HEADLINES

Audric Estime

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC East

August 27th, 2025 at 9:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Cowboys, Commanders, Giants and Eagles moves are noted below.

Dallas Cowboys

Signed:

Claimed:

  • DB Twikweze Bridges (from Chargers), DB Reddy Steward (from Vikings)

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

New York Giants

Claimed:

Released:

Signed to practice squad:

Philadelphia Eagles

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Washington Commanders

Signed to practice squad:

Broncos Place FB Michael Burton On IR, Cut 27 Players

August 26th, 2025 at 8:22pm CST by Ben Levine

The Broncos continued their (mostly) ongoing streak of UDFA rookies making the active roster. Linebacker Karene Reid has made the 53-man roster, marking the 21st time in the past 22 years that a college free agent has made the Broncos as a first-year player.

The rest of the team’s moves:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

  • DT Kristian Williams

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Placed on IR:

Fullback Michael Burton won’t play for the Broncos this season, as Sean Payton revealed that the veteran suffered a hamstring injury that required surgery (per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette). The 33-year-old appeared in every game for Denver over the past two seasons, garnering reps in about 17 percent of his team’s offensive snaps and 63 percent of his team’s special teams snaps. Over that span, Burton collected 90 yards from scrimmage on 27 touches, and he’s added another 10 special teams stops.

A number of these players could land back on the practice squad. Assuming they pass through waivers, it sounds like the following players are destined for Denver’s practice squad: wideout Michael Bandy (per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver), offensive lineman Joe Michalski (per Klis), offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton (per Klis), cornerback Jaden Robinson (per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston), and cornerback Reese Taylor (per Tomasson).

Broncos To Waive RB Audric Estime

August 25th, 2025 at 5:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos held a lengthy audition for their running back jobs behind their newly assembled top duo (J.K. Dobbins, R.J. Harvey), and one of the losers in the derby has been revealed.

Denver is waiving second-year back Audric Estime, 9News’ Mike Klis reports. Drafted in the fifth round last year, Estime had been playing behind Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie during the preseason. The Broncos also waived rookie UDFA guard Xavier Truss, per a team announcement.

Even as the Broncos struggled to maximize a good run-blocking O-line last season, Estime could not earn the coaches’ trust to leapfrog Javonte Williams — who had not recaptured his pre-knee-injury form. Williams departed in free agency, but the team added Harvey and then Dobbins.

With McLaughlin still rostered and Badie impressing the team’s coaching staff, Estime had loomed as a likely cut. A practice squad spot could await, but the Notre Dame alum would need to clear waivers — which process at 11am CT Wednesday. The Broncos are indeed interested in retaining Estime on the P-squad, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.

Three years remain on Estime’s rookie contract, but no guaranteed money is left on the deal. Estime is due $960K this season. As a non-vested veteran, Estime will not see that figure guarantee next month. The Broncos will take on barely $250K in dead money.

Last season, Estime produced 310 yards and two touchdowns on 76 carries. Two fumbles proved costly, however, and Sean Payton made Badie — who had missed most of the season due to injury — a gameday active over Estime for Denver’s wild-card game in Buffalo. That proved to be a sign of the coaching staff losing some faith. Estime, who saw a 4.71-second 40-yard dash time at the 2024 Combine ding his draft stock, received a start against the Chargers last December but otherwise came off the bench as a rookie. He will now wait on his next destination.

Clearing up the RB competition, the Broncos are also cutting Blake Watson, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. Watson suffered a PCL strain during Denver’s preseason finale. Trade interest existed for Watson, who spent much of 2024 on the Broncos’ practice squad, so a claim for the second-year UDFA in play. If unclaimed, Watson is also a candidate to land on the Broncos’ practice squad, per Tomasson.

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Adams, Perryman

August 14th, 2025 at 6:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nik Bonitto played in the Broncos‘ preseason opener but will miss some time leading up to the season. The 2024 All-Pro selection is down because of a procedure to have a bone spur removed in the top of his foot, per 9News’ Mike Klis. Sean Payton expects Bonitto to be ready to return by next week, though it can be safely assumed the edge rusher’s preseason is over. The Broncos also have an extension to sort out with Bonitto, who is entering a contract year. Denver has reached agreements with Courtland Sutton and Zach Allen during training camp, and a few Bonitto contract rumors have circulated this offseason.

