Tag: Broncos news

Broncos inactives: Starting safety won’t play vs. Falcons

Broncos inactives: Zach Wilson, Brandon Jones (abdomen), Kris Abrams-Draine, Frank Crum, Calvin Throckmorton, Greg Dulcich, Eni Uwazurike.

The Denver Broncos have announced their list of seven inactive players for Sunday’s showdown with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season.

The Broncos’ inactive players today are quarterback Zach Wilson*, safety Brandon Jones (abdomen), cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, offensive tackle Frank Crum, offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton, tight end Greg Dulcich and defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike.

With Jones sidelined, Devon Key is set to play across from P.J. Locke at safety.

*Technically, Wilson is still available to play as the team’s emergency third-string quarterback behind starter Bo Nix and primary backup Jarrett Stidham, but he’s on the inactive list and does not count against the game-day roster. Wilson can play if both Nix and Stidham are injured.

With the exception of Wilson, these inactive players are members of the 53-man roster who are not eligible to play against the Falcons. They will be reactivated on Monday.

Broncos inactives vs. Falcons

  1. QB Zach Wilson (*emergency third QB)
  2. DB Brandon Jones (abdomen)
  3. CB Kris Abrams-Draine
  4. OT Frank Crum
  5. OL Calvin Throckmorton
  6. TE Greg Dulcich
  7. DL Eyioma Uwazurike

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites in Week 11.

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Will the Broncos’ game against the Falcons be on TV today?

The Broncos’ game against the Falcons today will be regionally televised on Fox.

The Denver Broncos (5-5) are set to host the Atlanta Falcons at Empower Field at Mile High in Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2:05 p.m. MT (4:05 p.m. ET).

The AFC vs. NFC showdown will be regionally televised on Fox. In-market fans can stream the Broncos-Falcons game on fuboTV (try it free).

Kevin Kugler (play-by-play) and Daryl Johnston (analyst) will call the game for CBS with Laura Okmin reporting from the sideline. On the radio, the game will be nationally broadcast on Sports USA and locally available on KOA Radio.

Fans in the green areas on the map below will get the Broncos-Falcons game on their local CBS channel, according to 506sports.com.

(506sports.com)

Sunday will mark safety Justin Simmon’s return to Denver after he was cut by the Broncos this spring and signed with the Falcons.

Denver leads the all-time series against Atlanta 9-7, and the Broncos are considered favorites at home this week.

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Broncos’ 53-man roster for today’s game

Here’s a look at the Broncos’ 53-man roster going into the Falcons game.

After making two roster moves this week, the Denver Broncos have updated their 53-man roster ahead of their game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Denver waived safety Keidron Smith on Tuesday, making room for fullback Michael Burton to be promoted to the active roster on Wednesday.

Later in the week, the Broncos elevated Smith and linebacker Zach Cunningham from the practice squad to the game-day roster for Week 11.

Here’s a look at the team’s active roster following those moves.

Denver Broncos 53-man roster

Position Name Number
QB Bo Nix 10
QB Jarrett Stidham 8
QB Zach Wilson 4
RB Javonte Williams 33
RB Jaleel McLaughlin 38
RB Audric Estime 23
FB Michael Burton 20
FB/TE Nate Adkins 45
TE Greg Dulcich 80
TE Adam Trautman 82
TE Lucas Krull 85
WR Courtland Sutton 14
WR Marvin Mims 19
WR Troy Franklin 16
WR Devaughn Vele 17
WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey 84
OT Garett Bolles 72
OT Mike McGlinchey 69
OT Frank Crum 73
OT Alex Palczewski 63
OL Matt Peart 79
G/C Quinn Meinerz 77
G Ben Powers 74
C/G Alex Forsyth 54
C/G Luke Wattenberg 60
OL Calvin Throckmorton 76
DE Zach Allen 99
DE John Franklin-Myers 98
DL D.J. Jones 93
DL Malcolm Roach 97
DL Eyioma Uwazurike 96
DL Jordan Jackson 94
OLB Jonathon Cooper 0
OLB Nik Bonitto 15
OLB Jonah Elliss 52
OLB Dondrea Tillman 92
ILB Cody Barton 55
ILB Justin Strnad 40
ILB Levelle Bailey 56
ILB Zach Cunningham 42
CB Pat Surtain 2
CB Ja’Quan McMillian 29
CB Riley Moss 21
CB Levi Wallace 39
CB Kris Abrams-Draine 31
CB Tremon Smith 1
CB Damarri Mathis 27
DB Devon Key 26
S Brandon Jones 22
S P.J. Locke 6
S JL Skinner 34
S Keidron Smith 43
K Wil Lutz 3
P Riley Dixon 9
LS Mitchell Fraboni 48

With a 53-man roster and a 17-player practice squad, Denver has 70 players under contract, plus several players on injured reserve.

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6 players had tryouts with Broncos on Friday

The Denver Broncos brought in six players for tryouts on Friday — two linebackers, two defensive backs and two offensive linemen.

