Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
There are seven Chargers free agents who are still unsigned.
The Chargers came away with seven new rookies from the 2023 NFL draft and a handful from the undrafted free agency pool.
Los Angeles’ roster reconstruction is nearing completion, but they could still look to address some positions of need before entering camp. That includes potentially bringing back some of their own free agents on the market.
There are seven Chargers free agents who are still unsigned. Here’s a look:
Five former Broncos players made their playoff debuts over the weekend.
Five former Denver Broncos players saw action in a playoff game for the first time over the weekend.
Three of those players made their debuts with the Seattle Seahawks. After being sent to Seattle as part of the Russell Wilson trade, tight end Noah Fant caught one pass for 11 yards and defensive lineman Shelby Harris totaled three tackles in a 42-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Ex-Denver linebacker Alexander Johnson, who signed to the Seahawks’ practice squad in October, was elevated to the game-day roster for the Niners game and totaled two tackles. Meanwhile, quarterback Drew Lock was an unused sub against San Francisco.
In addition to Fant, Harris and Johnson, ex-Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (Miami Dolphins) and former Denver defensive lineman Adam Gotsis (Jacksonville Jaguars) also made their first career playoff appearances in the wild-card round. Chubb forced a strip sack and Gotsis recorded one tackle. Miami also had two other ex-Broncos on the roster in QB Teddy Bridgewater and WR River Cracraft.
Elsewhere in the playoffs, the Los Angeles Chargers (OLB Derrek Tuszka and CB Bryce Callahan) and the Buffalo Bills (QB Case Keenum and WR Isaiah McKenzie) also rostered a pair of ex-Denver players.
The Cincinnati Bengals (QB Brandon Allen) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (OLB Shaq Barett, on IR) also have former Broncos on their rosters.
The playoffs will continue with the divisional round this weekend.
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The Chargers added some depth at the edge defender position.
Joey Bosa is week-to-week with a groin injury, so the Chargers went out to get some depth at the edge defender position.
Los Angeles claimed Derrek Tuszka off waivers on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
Tuszka was picked up by the Titans after being waived by the Steelers earlier this month.
Tuszka played 15 games for Pittsburgh in 2021, recording two sacks, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble.
Selected by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft out of North Dakota State, Tuszka appeared in nine games and logged six tackles.
Tuszka was a productive pass rusher in college, totaling 29.5 career sacks.
The Titans made a pair of roster moves on Monday.
The Tennessee Titans made two roster moves on Monday, swapping out a pair of defensive players on their 53-man roster.
The team announced it has signed defensive lineman Mario Edwards off the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad. To make room, the team waived outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka.
Tuszka was claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this month to provide depth in the wake of the injury to Harold Landry. He started in Week 3 versus the Las Vegas Raiders, tallying two tackles.
A former 2015 second-round pick of the Raiders, Edwards spent the last two seasons with the Chicago Bears, where he tallied 25 tackles and six sacks over 27 games (one start).
The Titans parting ways with Tuszka hopefully means outside linebacker Bud Dupree is healthy enough to play this week. Dupree missed the Week 3 contest with a hip injury.
Tennessee will have a crucial divisional matchup against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, the first of two meetings between the teams in three weeks.
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Former Steelers OLB Derrek Tuszka will take Harold Landry’s spot on the roster.
The Tennessee Titans made a pair of roster moves on Friday, one of which included the placement of outside linebacker Harold Landry on IR.
Landry reportedly suffered a torn ACL in practice on Wednesday, which will end his 2022 season before it begins. It’s a devastating blow to a Titans defense that will now be without its sack leader from 2021.
Taking Landry’s spot on the roster is former Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka, who was claimed off waivers, per the league’s transactions wire.
A former seventh-round pick in 2020, Tuszka has spent one year apiece with the Broncos and Steelers, appearing in 24 games (no starts) and tallying two sacks, 24 combined tackles and one forced fumble.
He played in 15 games with the Steelers in 2021, where he totaled the aforementioned two sacks and 18 combined tackles. Tuszka also saw 194 special teams snaps.
As we said earlier today, several players are going to have to step up in Landry’s absence. Tuszka will now aid in that effort.
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The Broncos have placed two defenders on injured reserve.
The Denver Broncos have placed coverage linebacker Mark Barron (hamstring) and defensive lineman DeMarcus Walker (calf) on injured reserve, according to the NFL’s transaction wire.
Barron and Walker will be eligible to return after three weeks.
After placing wide receiver Courtland Sutton (knee) and defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones (knee) on IR earlier this week, the Denver Broncos now have four open spots on the 53-man roster.
One of the open spots will go to quarterback Blake Bortles, who is expected to sign later this week after clearing COVID-19 testing. Another spot will likely go to practice squad outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka.