This injury rehab stretch could give Bonitto’s camp time to hammer out a deal before the team’s top sack artist returns to practice, though the prospect of a Micah Parsons Cowboys extension raising the market’s ceiling — and thus the kind of deal Bonitto could command south of Parsons’ price point — could factor into the proceedings here.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • Another injury development coming out of Denver is not as kind. Fullback/tight end Nate Adkins will miss regular-season time due to a tightrope procedure to address a high ankle sprain, Payton said. Adkins could be a candidate for one of the Broncos’ two allotted August IR-return slots. Teams must announce the players for those spots by roster-cutdown day August 26. Those moves count toward teams’ eight injury activations — whether the player is eventually activated or not — in-season. Adkins played a healthy amount of snaps last season, logging 420 during a 10-start season. He caught 14 passes for 115 yards and three TDs last season, his second with the Broncos.
  • The Broncos might need to consider a fourth active-roster RB due to J.K. Dobbins‘ injury history; their early hierarchy may exclude a 2024 draft pick. Audric Estime did not enter the team’s preseason opener until the third quarter, as his entrance came after Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie saw action. The Broncos also have Blake Watson as a candidate, and the 2024 UDFA entered the game in the second half as well. Estime is firmly on the roster bubble, the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel notes. It would not surprise if the team aimed to trade one of its options before cutdown day later this month, but ensuring two of these players are rostered behind Dobbins and R.J. Harvey would make sense as well.
  • Jamal Adams is vying for a Raiders roster spot and doing so, technically, at a new position. Adams is giving linebacker another try, confirming (via the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore) Pete Carroll told him immediately he would be working there. The Seahawks had asked Adams to play linebacker before, but he declined at the time. The 2024 Seattle cap casualty played sparingly as a backup with the Titans and Lions, representing a steep fall from formerly signing a safety-record extension. Adams’ best work has always come in the box or as a safety blitzer, making a linebacker transition more natural. On a one-year, $1.26MM contract with no guarantees, the ninth-year vet is also not exactly in a position to refuse such a request.
  • The gun charges against linebacker Denzel Perryman has been dropped, The Athletic’s Daniel Popper notes. Perryman was arrested on felony weapons charges during a traffic stop earlier this month. Five firearms, including two assault-style rifles, were found in the Chargers defender’s vehicle. He was initially held without bail, but ESPN.com’s Kris Rhim notes Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman declined to file charges. Perryman is on a one-year, $2.66MM deal to continue a second Chargers stint.

Broncos Rumors: Sutton, RBs, Henningsen

August 8th, 2025 at 1:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos resolved two contract matters recently, extending Courtland Sutton and Zach Allen. While the All-Pro defensive lineman landed a deal that ranks him third at his position in terms of per-year value, the steady wide receiver accepted a lesser pact.

Sutton’s four-year, $92MM extension places him 18th among wideouts in AAV. That $23MM number slides alongside Calvin Ridley‘s free agency deal and just behind Michael Pittman Jr.‘s 2024 terms. The contract includes $41MM in total guarantees. All but $1MM of the latter figure checks in guaranteed at signing. The additional $1MM covers an injury guarantee in 2027, 9News’ Mike Klis notes.

[RELATED: Sutton Left Money On Table During Extension Talks]

That $1MM will shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2027 league year, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds. The Broncos used option bonuses to keep Sutton’s cap hits low. Both his 2025 and ’26 cap figures check in south of $14MM. In 2027, that number spikes to $28.48MM, per OverTheCap. The Broncos would be hit with $15.85MM in dead money if they released Sutton in 2027. In 2028, that number lowers to a more manageable $9.78MM. Still, the contract’s guarantees — for the most part — will pay out by the 2026 season.

No rolling guarantee structure is present, giving the Broncos flexibility with a receiver who will turn 30 in October. Sutton has been Denver’s top wideout over the past two seasons, meshing better in Sean Payton‘s system compared to Jerry Jeudy. With questions covering the rest of the Broncos’ WR corps, Sutton will again be positioned as Bo Nix‘s top target this season.

While Denver did not add a surefire starter to accompany Sutton at receiver this offseason, the team overhauled its backfield by using a second-round pick on R.J. Harvey and signing J.K. Dobbins to likely work as a short-term starter. This Mark Ingram–Alvin Kamara-like setup — that appears the goal here, at least — leaves incumbents vying for jobs. Former UDFA Jaleel McLaughlin has appeared the favorite to land the RB3 role as a change-of-pace option, but he may not be a roster lock just yet.

