Broncos Place Bolden On IR, Promote Nixon
As expected, the Broncos officially placed defensive back and return man Omar Bolden on their injured reserve list today, ending his 2015 season, per a team release. To replace Bolden on the 53-man roster, Denver has promoted cornerback Taurean Nixon from the club’s practice squad.
Bolden, 27, was limited to just nine games during the 2015 season, and wasn’t a contributor on defense for the Broncos. However, he was the team’s most effective return man when given the opportunity, with one of his five regular-season punt returns going for an 83-yard touchdown, and his lone playoff return going for 42 yards. A partial PCL tear suffered in the divisional round on Sunday ended Bolden’s season prematurely.
Nixon, a seventh-round pick in 2015, spent the entire season on the Broncos’ practice squad. If he’s active this Sunday, he’ll likely be used on special teams and perhaps in the return game, rather than on defense.
The Broncos now have an opening on their practice squad that they can fill prior to Sunday’s game if they so choose.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC West
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC West teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers are noted below.
Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s AFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Denver Broncos
- Claimed off waivers:
- C James Ferentz (via press release)
- TE Mitchell Henry (via press release)
- Cut:
- Signed to practice squad:
- LB Zaire Anderson (press release)
- C Dillon Day (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson)
- TE Arthur Lynch (Twitter link via Tony Pauline)
- LB Danny Mason (press release)
- CB Taurean Nixon (press release)
- DL Chuka Ndulue (press release)
- WR Jordan Taylor (press release)
- DT George Uko (Twitter link via Wilson)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed:
- OL Jah Reid (link)
- Claimed off waivers:
- TE Brian Parker (Twitter link via Wilson)
- Cut:
- WR Dezman Moses (Twitter link via Terez Paylor)
- Signed to practice squad:
- WR Da’Ron Brown (Twitter link via Wilson)
- OL Daniel Munyer (Twitter link via Paylor)
- T Jarrod Pughsley (link via Paylor)
- WR Fred Williams (link via Paylor)
Oakland Raiders
- Claimed off waivers:
- S Keenan Lambert (Twitter link via Vic Tafur)
- Cut:
- CB SaQwan Edwards (Twitter link via Bill Williamson)
- Signed to practice squad:
- QB Garrett Gilbert (Twitter link via Wilson)
- S Tevin McDonald (link via Scott Bair)
- DT Leon Orr (link via Bair)
- DE Max Valles (Twitter link via Bair)
San Diego Chargers
- Signed to practice squad (press release):
- TE Alex Bayer (Twitter link via Jim Thomas)
- CB Greg Ducre
- WR Javontee Herndon
- G Michael Huey
- LB Ryan Mueller
- S Adrian Phillips
- QB Brad Sorensen (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken)
- RB Dreamius Smith
- DT Damion Square
Broncos Make Cuts, Down To 53 Players
The Broncos have officially announced the series of roster moves that reduces their roster to 53 players. In addition to confirming the previously-reported cuts of tight ends Dominique Jones and Marcel Jensen, along with the release of Tony Carter, the club announced 19 other moves.
Montee Ball‘s name was not mentioned among those moves, so the young running back, who was considered to be on the roster bubble, remains a Bronco for now. Here are the players who are no longer on Denver’s active roster, per a team release:
Released:
- NT Sione Fua
Waived:
- ILB Zaire Anderson
- ILB Lamin Barrow
- RB Kapri Bibbs
- WR Isaiah Burse
- C Dillon Day
- S Josh Furman
- G Ben Garland
- ILB Steven Johnson
- WR Corbin Louks
- NT Chuka Ndulue
- CB Taurean Nixon
- OLB Gerald Rivers
- T Kyle Roberts
- T Charles Sweeton
- WR Jordan Taylor
- DE Josh Watson
Reserve/suspended:
- S T.J. Ward
- DE Derek Wolfe
Broncos Sign Ty Sambrailo
The Broncos have secured four of their draft picks today, signing them to rookie contracts. The most notable of those players to sign is second-round tackle Ty Sambrailo, per Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter link).
In addition to locking up Sambrailo, the Broncos have also signed seventh-round picks Trevor Siemian (QB), Taurean Nixon (CB), and Josh Furman (S), the team announced today in a press release. The series of moves leaves only two Denver picks unsigned — first-rounder Shane Ray and third-round tight end Jeff Heuerman.
Sambrailo, the 59th overall pick out of Colorado State, should get an opportunity this summer to earn playing time on an offensive line that has undergone some changes this offseason. Within the last couple months, the Broncos have seen Orlando Franklin and Will Montgomery depart via free agency, and traded Manuel Ramirez to the Lions. The team brought in Gino Gradkowski in a trade, and signed Shelley Smith as a free agent.
Per Over The Cap, Sambrailo will be in line for a signing bonus of about $1.057MM, with a four-year value of approximately $3.846MM on his rookie contract.