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Broncos Make Unexpected Roster Move Right Before Crucial Chargers Showdown
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- Broncos Make Unexpected Roster Move Right Before Crucial Chargers Showdown
The Denver Broncos signed veteran defensive back Ugo Amadi to their practice squad before their divisional game. Denver needed help in the secondary after starting cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss got hurt in Week 4.
Amadi has previously played for six NFL teams and now joins his seventh, giving the Broncos an experienced option. His immediate impact depends on how quickly he transitions from the practice squad to active game-day duty.
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Broncos scramble to reshape roster after defensive injuries
Surtain and Moss sustained injuries during Denver's Week 4 matchup, and neither took part in practice this week. Surtain had 21 tackles through four starts. The Broncos ruled out both for Sunday's game at the Los Angeles Chargers, and Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine are the expected starters at cornerback.
Apr 24, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II during the game between the Golden State Warriors against the Denver Nuggets in the second half of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Denver made the move official on Friday. "Broncos signed veteran safety Ugo Amadi to the practice squad, source said," Parker Gabriel wrote . "He was at practice today."
The Broncos worked out eight defensive backs and linebackers before choosing Amadi, who is 29 and joins his seventh NFL team. He has been listed as a safety, but he is likely to play nickel cornerback for Denver.
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After Barron, Abrams-Draine and slot corner Ja'Quan McMillian, none of Denver's cornerbacks had real NFL experience, a gap Amadi could help address, though his promotion from the practice squad remains uncertain.
New addition brings essential experience to banged-up secondary
Amadi's likely nickel role is where Denver needs the most help. With Surtain and Moss ruled out for Week 5, Barron is expected to move outside, leaving limited depth behind McMillian in the slot.
Amadi has played in 85 games over the past seven seasons and was most recently released by the New York Giants at the roster cutdown in August, Gabriel wrote more . Seattle drafted him in the fourth round in 2019, and he has since accumulated extensive experience, most recently spending the previous three seasons with the New Orleans Saints where he finished the 2024 campaign with 65 tackles, including 52 solo stops, six tackles for loss, and seven pass breakups.
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Amadi lacks great height, but he is physical and can hang in the box, which could help against bigger tight end packages if Denver elevates him. Facing a divisional clash against the Chargers, Denver hopes Amadi's experience can steady a battered secondary.
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The post Broncos Make Unexpected Roster Move Right Before Crucial Chargers Showdown appeared first on Gridiron Heroics .