The Broncos used Tyler Badie in key portions of their joint practice with the 49ers, per Klis, who points to the Missouri alum being ahead of 2024 fifth-round pick Audric Estime. Although Badie played in front of McLaughlin in the joint workout, the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel lists the third-year player as the most consistent option for the RB3 role leading up to the Broncos’ preseason opener.

McLaughlin has been steady as a change-of-pace option, as the NCAA all-divisions rushing leader has 570- and 572-yard seasons (from scrimmage) during his first two years. A 2022 sixth-round Ravens draftee, Badie has only taken 12 career handoffs. A back injury shelved Badie for much of last season, but the Broncos both saved an IR activation for him and deemed Estime a healthy scratch in their wild-card game. Estime fumbled twice last season but was the team’s third-leading RB rusher (Nix was third on the team) with 310 yards. Three years remain on his rookie deal, but the Broncos would barely take on $250K by cutting the big back.

Shifting to defense, a key backup on Denver’s D-line from 2022-23 — Matt Henningsen — may lose a full season due to injury. The Broncos fear Henningsen suffered an Achilles tear during their joint practice with the 49ers, Klis reports. The injury occurred during a one-on-one drill.

Although the former sixth-round pick has never started a game, he was a key backup from 2022-23 — before spending last year mostly on the practice squad. The Broncos have a fairly clear top five up front — Allen, D.J. Jones, John Franklin-Myers, Malcolm Roach, third-round rookie Sai’Vion Jones — and Gabriel pegs Jordan Jackson and Eyioma Uwazurike as vying for a roster spot. Uwazurike is best known for his involvement in an Iowa State gambling investigation, leading to a full-season 2023 ban, while Jackson is a former Saints sixth-rounder who played 17 Broncos games last year.

Broncos Place Josh Reynolds, Luke Wattenberg On IR, Activate Audric Estime

October 12th, 2024 at 9:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Josh Reynolds recently underwent finger surgery, and it will keep him sidelined for a notable period. The Broncos wideout was placed on injured reserve Saturday, per a team announcement.

Reynolds had already been ruled out for Week 6, with further missed time being on the table. Today’s move confirms he will be sidelined for at least the next four games, something which will create a notable vacancy in Denver’s receiving corps. The free agent pickup’s 138 yards rank second on the team this season.

Finding production through the air will be a key goal moving forward for the 3-2 Broncos. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has shown signs of improvement compared to his opening two contests, but without Reynolds in the fold Courtland Sutton will be leaned on even more in the passing game. The likes of Marvin Mims, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, DeVaughn Vele and fourth-round rookie Troy Franklin will be counted on to help fill the void created by the 29-year-old’s absence.

Lloyd Cushenberry departed the Broncos in free agency, landing a big-ticket deal with the Titans. His departure left an opening on a Denver offensive line which is otherwise spoken for in terms of first-team contributors. A competition amongst internal replacement options took place during the offseason, with Wattenberg edging out Alex Forsyth for the gig. Wattenberg, 27, hardly played during his first two seasons in Denver but he logged every snap to begin the 2024 campaign before going down in Week 5.

Forsyth took over at center last week, and he represents a logical candidate to start moving forward. Drafted in the seventh round last year (after playing with Nix at Oregon), Forsyth did not see any playing time as a rookie. The 25-year-old dressed for each of Denver’s first four contests but only logged special teams snaps before Wattenberg’s injury. That could change over the coming games.

In more positive injury news, rookie running back Audric Estime was activated from IR. The fifth-rounder was injured in Week 1, so Sunday’s contest marked the earliest point at which he could be brought back into the lineup. Estime practiced this week, suggesting he would indeed be activated today. With Tyler Badie on injured reserve, a depth role should await him right away behind Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin.

Broncos Designate CB Damarri Mathis, RB Audric Estime For Return

October 10th, 2024 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

OCTOBER 10: Tomasson notes Estime should be activated in time for Week 6 as long as he does not encounter any setbacks over the next few days. His presence would again provide a depth option in the backfield as Denver looks for a fourth straight win on Sunday.

OCTOBER 9: As the Broncos have strung together a three-game win streak, reinforcements are on their way back. Both cornerback Damarri Mathis and running back Audric Estime returned to practice Wednesday, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson and KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

These are two different transactions, despite both players’ 21-day return windows being the same. The Broncos used one of their newly allowed preseason return designations on Mathis. The third-year corner already counts toward Denver’s eight in-season activations. Injured in Week 1, Estime does not. Once the rookie is activated, the Broncos’ count will drop from seven to six.

