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IR Possible For Broncos OLB Baron Browning

September 20th, 2024 at 4:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

A foot injury will keep Baron Browning out for Week 3. The fourth-year Broncos edge rusher could be sidelined for an extended period, however.

Head coach Sean Payton replied “we’ll see” when asked if Browning could land on injured reserve (h/t Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette). Placing him on IR would guarantee at least a four-game absence and leave the team without a key defender. Browning has started each of the Broncos’ games in 2024, having done so 26 times during his previous three seasons.

Injuries have been an issue for the 25-year-old during his NFL tenure. Browning was limited to 14 games during each of his first two campaigns, and a meniscus injury left him unavailable for the start of the 2023 season. When healthy, he has been a key contributor by logging a snap share of at least 60% every year from 2021-23. A switch from inside to outside linebacker was followed by numerous veteran departures along the edge, paving the way for Browning to handle a regular pass-rushing role.

The Ohio State product notched five sacks in 2022, and he followed that up with 4.5 in only 10 games last year. That production led to high expectations ahead of this season, but Browning was held to just five tackles and no pressures prior to suffering his latest injury. As a pending free agent, an extended stay on the mend would hinder his market value in addition to leaving Denver without a starter in the front seven.

With Browning on the sidelines for at least Sunday’s game, the Broncos will rely on Jonathan Cooper, Nik Bonitto and third-round rookie Jonah Elliss along the edge. The team dedicated one of its eight IR activations before the regular season started in the case of cornerback Damarri Mathis. Doing the same may soon be necessary as it pertains to Browning.

Broncos Work Out T Cameron Fleming

September 19th, 2024 at 6:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Suddenly shorthanded at tackle along a high-priced offensive line, the Broncos are set to turn to a UDFA who missed all of his 2023 rookie season. As Alex Palczewski prepares to take over for Mike McGlinchey, Denver is looking into veteran options as well.

The Broncos brought in a familiar face for a Thursday workout. Cameron Fleming auditioned for his most recent NFL employer, 9News’ Mike Klis tweets. Fleming joined recently cut Commanders O-lineman Braeden Daniels at the workout.

[RELATED: Broncos OL Quinn Bailey Out For Season]

Fleming, 32, would supply the Broncos experience they lack. Denver has Palczewski and ex-Giants swingman Matt Peart in place as backup options for McGlinchey and Garett Bolles. The team did not need to turn to backup help much in 2023, with four of its five O-line starters (all but McGlinchey) playing 17 games. McGlinchey was available for the team’s first 16, but to start this season, the veteran RT is on IR with an MCL sprain. For the time being, Palczewski — an Illinois standout who spent all of last season on IR — will be asked to start opposite Bolles.

Fleming started in place of McGlinchey in Week 18 and saw more action for less healthy Broncos O-lines in 2021 and ’22. Brought in initially after Ja’Wuan James suffered an Achilles tear away from the team’s facility in 2021, Fleming started four games for that Denver edition but was needed for 15 starts in 2022. The Broncos used a different Week 1 right tackle starter each year from 2013-23. Fleming took his turn on that carousel in 2022, with his 15-game season coming two years after he served as the full-time Giants RT.

Pro Football Focus graded Fleming as a solid option, particularly in pass protection, in 2022. He re-signed with a rebooted Broncos team in 2023. Not too much interest came the journeyman blocker’s way this offseason, though the tackle-needy Browns auditioned him in August. The Broncos had struggled to provide sufficient protection for Bo Nix with their starting quintet in place, and the McGlinchey-to-Palczewski experience gap is obviously rather wide. Fleming could help fill the void, having familiarity with Sean Payton‘s system.

Daniels enjoyed a short Texans stint following his Commanders cut, as the rebuilding NFC East team cut five 2023 draftees. Houston also moved on from the second-year player, doing so this week. Daniels, 24, profiles as more developmental option; the former fourth-round pick has yet to play a regular-season snap.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/18/24

September 18th, 2024 at 6:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:

Denver Broncos

  • Signed from practice squad: OLB Dondrea Tillman

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed from practice squad: OL Justin Dedich

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

A five-year Giants contributor, Ximenes logged 14 defensive snaps through two Patriots games. A rookie UDFA out of James Madison, Kromah has not played in a regular-season game yet. Because the Pats poached Kromah from the Bears’ P-squad, he must remain on New England’s 53-man roster for three weeks.

