COVID-19 will make it even harder for the players on the Broncos’ roster bubble to make the 53-man roster.
It’s been a unique offseason in the NFL.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, teams didn’t have on-field organized team activities or minicamps this spring. There won’t be any preseason games this month, either.
That’s bad news for players on the bottom of the Broncos’ roster who are trying to make the team. It’s going to make roster cuts even more difficult than usual for Denver’s staff.
“It makes it very difficult,” general manager John Elway said. “It makes it a lot more difficult, especially with no preseason games also. We’re going to have to see everything we can in the 14 padded practices that we’re going to have before the opener. What it does is it really creates less of an opportunity for those guys to make our football team.
“We’re going to have to find guys with the expanded practice squad, which we have spots for four veterans. We’re going to have to find the right guys to be able to expand the practice squad with. It definitely hurts the opportunities of those CFAs [college free agents] to get out there and really show us what they have — even more so without preseason games.”
If running back Phillip Lindsay didn’t have a pro day, OTAs and preseason when he entered the league, he might not have even made the Broncos 53-man roster. There’s no replacement for games, even if they are exhibition games.
“You can’t evaluate them totally until it’s live action,” coach Vic Fangio said. “Who can tackle, who’s willing to tackle and who can break tackles, it will be an adjustment for everybody.”
Denver will probably do some live drills during camp and the team might have a scrimmage at their stadium. The team will have an expanded practice squad but even that might not stop some players from falling through the cracks. Hopefully the Broncos don’t miss out on the next Lindsay.
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