Veteran safety and former Super Bowl winner Taylor Rapp has taken an interesting path to the Denver Broncos ' practice squad.
Initially, Rapp was brought in for a workout prior to Denver's preseason opener against the Falcons, aced the workout, and subsequently signed to a one-year, vet-minimum contract.
He was then released as part of the the Broncos ' final roster cuts. Though an eyebrow-raising move on the surface, it was soon after revealed by head coach Sean Payton that Rapp needed to tend to a personal matter at home, and that the team supported his decision.
Earlier this month, the eighth-year pro was brought in for another visit and put pen to paper a second time, joining Denver's taxi squad -- and potentially, soon, the 53-man roster.
On Saturday, two days before the Broncos' regular-season opener, Rapp explained why he kept circling back to the Mile High City.
"It's good to be a part of a team that you know has got it all on paper," he told reporters, via The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson . "Obviously, last season was last season and they got to prove it again, but obviously it's good to be a part of a team that's been there, that knows how to get there and is ready to take the next step."
Rapp will likely require a few weeks to get up to speed with the playbook and return to ideal game shape before possible promotion, However, if (or when) that happens, he could slide in as the No. 3 safety behind starters Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones , taking over the role currently occupied by JL Skinner .
That, and the chase to capture another Lombardi trophy, are reasons why he now calls Denver home. It also doesn't hurt that Broncos Park makes a good first impression.
"It's an amazing facility. I mean, it's been the best that I've been across my eight years in the league," he said, per Tomasson .
Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp catches a pass while running a route at Bills Training Camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford on July 31, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"Experience."
The Broncos have a ton of it up and down their roster, from Courtland Sutton to Garett Bolles , Zach Allen ... and now Rapp, who's appeared in 93 NFL games and made 72 starts across his time with the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills .
That word was uttered by Payton on the penultimate day before what may be a championship journey for the orange and blue in 2026.
"I think it's a smart team," he told reporters on Saturday. "I think there is a feeling of there's still that hunger coming up short. So I would also say leadership, the culture, those types of things. Ultimately any good team begins to get taken over by the leaders within the locker room. I feel like that experience can serve this team well."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi as Taylor Rapp Expounds On Why He Joined Broncos' Practice Squad .