The Denver Broncos brought in six players for tryouts on Friday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire (via KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis).

The Broncos worked out two linebackers, two defensive backs and two offensive linemen. Here’s a quick review of the six players.

Linebacker Michael Barrett (6-0, 239 pounds) was picked by the Carolina Panthers in the seventh round of this year’s NFL draft out of Michigan. He was traded to the Seattle Seahawks this summer and then cut by Seattle. Barrett then had a brief stint on the practice squad of the Cleveland Browns.

Linebacker K.J. Cloyd (6-2, 228 pounds) went undrafted out of Miami this spring. He had brief stints with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants.

Offensive lineman Matt Farniok (6-5, 316 pounds) was picked by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Nebraska. The guard/center dressed for 19 games for the Cowboys in two seasons, appearing in two games in 2022. He spent time on the practice squads of the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions in 2023.

Offensive lineman Brady Latham (6-5, 304 pounds) signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas this spring. He suffered a freak injury during the offseason when a hunting knife fell out of its sheath and wounded his calf. The guard-turned-center did not make New York’s roster.

Defensive back Keenan Isaac (6-2, 190 pounds) signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama State in 2023. The cornerback dressed for two games as a rookie and then had a brief stint with the Panthers before returning to the Bucs. Isaac dressed for five games this fall before being waived earlier this week.

Defensive back Jaylen Key (6-2, 210 pounds) was picked by the Jets in the seventh round of this year’s NFL draft out of Alabama. The safety started his rookie season on New York’s practice squad before being released in October.

Broncos tryout players

  1. LB Michael Barrett
  2. LB K.J. Cloyd
  3. DB Keenan Isaac
  4. DB Jaylen Key
  5. OL Matt Farniok
  6. OL Brady Latham

Denver’s 53-man roster and 17-player practice squad are both full. The Broncos might be looking at candidates for future contract signings after the 2024 season.

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Broncos elevate 2 players from practice squad for Falcons game

The Broncos have elevated LB Zach Cunningham and DB Keidron Smith from the practice squad to the game-day roster for Week 11.

The Denver Broncos are calling up some reinforcements from the practice squad ahead of their Week 11 showdown with the Atlanta Falcons.

The Broncos elevated linebacker Zach Cunningham and safety Keidron Smith from the practice squad to the game-day roster on Saturday. They will revert back to the practice squad on Monday.

Players can be elevated up to three times during the season without having to clear waivers to return to the practice squad. This will mark Cunningham’s second elevation of the season and Smith’s first.

Last week, Cunningham played 22 snaps on special teams but did not get any reps on defense. Instead, the Broncos leaned on Cody Barton (68 snaps) and Justin Strnad (42 snaps). Cunningham and Lavelle Bailey were available as depth linebackers but only played on special teams.

Smith will continue to provide depth at safety after getting bumped down from the active roster to the practice squad earlier this week.

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites in Week 11.

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Did Jessie Bates take a subtle shot at Bo Nix ahead of Broncos-Falcons game?

Falcons safety Jessie Bates went viral after he said there’s “10 years” of college film of Bo Nix, but that quote needs proper context.

Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates went viral on Friday after aggregation accounts on Twitter/X started re-sharing a video of him saying he’s been watching Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix playing at the college level for the last 10 years.

There’s some context to the quote, though.

Bates started his answer on Nix by saying the Falcons have enough NFL film to study from the QB’s time in the NFL.

“Ten games, usually, that’s enough film to really see a quarterback’s strengths or weaknesses or what they like to do,” Bates said on Friday, via Raphael Haynes of The 3 Point Conversion. “[There’s] kind of multiple years where we can go back and watch what he does. … We’ve been watching him in college for, you know, the past five or six years, however long it was.”

Media members then interjected “Ten years!” with laughter and Bates said, “Ten years, whatever it is.”

It seemed to be a harmless remark from Bates with the “10 years” quip being prompted by media in attendance.

“He’s not [like] a rookie quarterback — seems like he’s a graduate student almost,” Bates continued. “He’s doing a good job … running their offense at a high level.”

The Broncos do not view Nix’s extensive college experience as a negative. Coaches and players both said this offseason that Nix appeared more poised and polished than a typical rookie because of his college experience.

Nix spent five years at the college level before entering the NFL. Atlanta’s rookie quarterback, Michael Penix, spent six years in college.

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Broncos vs. Falcons: 5 things to watch for in Week 11

The Denver Broncos are set to host the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Here are five storylines to watch for in Week 11.

The Denver Broncos (5-5) are set to host the Atlanta Falcons (6-4) in Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a quick list of five storylines to keep an eye on this week.

1. Justin Simmons returns to Denver: Simmons, of course, spent the first eight years of his career with the Broncos before being cut and joining the Falcons this offseason. He expects to hear some boos when he returns to Empower Field at Mile High, but fans in Denver will likely greet him with a warm welcome instead.

