For these two young Broncos WRs, time is running out to make a play for the 53-man roster

These two young wideouts are running out of time to make an impact.

The Denver Broncos have some talent at the wide receiver position. The Broncos have a group of five that are set to make the 53-man roster, and a bunch of others fighting for maybe one spot and one or two spots on the practice squad. 

There's a fierce battle going on, and some of these receivers, like Trinity Benson, Nick Williams, and Kelvin McKnight, are making a strong push for it. Unfortunately, that push does not bode well for River Cracraft and Brendan Langley, who might be seeing the door close before their eyes. 

A year ago in the preseason, there were many who thought the Broncos found their answer at returner in River Cracraft. As the season went on and he bounced on and off the practice squad, that thought started to diminish. 

Towards the end of the 2018 season, he got his chance and he was reliable as a returner, but didn’t bring the spark on special teams. There was hope Cracraft would grow and develop during this offseason, but that has not happened. 

Instead, he started camp injured and has found himself falling down the depth chart with receivers like aforementioned Benson, McKnight and Williams stepping up. Even as a returner, Cracraft is getting pushed down the depth chart by others stepping it up. 

It is unlikely this young receiver makes the Broncos' roster. Time is running out and there is little Cracraft can do at this point to alter the outcome with the Broncos. The gap is simply too wide. 

Brendan Langley started off his football career in college as a receiver before moving to cornerback where his NFL career began. Up until this year, Langley was playing corner, and playing it poorly, so the Broncos moved him back to receiver where he feels more comfortable. 

The hope was that with Langley's speed he could develop into a deep threat for the Broncos' offense. Using his speed to stretch the field would help open things up underneath for Emmanuel Sanders, Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton and the others, but there is one important factor missing. 

Langley isn't even close to mastering the finer nuances of being an NFL receiver. 

If you want to be a receiver in the NFL, you need to have some route diversity and Langley simply doesn’t. He can run the 9-route perfectly, but a slant, an in, a curl or any other route, present issues for the third-year player. 

The lack of nimbleness in his feet is evident when trying to make cuts. You can see him gather himself and slow into his breaks. 

These are all things you don’t want to see in an NFL receiver, and early in the offseason the hope was he would see tremendous growth with time and proper coaching, but that has not been the case. 

There is one saving grace for Langley and that is his play on special teams. Langley has shown in previous years that he is a capable returner option and a really good gunner. 

This year, however, Langley hasn’t been given the chance to show that and when he did get a shot as a returner, well it didn’t go well. He started camp right there with Benson and McKnight. 

When Williams joined the team eight days into training camp, he kept making an impact and rising up the chart. Now those three receivers are clearly ahead of Langley, and with three preseason games left to prove himself, the door is closing. 

There is a chance for him, though slim, to step up and push for the roster. Langley needs to show tremendous growth as a receiver, and play mistake-free as a third-phaser. 

If he does that, Langley will improve his chances but it is unlikely to be enough, unless he gets help and other receivers bomb in the last three preseason games.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.