Trade interest came in for Mathis late this summer, but the high ankle sprain he sustained in Denver’s preseason finale cooled any talk of a swap. The Broncos, despite Sean Payton not being in place as HC when Mathis was drafted (Round 4, 2022), wanted to hold onto the former starter anyway.

Though, Mathis’ route back to the team’s starting lineup is currently closed. Riley Moss has seized the boundary gig opposite Patrick Surtain. Pro Football Focus rates Moss, a 2023 third-round pick who played mostly special teams as a rookie, as the league’s No. 7 overall corner. The Iowa alum has started all five Broncos games, forcing a fumble and intercepting a pass early in his second season.

Mathis returning would, however, supply depth for a Broncos secondary that also has an established slot starter (Ja’Quan McMillian). Mathis won the Broncos’ CB2 job out of training camp last year, having kept it after being the team’s Ronald Darby replacement in 2022. Denver, however, benched Mathis for Fabian Moreau early last season (Moreau is now with the Vikings). While the Pittsburgh product was relegated to ST duty after that October 2023 demotion, he has made 17 career starts. Mathis would join free agency pickup Levi Wallace as the Broncos’ top backup corners.

A fifth-round pick, Estime saw brief offensive action against the Seahawks in the Broncos’ opener but went down with an ankle malady. The Broncos have seen improvement from Javonte Williams in recent weeks, and Jaleel McLaughlin operates as the starter’s top complementary piece. Denver, however, recently placed Tyler Badie on IR. That stands to open a spot for Estime once he is ready to return. Rookie UDFA Blake Watson resides as the team’s current No. 3 running back.

Broncos To Place RB Audric Estime On IR

September 11th, 2024 at 4:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos kept four running backs on their active roster and gave carries to three during their Week 1 loss to the Seahawks. One of those options will not be available against the Steelers and beyond.

Audric Estime is heading to IR due to an ankle injury, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. This will sideline the rookie until at least Week 6. The Broncos used one of their cutdown-day IR-return spots — on cornerback Damarri Mathis — to leave them seven activations. Estime would stand to count toward one of those slots if he is activated from IR.

Fullback Michael Burton is coming up from Denver’s practice squad to its 53-man roster to fill Estime’s spot, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The veteran had played Week 1 as a P-squad elevation, joining Lil’Jordan Humphrey in that regard. This is Burton’s second Broncos season, and while he is technically a running back, Denver employs the veteran for his blocking.

This leaves Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin as Denver’s primary ball-carriers, with rookie UDFA Blake Watson still on the active roster as well. Watson was a healthy scratch in Week 1. The pass-catching back may well need to make his debut against Pittsburgh on Sunday.

A fifth-round pick out of Notre Dame, Estime already ran into injury trouble during the offseason; he underwent a minor knee procedure that limited his time at OTAs and shelved him for minicamp. While this slowed Estime’s development, the Broncos have plans for the former Fighting Irish standout. With Williams in a contract year and having not yet looked himself since October 2022 ACL and LCL tears — though, the fourth-year back impressed in training camp — Estime profiles as a successor. He is signed through 2027.

Estime fell to Round 5 due in part to a 4.71-second 40-yard dash time at the Combine. He clocked a sub-4.6-second time at Notre Dame’s pro day, which came after he had combined for 30 touchdowns from 2022-23. Estime rambled for 18 rushing TDs last season, totaling 1,341 yards on 10 carries. Estime logged two carries for 14 yards and fumbled, though a Broncos teammate recovered, in the team’s 26-20 loss. The Broncos will aim to have their rookie power runner right come October, though Estime’s timetable is not yet known.

Broncos RBs Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine Competing For One Spot?

July 20th, 2024 at 8:51am CST by Ben Levine

With two young running backs expected to earn a pair of roster spots in Denver, the Broncos may have to choose between two of their more experienced rushers. Troy Renck of the Denver Post believes Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine are ultimately competing for one roster spot.

This would be an unfortunate turn of events for Williams, who was a second-round pick only three years ago. The North Carolina product never truly got a chance to lead the backfield in Denver. He did top 1,200 yards from scrimmage as a rookie, but he still split most of his reps that season with veteran Melvin Gordon. Then, his sophomore season was limited to only four games thanks to a torn ACL, LCL, and posterolateral corner.