Additionally, free agent defensive back Alex Brown received a three-week suspension, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Brown has not been on an NFL roster since 2021 and has not played in a game since 2019.

Broncos Place RT Mike McGlinchey On IR

September 18th, 2024 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos enjoyed near-perfect attendance along their offensive line last season. As the team attempts to develop Bo Nix, one of its blockers will be out of the mix for a while.

Not intending to go week-to-week with Mike McGlinchey‘s MCL sprain, Denver is placing (via 9News’ Mike Klis) its right tackle on IR. The high-priced blocker went down during the Broncos’ loss to the Steelers and will be unable to return until at least Week 7.

This move comes weeks after the team lost swing backup Quinn Bailey for the season. Alex Palczewski, a 2023 UDFA who did not play as a rookie, is set to step in, per Sean Payton. Palczewski spent all of last season on IR, being placed on the injured list just before last season.

Given a five-year, $87.5MM deal, McGlinchey started 16 games in his Broncos debut. This came as Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Lloyd Cushenberry and Quinn Meinerz suited up for 17 contests. This remarkable run of health contrasted from the 2022 season, when Denver played stretches without Bolles, Cushenberry and Meinerz. That year also featured RT instability, leading to yet another investment in a position the franchise had struggled to fill since the Peyton Manning years.

In Week 1, McGlinchey became the first Bronco to open back-to-back seasons at right tackle since Orlando Franklin from 2012-13. The Broncos poached the veteran from the 49ers, who had stood down while paying Trent Williams top LT money, and gave him a contract that called for his 2025 salary ($17.5MM) to become fully guaranteed in March 2024. McGlinchey’s 2025 money vested after he submitted a middling first season in Denver. Though, the Broncos could find a gulf between a seventh-year vet — who was a top-10 pick — and a UDFA set for his third career game.

The team signed Matt Peart as a swing option this offseason, and the veteran played both right and left tackle in New York. Palczewski, 25, earned second-team All-Big Ten and third-team All-America acclaim in his final Fighting Illini season. After being in Payton’s system for a year (albeit on IR), he will be entrusted to help protect Nix amid the rookie QB’s sluggish start.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/17/24

September 17th, 2024 at 7:42pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: T Marcellus Johnson
  • Released: T Ricky Lee

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Washington Commanders

Woods joins the Falcons’ practice squad after a workout last week that also included veterans Kwon Alexander and Rashaan Evans.

The Browns are adding Freeman after the seven-year veteran was released by the Cowboys before the regular season. Freeman could potentially pitch in as the team keeps working without Nick Chubb.

Yeast becomes the next former-Rams defensive back to join the Panthers. Current Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero used to serve as the secondary coach in Los Angeles, and Yeast joins Jordan Fuller, Nick Scott, and Troy Hill as former students of Evero to sign a deal with the Panthers.

Chosen’s time off the Dolphins’ practice squad could be a short one. Chosen was called up as a standard gameday elevation twice in the first two weeks of the season, reaching his limit for the year. If the team re-signs him to a new practice squad contract, his count should start over.

Reagor saw 11 games and a start last year for New England, catching seven passes for 138 yards as a deep threat. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the Patriots will be giving him similar opportunities this year after this release.

Pierre played a big part in the Steelers’ secondary in 2021 and 2022, starting six games and logging an interception in each season. His role was extremely reduced last year with the arrivals of Joey Porter Jr.. and Patrick Peterson, but his experience could be crucial in a position room that only rosters five cornerbacks as Cameron Sutton remains on suspension.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/17/24

September 17th, 2024 at 5:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Pittsburgh Steelers

A transaction mainstay since being included in the 2017 trade that brought Ronald Darby to Philadelphia from Buffalo, Matthews has since moved to tight end and been with the Panthers since 2023. Matthews later made it back to Philly and has been with five NFL teams since being a 2014 second-round pick. He started one game for the TE-depleted Panthers this season. Franks is a converted quarterback who has played in Carolina’s first two games as a gameday elevation. A 2023 Panthers UDFA, Leota logged a 2024 start and recorded a sack. But the second-year player is now on the wire.

