Broncos Sign DT Lorenzo Neal, Waive S Tedric Thompson
The Denver Broncos continue to churn and burn the bottom of the roster. On Sunday, the team announced that it has signed defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal, waiving safety Tedric Thompson to make room on the roster, according to 9NEWS' Mike Klis.
Thompson was a former Kansas City draft pick and a relative newcomer to Denver. He didn't last long.
Neal — the son of former four-time Pro Bowl fullback Lorenzo Neal senior — hails from Purdue University where he went undrafted this past spring and initially signed with the same team that drafted his father. Alas, the New Orleans Saints cut bait with junior and the Broncos saw an opportunity to bring him in.
At 6-foot-3, 325 pounds, Neal missed his 2019 collegiate season with a knee injury but did return to the field for the Boilermakers last year where he totaled 10 tackles, 1.5 for loss, and two pass break-ups in six games. He left the college ranks with 73 tackles, four sacks, and four forced fumbles in 38 games.
Neal is very raw and untested but the Broncos are intrigued by his upside. As is the case with any young defensive tackle, if there's any juice to be squeezed from a player, defensive line coach Bill Kollar will extract it.
The Broncos could use a young, developmental space-eater with starting nose tackle Mike Purcell not only returning off a 2020 campaign mostly lost to a foot injury but now missing time in training camp hurt. If Neal can impress Kollar and head coach Vic Fangio, perhaps he can find a way to stick and prove to be more than just that 88th, 89th, or 90th guy on the roster.
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