver, basically, learning to play the position of NFL tight end, and it was slow going for him in camp. In the preseason, though, he capitalized on the few targets that he garnered, including an 88-yard touchdown in the finale, though it was a result of busted coverage.
The Broncos hoped they could sneak Joly onto the practice squad, but the Miami Dolphins claimed him off waivers . The sixth- and fifth-round picks used to draft him proved to be wasted.
Now, the silver lining is that Denver's other rookie tight end, Dallen Bentley, did make the roster . It's a great story, but the seventh-rounder's ceiling is nowhere near Joly's, though his floor is certainly higher, and that's what the Broncos prioritized in the roster math.
Joly is one of the Broncos' highest-drafted players not to make the initial roster out of training camp in this century. His draft pedigree, combined with his receiving production in the preseason, should have bought him a roster spot and time to continue developing and soaking up the coaching. Nope.
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Keelan Marion (85) is tackled by Denver Broncos linebacker Red Murdock (50). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Murdock was the last of three seventh-round picks the Broncos made a few months back, and the last player taken in the 2026 NFL draft. As the FBS's all-time leader in forced fumbles, he would have heard his name called much earlier in the draft were it not for an injury that impacted his stock.
In training camp, Murdock took about a week to really build up some momentum, but he did just that, really turning a corner just as the preseason games were kciking off. In the games themselves, he played well, coming close to punching the ball out several times, and even forcing one fumble in the finale.
Murdock led the team in preseason tackles and rocked the green dot on his helmet, marking him as the defensive signal-caller when he was on the field. His one vulnerability? The fourth linebacker on the roster needs to play special teams, and while Murdock can, it's not yet his forte.
Meanwhile, Jordan Turner is an experienced and competent third-phase player, so the Broncos kept him on the initial roster and waived Murdock. Much to Broncos Country's relief, though, Murdock passed through waivers unclaimed and re-signed to the practice squad.
Given that Turner missed most of camp and some of the preseason, it was a surprise to see him beat out Murdock. The rookie was more deserving, but he'll stay with the team as a practice squad player and could get called up to the 53-man roster if injuries strike the linebacker unit.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi as Broncos' Biggest Roster Snubs-and Why They Should've Made the 53 .