To Williams’ credit, he managed to return and start 13 of his 16 appearances in 2023. However, he averaged only 3.6 yards on his 217 carries, and while he finished the year with 47 receptions, that resulted in only 228 yards. While that drop in production could easily be attributed to his recovery from a devastating knee injury, the Broncos will surely use training camp and preseason to evaluate the running back ahead of the 2024 campaign. For what it’s worth, Renck observed that Williams “looked bigger and stronger” during the spring.

Perine was productive during his first season in Denver, finishing with a career-high 50 receptions and 693 yards from scrimmage. Heading into his age-29 season, Perine is the most veteran member of the Broncos RB corps, and with rookie Bo Nix under center, the Broncos may lean on the former fourth-round pick (especially in the passing game). Still, as Renck notes, Williams has also proved to be a capable pass-catcher, so the offense wouldn’t be completely lost without Perine.

Renck believes rookie fifth-round pick Audric Estime will earn one of the spots on the depth chart. The Notre Dame product had a breakout campaign in 2023, finishing the year with 1,341 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. The rookie suffered a knee injury during OTAs but is expected to be a full participant at training camp.

The team is also expected to hang on to Jaleel McLaughlin. The 2023 UDFA had a productive rookie season in Denver, finishing with 570 yards from scrimmage. He also notably hauled in 31 of his 36 targets, perhaps making him an option on third downs.

Latest On Broncos’ RBs Group

July 7th, 2024 at 8:30pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s certainly safe to say that the Broncos’ two-year tenure with Russell Wilson leading the offense did not go as planned. While Wilson himself certainly could’ve been the key factor in his team’s underwhelming performances, a lack of support was a factor, as well. Over the past two seasons, the Broncos were one of only two teams without a 1,000-yard rusher or receiver, the other being the Ravens, who have the luxury of a fielding a two-time MVP at quarterback and a top defensive unit.

With Wilson now out in Pittsburgh, the Broncos’ supporting skill players are going to be that much more crucial to the team’s success in 2024. And with the Jerry Jeudy joining Wilson in the AFC North, the running backs, in particular, are going to need to step up for a brand-new quarterbacks groups.

The team’s top three rushers from last season – Javonte Williams (217 attempts-774 rushing yards-3 rushing touchdowns), Jaleel McLaughlin (76-410-1), and Samaje Perine (53-238-1) – all return to the roster in 2024. Additionally, the team added Notre Dame rusher Audric Estime in the fifth round of this year’s draft and Memphis-product Blake Watson as an undrafted free agent.

With fullback Michael Burton all but guaranteed a spot on the initial 53-man roster, per ESPN’s Jeff Legwold, that leaves three or, maybe, four roster spots over which the above players will compete. Williams is a likely lock for a roster spot. The former second-round pick has yet to record a 1,000-yard season or score more than four touchdowns in a year, but he’s been their best rusher over his three years in the league, despite being hindered by injury. And, while Watson flashed at times in the team’s spring program, he’s likely the first odd man out, though he could wind up on the practice squad.

That leaves two or three spots for three players. Denver could decide to roll with four running backs and a fullback and eliminate the need for a decision, but more likely, Burton’s presence on the roster will probably limit the Broncos to three roster spots for four backs.

As an undrafted rookie out of Youngstown State, McLaughlin showed up in a big way as Williams dealt with an injury early last season. McLaughlin got the nod over Perine in those few games, but for most of the season, they held similar rushing responsibilities behind Williams. The big difference is that Perine was, by far, the team’s best receiving back throughout the year. Perine’s 455 receiving yards outpaced both Williams (228) and McLaughlin (160) combined, though the latter two both had two scores each through the air to Perine’s zero.

With 2,261 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns for the Fighting Irish in the past two seasons, Estime could potentially bring a production that was lacking in the room last season. At 6-foot-1, 215 pounds, Estime also brings a physical presence to the room that wasn’t there last year.

It’s difficult to determine who holds more value between McLaughlin and Perine. Perine holds the obvious advantage of experience and receiving prowess, while McLaughlin was relied upon in Williams’ absence last year and, at 23 years old, has much more tread on his tires on a much cheaper contract. Then, consider if Estime provides more value than either player, and the decision muddies even further.

In the end, Denver may decide that it serves the team best to hold on to all four running backs going into the season. If not, the Broncos decision could come down to whether they prefer the experience of Perine, the contract of McLaughlin, or the potential of Estime.

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