With Walker and Jones both on injured reserve, Denver will likely call up a defensive lineman from the practice squad. DeShawn Williams is the most likely candidate to get called up to the active roster.
If he is called up, Williams will join a defensive line rotation that includes Shelby Harris, Mike Purcell, Jurrell Casey and McTelvin Agim. The Broncos usually dress five defensive linemen on game days and they carried six d-linemen on the 53-man roster through the first two weeks of the season.
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Broncos have protected four players on the practice squad, including running back LeVante Bellamy.
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The Denver Broncos have protected four players on the practice squad for Week 2, the team announced Wednesday.
Denver protected quarterback Brett Rypien, outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka, safety P.J. Locke and running back LeVante Bellamy. Those players will not be eligible to leave the practice squad to sign with another team’s active roster this week.
The 12 other players on the practice squad can leave the Broncos at any time if offered a position on another team’s 53-man roster.
The unprotected players are offensive lineman Quinn Bailey, offensive tackle Jake Rodgers, outside linebacker Isaiah Irving, wide receiver Trinity Benson, receiver Fred Brown, running back/fullback Jeremy Cox, defensive back Alijah Holder, center Patrick Morris, left tackle Darrin Paulo, linebacker Josh Watson and defensive lineman DeShawn Williams.
Last week, the Broncos protected Rypien, Tuszka, Locke and Rodgers. Tuszka and Locke were called up to the active roster for Monday’s game against the Tennessee Titans and then returned to the practice squad.
With Phillip Lindsay injured, Bellamy is a likely candidate to be activated to the 53-man roster for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Broncos promoted cornerback De’Vante Bausby to the active roster.
The Denver Broncos announced several roster moves Wednesday.
After placing outside linebacker Von Miller on injured reserve, the Broncos have promoted cornerback De’Vante Bausby from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, the team confirmed.
Bausby will be filling Miller’s roster spot on the active roster after cornerback A.J. Bouye dislocated his shoulder. Bouye could be sidelined for several weeks so Denver needed to add more depth at cornerback.
To fill Bausby’s former spot on the practice squad, the Broncos signed outside linebacker Isaiah Irving, who played under coach Vic Fangio with the Chicago Bears. Irving will provide more depth as an edge defender while Miller is sidelined.
Denver also confirmed that outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka and safety P.J. Locke reverted back to the practice squad after being activated for Monday’s game. The Broncos will likely activate Tuszka or Irving this weekend to have a fourth outside linebacker against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.
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Broncos will add Derrek Tuszka and P.J. Locke to the active roster ahead of Monday’s game against the Titans.
The Denver Broncos will promote outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka and safety P.J. Locke from the practice squad to the active roster ahead of tonight’s game against the Tennessee Titans, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.
With Von Miller sidelined with an ankle injury, Tuszka will provide depth at outside linebacker behind Bradley Chubb, Jeremiah Attaochu and Malik Reed. Tuszka is a rookie pass rusher who totaled 13.5 sacks as a senior at NDSU last fall.
Locke will serve as the team’s fourth-string safety behind Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson and Trey Marshall. Denver only carried three true safeties on the active roster so Locke was called up to provide more depth.
Even after promoting Locke, the Broncos might still have cornerback Duke Dawson serve as a rotational safety and nickelback.
Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton (shoulder) is “a long-shot to play,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Fellow receiver KJ Hamler (hamstring) is also unlikely to play, leaving the Broncos with five healthy WRs: Tim Patrick, Jerry Jeudy, DaeSean Hamilton, Diontae Spencer and Tyrie Cleveland.
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The Broncos have agreed to terms on a four-year contract with rookie pass rusher Derrek Tuszka.
The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms on a four-year deal with rookie edge defender Derrek Tuszka, the team announced Wednesday.
Tuszka’s contract is expected to have a signing bonus of $75,492 with a total value of $3,370,492, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. His signing bonus will be prorated over the four years of his contract for salary cap purposes.
Tuszka (6-5, 246 pounds) totaled 133 tackles — including 42 tackles for losses — and 29.5 sacks during his four years at North Dakota State. As a senior last season, Tuszka recorded 48 tackles and a career-high 13.5 sacks. He also broke up five passes and forced a fumble in 2019.
Tuszka, one of the team’s seventh-round picks, will likely compete with Jeremiah Attaochu, Malik Reed and Malik Carney for one of the Broncos’ backup outside linebacker positions this summer.
Denver’s draft class will have combined salary cap hits of $9,980,665 but the net cap hit will be closer to $3,219,217. After signing their draft class, the Broncos will have about $13,837,021 in remaining salary cap space.
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