A group of former Broncos including Kareem Jackson, KJ Hamler, Caden Sterns and Tim Patrick have landed on NFL practice squads this week.
After the dust settled following NFL roster cuts, clubs have started filling their practice squads. So far, 20 former Denver Broncos players have signed with practice squads this week, including ex-players from past years.
So far, only two players cut by Denver this week — offensive tackle Demontrey Jacobs (New England Patriots) and running back Samaje Perine (Kansas City Chiefs) — have landed on an active roster.
Of the 22 players that were waived by Denver, only one — offensive tackle Demontrey Jacobs — was claimed. Jacobs was picked up by the New England Patriots on Wednesday.
Another veteran — center Sam Mustipher — joined the Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squad. Four other ex-Denver players who were waived have also landed on practice squads, and the Broncos have re-signed 15 players to their own practice squad (it will be 16 soon).
Here’s the full list of players cut by Denver who have joined new clubs this week:
After dressing for just three games last season, Broncos DL Elijah Garcia will aim to win a bigger role in 2024.
Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at second-year* defensive lineman Elijah Garcia, No. 95.
Before the Broncos: Garcia (6-5, 302 pounds) played college football at Rice, earning first-team All-Conference USA recognition in 2021. Following a redshirt freshman season and an extra year of eligibility gained from COVID-19, Garcia spent six years with the Owls. In his final season, Garcia totaled 67 tackles, 33 pressures, nine quarterback hits and five sacks.
After going undrafted in 2022, Garcia signed with the Los Angeles Rams as a college free agent. He began his rookie season on L.A.’s practice squad.
Broncos tenure: Denver signed Garcia off the Rams’ practice squad in December of his first season. He played in two games to close out the year, recording one tackle. Garcia made the active roster in 2023 but was only active for three games, totaling four tackles and one sack on 31 snaps.
*Though he has been in the NFL since 2022, Garcia is listed as a “second-year player” because he only has one accrued season (which is at least six games on the active roster or reserve list in the same season).
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Toss up. Garcia’s chances of making the active roster might depend on the status of Eyioma Uwazurike. Garcia’s competition for a spot on the final 53 will include Matt Henningsen and Angelo Blackson.
“Elijah [Garcia] has all the traits you’re looking for — size, length, plays hard, tough,” Broncos GM George Paton said.
When the Denver Broncos signed then-rookie defensive lineman Elijah Garcia off the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad last December, it was a move that flew under the radar.
Garcia appeared in two games late last season, totaling one tackle. Going into training camp this summer, most fans and pundits probably viewed him as a player competing for a spot on the practice squad.
Garcia stood out during preseason, though, totaling six tackles, two sacks and one interception on his way to making the 53-man roster.
“Elijah has all the traits you’re looking for — size, length, plays hard, tough,” general manager George Paton said after the team’s roster cuts last week. “You watch the preseason — we liked him coming out. We thought he had traits, which were raw.
“We watched the preseason when he was with the Rams, and we saw those traits. [Defensive line coach] Marcus [Dixon] liked him. Late in the season, especially when you’re not winning, you’re looking for future guys.”
Paton also credited scouts A.J. Durso, Patrick Walsh and Reed Burkhardt.
“Those guys identified him, and it worked out,” Payton said.
Now entering his second season in the NFL, Garcia is poised to serve as a rotational defensive lineman in Vance Joseph’s defense this fall.
There were a few surprises when the Broncos set their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday.
After making 39 roster moves (including two trades) on Tuesday, the Denver Broncos finalized their initial 53-man roster for the 2023 season.
It’s important to note that this is an initial roster for the Broncos as several more roster moves will be on the way within the next 48 hours. While we wait for the finishing touches on the active roster, though, here are 10 surprises from Denver’s moves on roster cuts deadline day.
Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at first-year defensive lineman Elijah Garcia, No. 95.
Before the Broncos: Garcia (6-5, 302 pounds) played college football at Rice, totaling 188 tackles (13.5 behind the line), six sacks and four pass breakups in five years (43 games). He was signed by the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent last spring. After failing to make the Rams’ 53-man roster, Garcia started his rookie season on L.A.’s practice squad.
Broncos tenure: Denver signed Garcia off the Rams’ practice squad last December and he played in 18 snaps in two games late in the season, totaling one tackle. He is now considered a “first-year” player because players need six appearances in a year for it to count as an accrued season.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Garcia won’t be a favorite to make the team’s active roster given his low position on the depth chart, but he’ll get an opportunity to compete for a spot this summer. Unless he makes a big leap in Year 2, Garcia seems more likely to make the practice squad than the 53-man roster in 2023.
