HEADLINES

Quinn Bailey

Broncos Sign 15 To Practice Squad

September 6th, 2020 at 5:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos will feature one of the more traditional practice squads, at least to start the season. No big-name veterans appear on Denver’s initial practice squad. Instead, a host of developmental players populate the unit.

However, veteran cornerback De’Vante Bausby — who was one of Denver’s final cuts Saturday — will stick with the team as part of this 15-man practice squad. The Broncos acquired Bausby after his stint in the Alliance of American Football in 2019. He played in five Broncos games last season, after previously seeing spot work with the Bears and Eagles in 2016 and ’18, but wound up on IR for much of the slate.

Joining the four-year veteran will be ex-UDFA Brett Rypien, who resided on Denver’s practice squad last season. Here is the Broncos’ full list:

Broncos Move Roster To 53

September 5th, 2020 at 2:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos parted ways with 24 players to trim their roster to the 53-man regular-season limit. Here are the players the team cut to get to 53.

Waived:

Released:

Placed on IR:

The Rypien cut will leave the Broncos with two active-roster QBs — Drew Lock and Jeff Driskel — while the Fumagalli and Fort decisions mean Jake Butt made Denver’s active roster. Viewed as a long shot to do so after the team made multiple tight end additions this offseason, Butt made it through camp healthy to start his contract year. The former Michigan standout has suffered three ACL tears in his career.

Denver drafting three wideouts made matters difficult for their lesser-known holdovers, but Winfree — a 2019 sixth-rounder — profiles as a practice squad candidate. The Broncos will carry rookie seventh-rounder Tyrie Cleveland onto their active roster.

Bausby has bounced around the league for several years now, and the former Division II standout joined Mike Purcell in vaulting from the Alliance of American Football to a Broncos role last year. But the team kept UDFA Essang Bassey over Bausby this year.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/24/19

December 24th, 2019 at 5:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Promoted: OT Quinn Bailey

Miami Dolphins

  • Signed: RB Myles Gaskin

Oakland Raiders

Adam Gotsis Undergoes Knee Surgery

December 19th, 2019 at 1:09pm CST by Rory Parks

Broncos defensive lineman Adam Gotsis underwent knee surgery yesterday, per Mike Klis of 9News.com (Twitter link). Gotsis will obviously miss Denver’s final two games of the season. The Broncos placed Gotsis on IR.

2019 did not go as planned for Gotsis, a 2016 second-round pick. This time last year, Gotsis was playing the best football of his career, and it seemed as though he was setting himself up for a lucrative extension. Gotsis said, “[i]t’s exciting knowing that [an extension could] come in the future. I feel like if I take care of what I have to on the field, the extension is going to be there when the time comes. Saying this or saying that won’t get it done for me. It’s just going out there and making plays.”

After compiling three sacks and 38 total tackles in 16 games (12 starts) in 2018, Gotsis didn’t register a single sack in nine games (three starts) this year, and he recorded just 16 total tackles. As Klis observes in a separate tweet, Gotsis appeared to struggle grasping new head coach Vic Fangio‘s defense, and he was never able to build much momentum in 2019.

Troy Renck of Denver 7 says the surgery was to repair Gotsis’ ACL and meniscus in his left knee, and it sounds as if Gotsis has been dealing with that injury for some time (Twitter link). “It sucks but I feel good,” Gotsis said. “I feel like I will be healthy finally.”

Klis suggests that Gotsis may be suiting up elsewhere in 2019. Regardless of where he signs, though, he may have to accept a one-term pact and try to rebuild his value in 2020. The Broncos promoted tackle Quinn Bailey from their practice squad to take Gotsis’ roster spot for Week 17.

Broncos Trim Roster To 53

August 31st, 2019 at 8:43pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Denver Broncos made a slew of moves today to get down to 53 players. Notably, the team will place rookie second-round quarterback Drew Lock on injured reserve, meaning he’ll have to miss at least the first eight games of the season as he recovers from his thumb injury. The team cut journeyman Kevin Hogan and UDFA Brett Rypien, leaving them without a quarterback behind Joe Flacco. GM John Elway has said they’ll sign a veteran to backup Flacco for now, and we’ve already heard they’re interested in Brian Hoyer.

There weren’t too many surprises that we didn’t already know of. Brendan Langley, a 2017 third-round pick, failed to make the team. He was drafted as a cornerback, but switched to receiver earlier this offseason after he didn’t pan out on defense.

Here’s the full list of other moves:

Waived:

FB George Aston

T Quinn Bailey

WR Trinity Benson

LB Keishawn Bierria

OL Adam Bisnowaty

OL Jake Brendel

WR Fred Brown

LB Jamal Carter

CB Rashard Causey

WR Steven Dunbar Jr.

OLB Ahmad Gooden

CB Alijah Holder

RB Devontae Jackson

CB Trey Johnson

G/C Sam Jones

OL Tyler Jones

T John Leglue

WR Kelvin McKnight

RB Khalfani Muhammad

DL Deyon Sizer

CB Linden Stephens

TE Moral Stephens

RB David Williams

DE DeShawn Williams

Waived/injured:

C Ryan Crozier

LB Joe Dineen

OLB Dadi Nicolas

S Dymonte Thomas

Released:

G Don Barclay

TE/FB Orson Charles

OL Chaz Green

S Shamarko Thomas

Broncos Sign 17 UDFAs

April 30th, 2019 at 5:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos UDFA list is up to 17 players, and it now officially includes quarterback Brett Rypien, whom the club agreed to sign several days ago. Today, Denver waived Garrett Grayson to make room for Rypien. Here’s the updated list (Mike Klis of 9News.com passes along the signing bonuses for all of the players for whom that information is available).

The Broncos have been consistent in identifying UDFA talent during John Elway‘s tenure, with Chris Harris becoming a perennial Pro Bowler and C.J. Anderson and Phillip Lindsay each making the Pro Bowl during their initial years as starters.

Lindsay’s late-season injury may create a chance for Jackson, who rushed for 1,385 yards and 12 touchdowns last season at the Division II school. The 5-foot-7 ball carrier will give the Broncos a two-Devontae running back room, with Devontae Booker entering a contract year.

Denver lost two offensive linemen in free agency and only drafted one, Dalton Risner, pointing to an opportunity for its quartet of UDFA blockers.