Broncos RT Mike McGlinchey Suffers MCL Sprain

September 16th, 2024 at 3:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos will be shorthanded along the offensive line for the time being. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey is dealing with an MCL sprain, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Garafolo notes the sprain is “significant,” and McGlinchey thus appears to be set to miss roughly one month. Further testing will be needed to determine an exact recovery timeline. Nonetheless, his absence will deal a blow to a Denver offense which has struggled on offense in general and on the ground in particular.

The 0-2 Broncos currently rank 19th in passing yardage per game, but only 27th with an average of 81.5 rushing yards per contest. The team has invested heavily under head coach Sean Payton along the O-line, with McGlinchey and left guard Ben Powers landing big-ticket free agent deals in 2023. Right guard Quinn Meinerz secured a lucrative extension this offseason, but the unit has not performed as hoped so far.

McGlinchey, 30, played his first four seasons with the 49ers, starting each of his 75 regular and postseason appearances. The former No. 9 pick drew consistent PFF evaluations based on his run blocking in particular, although his pass protection was a point of contention. As expected, San Francisco allowed him to depart on the open market and he signed a five-year, $87.5MM deal with the Broncos. The Notre Dame product ranked 39th amongst tackles in terms of PFF grades last season, roughly in line with his past evaluations.

While McGlinchey is sidelined for a notable stretch (placing him on injured reserve would guarantee a four-week absence), Denver will have the option of using Alex Palczewski in his place. The former UDFA took over at right tackle at the end of the contest after McGlinchey was injured. The Broncos also have veteran Matt Peart in place as a candidate to fill in along the first-team offensive line.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/14/24

September 14th, 2024 at 8:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Saturday’s minor transactions and gameday practice squad callups:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Patrick was among the Broncos’ final roster cuts after a Saints trade was discussed. The 30-year-old missed the 2022 and ’23 campaigns due to ACL and Achilles tears, respectively. Patrick did not need to wait long to find a new opportunity, though, quickly landing a practice squad deal with the Lions. He is now positioned make his season debut tomorrow as a complementary option in Detroit’s passing attack.

Olszewski is dealing with a groin injury and he was known to be facing a long-term absence. Today’s move thus comes as no surprise, but it ensures at least a four-week absence. The former All-Pro scored a punt return touchdown with Pittsburgh early last season and added another during his 10-game Giants stretch to close out the year. The team will need to rely on other options in the return game for the time being.

Broncos LT Garett Bolles Addresses Playing Future

September 12th, 2024 at 5:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

Garett Bolles is a pending free agent who has expressed interest in remaining with the Broncos beyond 2024. Regardless of if that happens or not, the eighth-year left tackle intends to continue playing for the foreseeable future.

Bolles inked a four-year, 68MM extension during John Elway‘s final season as general manager. Since then, the regime led by GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton has made a number of lucrative investments up front. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey and left guard Ben Powers were added as outside free agents, while right guard Quinn Meinerz landed a big-ticket extension this offseason.

That has led to questions about Bolles’ future in Denver, although the team did not consider trading him ahead of the 2024 campaign. The 32-year-old has made it clear he hopes to continue his tenure in the Mile High City, but another lucrative contract will be challenging given the other commitments already on the books along O-line. Bolles will not consider retirement in the event a new Broncos accord is not worked out, though.

“I pride myself on that I feel like I’m in good health,” the former first-rounder said (via Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette). “I feel like my mind and body feel great. I feel young for what everybody wants to say my age is. I feel like I can play for a lot more years.”

Bolles is the team’s longest-tenured player and he is set to remain the unquestioned starter along the blindside. A veteran of 100 games, he has yet to make a playoff appearance but his career has consisted of consistent play as a full-time left tackle contributor. Bolles finished 19th amongst all tackles in overall PFF grade last season, and another strong campaign in 2024 would help his free agent stock.

A number of high-end blockers have managed to continue their careers well into their 30s, especially if they manage to remain healthy along the way. Bolles has missed notable time only once (in 2022), so the former second-team All-Pro could draw attention on the open market if he were to avoid a major injury this year. It will be interesting to see if the Broncos pursue another extension over the coming months or if they allow Bolles to test free agency in 2025. Either way, he will be aiming for another multi-year pact given his comments.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/11/24

September 11th, 2024 at 8:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: WR Kaden Davis

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

  • Signed: LB Jackson Sirmon

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

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