6 Biggest Surprises in Broncos' First Wave of Roster Cuts
The Denver Broncos began their first wave of cuts on Monday that saw them begin whittling the 80-man roster down to eventually the final 53. The first wave saw 15 players cut and some of them are somewhat of a surprise.
The good news for many of these guys is Denver wants them back on its practice squad. Many things go into building a 53-man roster.
It goes beyond play in practice and in the preseason games, as what players do in the meeting room play a significant fact, as do injuries. However, the biggest factor when building the roster is the numbers game, which is the main reason for these cuts.
Let's talk about the biggest surprises thus far and what the future holds for these players.
Brett Rypien | QB
There is no doubt that the Broncos want Rypien back on the practice squad. He is a brilliant quarterback that the team values, but it came down to numbers to make the roster. With Teddy Bridgewater starting and Drew Lock behind him, there wasn’t a need for three quarterbacks.
Denver can call up Rypien during the season with the rules change on the practice squad if they need him. That is a factor to consider during these roster cuts. If one of the quarterbacks has a minor injury during the week, Rypien could be called up.
It wasn’t surprising to see Rypien cut with the changes made to the practice squad and two quarterbacks becoming the growing trend in the NFL. He'll have to pass through waivers to get re-signed, though.
Tyrie Cleveland | WR
While the numbers game did play a factor in Cleveland being let go, the more significant reason was probably his issues during training camp. He had consistent struggles catching the ball, and with how strong the Broncos are at wide receiver, his special teams play wasn’t enough to keep him around. However, it could see him back on the practice squad.
Kendall Hinton | WR
Hinton is a testament that strong practices don’t mean everything because he was one of the more impressive training camp wide receivers. The problem is, he never carried over those strong practices to the preseason games.
So when you look at his play in games and the numbers at wide receiver, it seemed like a long shot Hinton would make the roster, and more likely, he was a practice squad candidate. That's exactly how it's played out.
Seth Williams | WR
Being a sixth-round draft selection isn’t enough to get you a roster spot, especially in a solid wide receiver room. Williams had some excellent moments in camp and preseason games, but making the roster would have taken a lot. This was primarily due to the numbers, but look for Williams back on the practice squad and compete for a spot next year.
Austin Schlottmann | IOL
While many thought Schlottmann would make it, like me, it was due to his experience on the line as a depth piece. However, that was not enough to overcome the consistent poor play that Denver got from him during the preseason games. It would not be surprising to see Schlottmann get claimed by another team on waivers because of his experience, but Denver likely wants him back on the practice squad.
Derrek Tuszka | OLB
Before and after the draft, Tuszka was the fourth edge defender but fell due to the play of others. As a result, he was the sixth edge on the roster and part of this first wave of cuts. However, it wasn’t because he played poorly; he looked alright and is wanted back on the practice squad.
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