5 Undrafted Broncos With One Last Shot to Make Their Case

The Denver Broncos' crop of undrafted rookies have one last chance.

On Friday night, the Broncos will host the Minnesota Vikings in the preseason finale, and it's the final opportunity for these undrafted rookies to make their case for the roster.

The Broncos have a storied history when it comes to undrafted rookies. In 21 of the past 22 years, an undrafted rookie has made the 53-man roster out of trainin camp.

Last year, it was linebacker Karene Reid. Who has a chance to be next and contribute to the Broncos' undrafted legacy?

With how deep and established this roster is in Denver, it will take a miracle for an undrafted rookie to crack the squad, especially given how several draft picks are poised to be on the outside looking in. Here are the five undrafted rookies with the best shot at working such a wonder.

Kolbe Katsis | WR/R

Katsis was a hand-picked college free agent by Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi. The small-school prospect didn't garner much interest in the draft, but Rizzi identified him as a potential top-tier returner.

So far, so good. With Marvin Mims Jr. injured this summer, Katsis has been the Broncos' best returner. Given how Rizzi is looking to upgrade the returner depth behind Mims this year, Katsis has a good shot at cracking the roster and force the Broncos to carry six receivers, if he can punctuate his impressive preseason with a stellar performance in the finale.

"Kolbe has had a couple of plays where he really gained a lot of yards, gained a lot of ground," Rizzi said on Tuesday. "He had two really good ones last week where you can see him put his foot in the ground, make a guy miss, get vertical."

Cameron Ross | WR/R

Like Katsis, Ross was brought in for his returner ability, and he's showcased it this summer. However, Ross has also displayed his playmaking ability on offense, both as a pass-catcher and as a ball-carrier.

It seem as if Katsis is favored in the eyes of Rizzi, but even if Ross fails to make the 53-man roster, the Broncos likely have a practice squad spot reserved for they dynamic playmaker.

Taurean York | LB

York is clearly the last linebacker on the depth chart, and his 5-foot-10, 220-pound size has a lot to do with it. That's why he went undrafted, and he's yet to prove that his size isn't a detriment to his ability to get off blocks at the NFL level.

At the same time, York has made some plays in the preseason. If the Broncos ran a 4-3 defense, he could perhaps get by as a Will/weakside linebacker playing in space, but this is a 3-4 scheme.

If York wants to leapfrog two guys in the inside linebacker pecking order, he'll have to play out of his mind on Friday night and make some big splash plays.

Brent Austin | CB

Sean Payton and Brent Austin. — Sean Payton talks to Brent Austin and others in Atlanta. | Rich von Biberstein / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

The Broncos' top five is set at cornerback. But Austin is making a case for the team to consider carrying six corners.

Undrafted out of Cal, Austin has played sticky coverage and has contributed on special teams. But for a chance to make the 53-man roster, and outplay some of the Broncos' other depth corners, he needs a big play or two against the Vikings.

Austin may have a place on the practice squad, at worst, but he could force his way onto the roster with a big night in the finale.

Parker Robertson | S

Robertson is the type of player who's easy to root for. He walked on at Oklahoma State, earned a scholarship, and became a productive safety and special teams maven.

Robertson's lack of measurables saw him fall out of the draft entirely, but his makeup as a football player is exactly what the Broncos covet. He's played well in the preseason, especially last week against the Green Bay Packers, but he needs a big game in the finale to lay claim to one of the two open roster spots at safety.

With guys like JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson, and rookie seventh-rounder Miles Scott to contend with, there may not be enough runway left for Robertson to truly distinguish himself and separate, but with the starters unlikely to play much on Friday night, he should get plenty of snaps to make something happen.

I'll be very curious to see how things unfold for Robertson, even if he doesn't make the 53-man roster. Does he have the talent to hang in the NFL? That's the question. He certainly works hard enough and has the mental makeup, but he has to answer that question in the affirmative and leave no doubt.

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