The Denver Broncos are going into Saturday’s preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers with 91 players on their offseason roster. After playing three preseason games this month, Denver will finalize a 53-man roster.
Before the showdown with the Niners, we’ve put together a quick list of five players who appear to be on the roster bubble as preseason begins. These players will need a strong showing to win a spot on the active roster.
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1. RB Tyler Badie: J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey are both safe, and Audric Estime is probably safe. If the Broncos carry four running backs, that would leave Badie competing with Jaleel McLaughlin and Blake Watson for the final spot (it’s also possible that Estime could be a surprise cut). Badie was set to have a larger role last season before a scary back injury. Now that he’s healthy again, Badie will look to carve out a role on offense.
2. TE Caleb Lohner: Evan Engram, Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins are the team’s top three tight ends. If they carry a fourth, Lohner, a seventh-round pick out of Utah, would have to beat out Lucas Krull and Caden Prieskorn. Lohner is a former basketball player with high upside, but he might be a candidate to begin his NFL career on the practice squad.
3. WR Joaquin Davis: An undrafted rookie out of North Carolina Central, Davis impressed at his pro day this spring with a 4.36-second 40-yard dash. He followed that up with an impressive training camp performance, and now he’ll get his first opportunity to impress in a live game. Davis is one of the key players to watch for tonight.
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4. DL Jordan Jackson: Denver’s defensive line is absolutely loaded. Jackson has looked good this summer, but he’s still not guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster. Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach and Sai’vion Jones are probably all locks, seemingly leaving Jackson and Eyioma Uwazurike competing for the final spot. It would be hard to cut either Jackson or Uwazurike later this month.
5. CB Reese Taylor: The Broncos also have a crowded cornerback room, but Taylor seems to have impressed coaches this summer. If the team trades Damarri Mathis or makes a surprise cut at cornerback, Taylor could have a shot to make the active roster. Otherwise, he might be competing for a spot on the practice squad.
Following the 49ers game, the Broncos will host the Arizona Cardinals next week before closing out preseason on the road against the New Orleans Saints the following week (view the full preseason schedule).
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: 5 players on roster bubble going into NFL preseason
