Broncos' Biggest Risers & Fallers from Preseason Win Over Saints

The final roster deadline is on Tuesday, so which jobs were won and lost in the Denver Broncos' preseason finale?

Aug 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Denver Broncos running back Audric Estime (23) runs against New Orleans Saints cornerback Jayden Price (38) during the second half at Caesars Superdome. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos defeated the New Orleans Saints in the preseason finale, exiting the Big Easy with a 28-19 victory. This was an unusual finale, as the two teams gave their starting units plenty of snaps.

Bo Nix and the Broncos' first-team offense started off slow, but finished strong. Nix hit Courtland Sutton on a 19-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, as Broncos Country exhaled somewhat.

Let's be honest, though; the final preseason game was more about the players fighting for a roster spot. The NFL deadline to have rosters trimmed down to 53 players is on Tuesday, so let's break down the Broncos' biggest risers and fallers coming out of New Orleans.

Risers

Audric Estime | RB

It was a rough first couple of games for Estime, but with the chips down, he delivered in the finale. With eight carries for 45 yards and a touchdown, he averaged 5.6 yards per carry.

Audric Estime gets a much-needed touchdown! pic.twitter.com/m67h0U8GMt

— Mile High Huddle (@MileHighHuddle) August 23, 2025

Estime's performance may have ensured that if the Broncos waive him, he won't make it through waivers. The Broncos have a big decision to make on the 2024 fifth-round draft pick.

Que Robinson | OLB

Robinson's place on the roster wasn't in doubt, but it was great to see the fourth-round rookie show out in the finale. Finishing with two tackles and a sack, he was a terror for Saints quarterback Tyler Shough when he was on the field.

Sam Ehlinger | QB

Ehlinger turned in another admirable performance, playing the rest of the game after Nix sat down. Ehlinger was a bit scatter-shot at times, but he finished 22-of-31 for 198 yards and a touchdown, with one interception.

The Broncos can't afford to carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster this year, with how deep they are. However, Ehlinger punctuated his preseason with a fun performance, forecasting that he'll have a job somewhere.

Lucas Krull | TE

Aug 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Lucas Krull (85) catches a touchdown against New Orleans Saints safety Jordan Howden (31) during the first half at Caesars Superdome. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Krull needed a big game, as the Broncos have some tough decisions to make at tight end. He caught all three of his targets for 49 yards. Will the Broncos keep five tight ends out of camp with Adkins' injury? If so, Krull almost certainly has a job.

Tyler Badie | RB

Badie had a big 47-yard kick return in the first quarter, showcasing his versatility. He also carried it four times for 14 yards and caught four passes for 31 yards. His roster spot seems locked.

Eyioma Uwazurike | DL

The Broncos saw what they hoped to from Uwazurike in the finale. He notched a co-team-high four tackles and a sack, boosting his roster outlook. It'll still come down to Uwazurike or Jordan Jackson.

Kyrese Rowan | WR

The undrafted rookie finally started getting his number called late in the game, and he answered. Rowan caught four passes for 33 yards and a touchdown where he answered an Ehlinger prayer.

Kyrese Rowan answers prayers. pic.twitter.com/uYoKwk3bzU

— Mile High Huddle (@MileHighHuddle) August 23, 2025

Was it enough to make the roster? No. But it may have earned him a practice squad spot at worst, and captured the attention of other NFL teams.

Caleb Lohner | TE

Consider Lohner's placement here as more of an honorable mention, but he did make a wide-open catch for 23 yards. Later, Sean Payton dialed up a nice play to get Lohner a touchdown in the red zone, but the opposing outside linebacker sniffed out the tight-end screen, and deflected it.

It's hard to say where Lohner falls. My guess? After a relatively quiet summer, the Broncos waive him and re-sign him to the practice squad.

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Fallers

Blake Watson | RB

Aug 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos running back Blake Watson (25) rushes the ball past San Francisco 49ers linebacker Nick Martin (45) in the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Watson's day as a rusher was pretty close to Badie's. And while Watson also caught three passes, they only went for nine yards. The second-half injury he suffered on a kick return is something to monitor.

Damarri Mathis | CB

Mathis needed a big game to prevent him hitting the waiver wire, and he didn't deliver. In his defense, the motivation for cutting him by Tuesday will mostly be a financial one, since it would save north of $3 million on the salary cap. But that's too much to pay a No. 6 cornerback.

Jordan Jackson | DL

Jackson was a non-factor in a game that he badly needed to shine. Meanwhile, Uwazurike had a great game, casting a pall on Jackson's roster outlook.