Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at second-year safety JL Skinner, No. 34.
Before the Broncos: Skinner (6-4, 220 pounds) played college football at Boise State. In four seasons with college football’s Broncos, Skinner totaled 133 tackles, 15 pass breakups, seven interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles in 44 games. After earning second-team All-Mountain West recognition as a junior in 2021, Skinner earned first-team all-conference honors as a senior in 2022.
Broncos tenure: Denver picked Skinner in the sixth round of last year’s NFL draft. He made the active roster but only dressed for two games as a rookie. Despite not getting much playing time, Skinner impressed coach Sean Payton during practice last fall. “I’d say the second half of last season, even when he was running scout team, we noticed on offense quite a bit, ‘Man, this guy all of the sudden was jumping routes,’” Payton said June. “He was someone that stood out on the tape. I think he’ll want to build on that.”
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Toss up. If the Broncos decide to carry five safeties on the active roster, Skinner should have a decent chance to make the team. He’s clearly behind Brandon Jones, Caden Sterns, P.J. Locke and Delarrin Turner-Yell, but Skinner is above the four other safeties on the depth chart. It will be a numbers decision for Denver.
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