2. Denver’s defense vs. Kirk Cousins and Co.: Vance Joseph’s unit ranks fifth in total yards allowed per game (295.7), third in points allowed (17.7) and second in sacks (35) this season. This week, Denver’s defense will face a Falcons offense that ranks fifth in total yards per game (375.1) and fourth in passing yards (250.4). Atlanta’s 124.7 rushing yards per contest rank 12th as Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier have proven to be a dynamic backfield duo. 

3. Broncos running back rotation: Last week, rookie Audric Estime appeared to take over as the team’s new lead running back. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi downplayed that on Thursday by saying the team was riding the “hot hand.” Denver head coach Sean Payton seems to be a big fan of Estime, though, so we expect him to continue leading the way on carries. Javonte Williams will likely remain the RB in passing situations because he is the best blocking and receiving back on the team, and Jaleel McLaughlin will continue to offer a chance-of-pace option. 

4. Alex Forsyth’s field goal protection: The entire kicking unit will be scrutinized this week after a blocked field goal cost the Broncos a win against the Kansas City Chiefs last week. Nobody will be watched more closely than lineman Alex Forsyth, who was culpable for the block in Kansas City. Denver special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica seems confident it won’t happen again.

5. Bo Nix vs. Falcons’ defense: Atlanta has a talented secondary that includes Simmons, but they struggle to get after quarterbacks. The Falcons have a league-low nine sacks this season and they have allowed the ninth-most passing yards per game (223.4) this fall. The stats suggest that Sunday could be a big game for Nix. Coming off a strong performance against the Chiefs, Nix will look to continue making strides against Atlanta. 

Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on Fox (view the TV map). Playing at home, the Broncos are considered slight favorites in Week 11.

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Broncos QB Bo Nix named NFL Rookie of the Week

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix continues to put up impressive numbers in his first season.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was named the NFL Rookie of the Week for his performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10.

Against the Chiefs, Nix went 22-of-30 passing (73.3%) for 215 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers, good for a 115.3 passer rating. This is Nix’s first time winning the award in 2024.

According to a statement released by the Broncos, Week 10 was Nix’s third game this season with a passer rating of at least 100 and it was his fourth game with multiple passing scores.

Nix is the first Bronco to win the weekly award since Pat Surtain did it in Week 12 of 2021. Nix is also the fourth Broncos quarterback to win Rookie of the Week, joining Drew Lock, Tim Tebow and Jay Cutler.

Nix’s impressive rookie campaign is highlighted by his 15 total touchdowns (10 passing TDs, good for first among rookies), 206 completions (first among all rookie quarterbacks), and 1,968 passing yards (second among all rookie signal-callers).

Nix looks to continue to improve against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11 on Sunday.

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Broncos’ updated 17-player practice squad after roster moves

Michael Burton up, Keidron Smith down. Here’s a look at the Broncos’ updated practice squad.

The Denver Broncos made a change to their practice squad this week.

The first domino fell on Tuesday when the Broncos waived safety Keidron Smith from the active roster. Denver then promoted fullback Michael Burton from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Wednesday.

After he cleared waivers, Smith re-joined the team on the practice squad on Thursday. Burton and Smith essentially swapped places this week.

The NFL’s standard practice squad size limit is 16 players, but there’s an exception that allows an extra international player to not count against the limit. For Denver, Australian tight end Thomas Yassmin is an exception, giving the Broncos a 17-player practice squad.

So here’s the full list of 17 players on the squad after the recent moves.

Broncos 17-player practice squad

  1. RB Blake Watson
  2. WR Michael Bandy
  3. WR David Sills
  4. WR A.T. Perry
  5. TE Donald Parham
  6. TE Thomas Yassmin
  7. OT Cam Fleming
  8. OL Nick Garguilo
  9. DT Jordan Miller
  10. DL Matt Henningsen
  11. OLB Andrew Farmer
  12. LB Kwon Alexander
  13. LB Zach Cunningham
  14. CB Reese Taylor
  15. DB Quinton Newsome
  16. DB Tanner McCalister
  17. DB Keidron Smith 

Two players can be elevated from the practice squad to the game-day roster each week.

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Broncos bring back recently-cut safety on practice squad

After being cut by the Broncos and clearing waivers, safety Keidron Smith returned to the team on the practice squad.

After being cut by the Denver Broncos on Tuesday, safety Keidron Smith returned to the team on Thursday and signed with the practice squad.

Denver had room for Smith on the practice squad after promoting fullback Michael Burton to the 53-man roster on Wednesday.

Smith (6-2, 210 pounds) led the team in tackles (10) and interceptions (two) during preseason. He also broke up two passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble this summer. After making the 53-man roster, the 25-year-old safety dressed for eight games this season, playing primarily on special teams.

The Broncos now have four safeties remaining on the active roster: Brandon Jones, P.J. Locke, Devon Key and JL Skinner. A fifth safety could soon join them as Delarrin Turner-Yell has returned to practice and he is eligible to be activated from the physically unable to perform list.

More roster moves could be on deck for Denver later this week with multiple players ready to return from injured reserve and the PUP list. We will track all of the team’s moves on Broncos Wire.

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