Broncos Sign 15 To Practice Squad
The Broncos will feature one of the more traditional practice squads, at least to start the season. No big-name veterans appear on Denver’s initial practice squad. Instead, a host of developmental players populate the unit.
However, veteran cornerback De’Vante Bausby — who was one of Denver’s final cuts Saturday — will stick with the team as part of this 15-man practice squad. The Broncos acquired Bausby after his stint in the Alliance of American Football in 2019. He played in five Broncos games last season, after previously seeing spot work with the Bears and Eagles in 2016 and ’18, but wound up on IR for much of the slate.
Joining the four-year veteran will be ex-UDFA Brett Rypien, who resided on Denver’s practice squad last season. Here is the Broncos’ full list:
- QB Brett Rypien
- WR Trinity Benson
- WR Fred Brown
- OL Patrick Morris
- T Quinn Bailey
- T Darrin Paulo
- T Jake Rodgers
- RB LeVante Bellamy
- RB Jeremy Cox
- LB Derrek Tuszka
- LB Josh Watson
- S Alijah Holder
- S P.J. Locke
- CB De’Vante Bausby
- DL DeShawn Williams
Broncos Move Roster To 53
The Broncos parted ways with 24 players to trim their roster to the 53-man regular-season limit. Here are the players the team cut to get to 53.
Waived:
- T Quinn Bailey
- RB LeVante Bellamy
- WR Trinity Benson
- WR Fred Brown
- LB Malik Carney
- S Douglas Coleman
- RB Jeremy Cox
- TE Troy Fumagalli
- WR Kendall Hinton
- S Alijah Holder
- LB Justin Hollins
- OL Tyler Jones
- S P.J. Locke
- C Pat Morris
- T Darrin Paulo
- T Jake Rodgers
- QB Brett Rypien
- LB Derrek Tuszka
- LB Josh Watson
- T Hunter Watts
- WR Cody White
- DL DeShawn Williams
- WR Juwann Winfree
Released:
Placed on IR:
- TE Austin Fort
The Rypien cut will leave the Broncos with two active-roster QBs — Drew Lock and Jeff Driskel — while the Fumagalli and Fort decisions mean Jake Butt made Denver’s active roster. Viewed as a long shot to do so after the team made multiple tight end additions this offseason, Butt made it through camp healthy to start his contract year. The former Michigan standout has suffered three ACL tears in his career.
Denver drafting three wideouts made matters difficult for their lesser-known holdovers, but Winfree — a 2019 sixth-rounder — profiles as a practice squad candidate. The Broncos will carry rookie seventh-rounder Tyrie Cleveland onto their active roster.
Bausby has bounced around the league for several years now, and the former Division II standout joined Mike Purcell in vaulting from the Alliance of American Football to a Broncos role last year. But the team kept UDFA Essang Bassey over Bausby this year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/19
Today’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: G Colby Gossett
- Placed on IR: RB Dontrell Hilliard
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: OT Quinn Bailey
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: RB Myles Gaskin
Oakland Raiders
- Claimed: DL Jeremiah Valoaga (from 49ers)
Adam Gotsis Undergoes Knee Surgery
Broncos defensive lineman Adam Gotsis underwent knee surgery yesterday, per Mike Klis of 9News.com (Twitter link). Gotsis will obviously miss Denver’s final two games of the season. The Broncos placed Gotsis on IR.
2019 did not go as planned for Gotsis, a 2016 second-round pick. This time last year, Gotsis was playing the best football of his career, and it seemed as though he was setting himself up for a lucrative extension. Gotsis said, “[i]t’s exciting knowing that [an extension could] come in the future. I feel like if I take care of what I have to on the field, the extension is going to be there when the time comes. Saying this or saying that won’t get it done for me. It’s just going out there and making plays.”
After compiling three sacks and 38 total tackles in 16 games (12 starts) in 2018, Gotsis didn’t register a single sack in nine games (three starts) this year, and he recorded just 16 total tackles. As Klis observes in a separate tweet, Gotsis appeared to struggle grasping new head coach Vic Fangio‘s defense, and he was never able to build much momentum in 2019.
Troy Renck of Denver 7 says the surgery was to repair Gotsis’ ACL and meniscus in his left knee, and it sounds as if Gotsis has been dealing with that injury for some time (Twitter link). “It sucks but I feel good,” Gotsis said. “I feel like I will be healthy finally.”
Klis suggests that Gotsis may be suiting up elsewhere in 2019. Regardless of where he signs, though, he may have to accept a one-term pact and try to rebuild his value in 2020. The Broncos promoted tackle Quinn Bailey from their practice squad to take Gotsis’ roster spot for Week 17.
Broncos Trim Roster To 53
The Denver Broncos made a slew of moves today to get down to 53 players. Notably, the team will place rookie second-round quarterback Drew Lock on injured reserve, meaning he’ll have to miss at least the first eight games of the season as he recovers from his thumb injury. The team cut journeyman Kevin Hogan and UDFA Brett Rypien, leaving them without a quarterback behind Joe Flacco. GM John Elway has said they’ll sign a veteran to backup Flacco for now, and we’ve already heard they’re interested in Brian Hoyer.
There weren’t too many surprises that we didn’t already know of. Brendan Langley, a 2017 third-round pick, failed to make the team. He was drafted as a cornerback, but switched to receiver earlier this offseason after he didn’t pan out on defense.
Here’s the full list of other moves:
Waived:
FB George Aston
T Quinn Bailey
WR Trinity Benson
OL Jake Brendel
WR Fred Brown
LB Jamal Carter
WR Steven Dunbar Jr.
OLB Ahmad Gooden
RB Devontae Jackson
CB Trey Johnson
G/C Sam Jones
OL Tyler Jones
T John Leglue
DL Deyon Sizer
CB Linden Stephens
Broncos Sign 17 UDFAs
The Broncos UDFA list is up to 17 players, and it now officially includes quarterback Brett Rypien, whom the club agreed to sign several days ago. Today, Denver waived Garrett Grayson to make room for Rypien. Here’s the updated list (Mike Klis of 9News.com passes along the signing bonuses for all of the players for whom that information is available).
- George Aston, FB (Pittsburgh)
- Quinn Bailey, OL (Arizona State)
- Trinity Benson, WR (East Central)
- Ryan Crozier, OL (Connecticut)
- Joe Dineen, LB (Kansas)
- Austin Fort, TE (Wyoming)
- Ahmad Gooden, DL (Samford)
- Romel Guerrier, WR (Florida Tech)
- Alijah Holder, CB (Stanford)
- Devontae Jackson, RB (West Georgia)
- Jaylen Johnson, DL (Washington)
- John Leglue, OL (Tulane)
- Kelvin McKnight, WR (Samford)
- Malik Reed, LB (Nevada)
- Brett Rypien, QB (Boise State)
- Brian Wallace, OL (Arkansas)
- Josh Watson, LB (Colorado State)
The Broncos have been consistent in identifying UDFA talent during John Elway‘s tenure, with Chris Harris becoming a perennial Pro Bowler and C.J. Anderson and Phillip Lindsay each making the Pro Bowl during their initial years as starters.
Lindsay’s late-season injury may create a chance for Jackson, who rushed for 1,385 yards and 12 touchdowns last season at the Division II school. The 5-foot-7 ball carrier will give the Broncos a two-Devontae running back room, with Devontae Booker entering a contract year.
Denver lost two offensive linemen in free agency and only drafted one, Dalton Risner, pointing to an opportunity for its quartet of UDFA blockers.