How Broncos Shook Up Practice Squad by Signing OLB David Agoha

As the Denver Broncos pare down their 2026 roster from 90 players to the final 53-man version, they're subsequently expected to welcome back several of them via the practice squad.

Interestingly, however, the Broncos are making at least one outside attention. Per Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette, the club is signing outside linebacker David Agoha to the practice squad.

The signing, which will become official on Monday, will not count against Denver's 16-player practice squad limit due to Agoha arriving via the NFL's International Pathway Player program.

Born in Nigeria, the 6-foot-4, 252-pound defender initially joined the league with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. He also spent some time with the Tennessee Titans, who waived him earlier this month.

He's yet to appear in a regular-season game.

"Agoha brings prototypical size to the table as a defensive end. He’s showcased glimpses of the athleticism that made him a standout in his home country. And at age 23 — he’ll be 24 on May 18 — Agoha has the measurables and youth on his side," Silver and Black Pride wrote in 2025. ... A practice squad mainstay since he joined the team back in May of 2023, Agoha was part of a group of players who inked reserve/future contracts on Jan. 6. The Raiders clearly see something they like in the defensive end. And what helps him: Las Vegas’ overall depth at the position group isn’t ideal."

Impact of this Move

Coming off Friday's preseason blowout of the Minnesota Vikings, the Broncos are facing many tough decisions prior to the roster cutdown deadline -- particularly at the OLB position, where they could (and probably will) lose starter Jonathon Cooper to an NFL-mandated suspension.

Cooper, if suspended, will land on the Commisioner's Exempt list for a yet-to-be-determined (or announced) amount of time, with Jonah Elliss and Que Robinson likely pulling double duty to help fill his shoes.

“Yes, part of it also was you have to look behind you, like who’s coming in for the next three-and-a-half quarters. So yes, he had good work," head coach Sean Payton said after Cooper played in Friday's preseason finale.

Behind the aforementioned on the depth chart are Dondrea Tillman, a roster lock; and Drew Sanders and Dasan McCullough, both of whom are prime cut candidates. Earlier Saturday, the Broncos waived OLB Ron Stone Jr.

Anyone who gets a pink slip this weekend is also a candidate to join Agoha on the practice squad once it's formulated. Or, like him, another player who winds up on the waiver wire.

"Every year, same time," Payton said. "Two days, you go through... You have vested veterans that are terminated. I think it’s important to understand this because I forever didn’t and I explained it to the players. So the vested veterans get terminated, they can go to any team they want and then those that aren’t get waived. So there’s two different lists, they’re subject to claim. It’s always a... Then those players have to clear waivers to be signed to the practice squad.”

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