Elijah Garcia, 19, survived a spirited effort from Kevin Salgado to win a unanimous decision Saturday in Las Vegas.
Nineteen-year-old middleweight contender Elijah Garcia survived a slow start to defeat Kevin Salgado by a unanimous decision in a 10-round bout on the Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia card Saturday in Las Vegas.
The official scores were 97-92, 97-92 and 95-94. Boxing Junkie scored it 96-93, six rounds to four.
Salgado (15-2-1, 10 KOs) got off to a strong start, outworking a relatively inactive Garcia (15-0, 12 KOs) in the first three rounds, mostly with hard, accurate body shots.
However, Garcia began pick up his pace in Round 4 and controlled the rest of the fight to pull away on the cards.
The southpaw did it both from outside, following his jab with stinging straight lefts. And he also did on the inside, landing quick two-, three-punch combinations.
Salgado lost a point in Round 7 because of repeated low blows but that factor into the decision.
“I was standing a little too still trying to fight on the inside,” Garcia said of his slow start. “Salgado is a tough opponent. He was real tough, real strong and I just had to move and box a little bit.
“Other than that, It was a good, hard 10 rounds. I give my opponent 100 percent props.”
Garcia, who turned 20 on Wednesday, was taking part in his second scheduled 10-rounder. And it was the first time he fought beyond the sixth round.
Elijah Garcia, 19, survived a spirited effort from Kevin Salgado to win a unanimous decision Saturday in Las Vegas.
Nineteen-year-old middleweight contender Elijah Garcia survived a slow start to defeat Kevin Salgado by a unanimous decision in a 10-round bout on the Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia card Saturday in Las Vegas.
The official scores were 97-92, 97-92 and 95-94. Boxing Junkie scored it 96-93, six rounds to four.
Salgado (15-2-1, 10 KOs) got off to a strong start, outworking a relatively inactive Garcia (15-0, 12 KOs) in the first three rounds, mostly with hard, accurate body shots.
However, Garcia began pick up his pace in Round 4 and controlled the rest of the fight to pull away on the cards.
The southpaw did it both from outside, following his jab with stinging straight lefts. And he also did on the inside, landing quick two-, three-punch combinations.
Salgado lost a point in Round 7 because of repeated low blows but that factor into the decision.
“I was standing a little too still trying to fight on the inside,” Garcia said of his slow start. “Salgado is a tough opponent. He was real tough, real strong and I just had to move and box a little bit.
“Other than that, It was a good, hard 10 rounds. I give my opponent 100 percent props.”
Garcia, who turned 20 on Wednesday, was taking part in his second scheduled 10-rounder. And it was the first time he fought beyond the sixth round.
A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Brandon Figueroa – How good is Figueroa? Really good. He told me going into his fight with Mark Magsayo on Saturday that he feels he’s still seen as an easy mark. Well, if that was once the …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Brandon Figueroa – How good is Figueroa? Really good. He told me going into his fight with Mark Magsayo on Saturday that he feels he’s still seen as an easy mark. Well, if that was once the case, it certainly isn’t now. The former 122-pound titleholder overcame a slow start against a quicker, more athletic opponent to grind him down with relentless pressure and win a wide decision, thus positioning himself for a shot at Rey Vargas’ 126-pound belt. The fact is Figueroa’s a physical freak, an unusually strong, ridiculously fit warrior who seems to be at his best when things are their most harry. Said pound-for-pounder Stephen Fulton Jr., who narrowly outpointed Figueroa: “It was a tough fight, he’s a tough person.” Ya think? I compare Figueroa to Leo Santa Cruz, another aggressive volume puncher adept at breaking down opponents. I think Figueroa (24-1-1, 18 KOs) might be more durable than Santa Cruz, though. That’s going to make him difficult to beat regardless of the opponent. Vargas could be in trouble.
BIGGEST LOSER
Mark Magsayo couldn’t withstand Brandon Figueroa’s pressure. Esther Lin / Showtime
Mark Magsayo – Where do I start? I guess with the fact he initially came in .8 pounds over the 126-pound limit on Friday, which was the result of either difficulty cutting weight or a miscalculation. Either way, it wasn’t a good omen. His fighting tactics were fairly effective, particularly in the first third of the fight. However, the holding became ridiculously excessive. He justifiably lost two points for it, although the deductions didn’t impact the outcome. And while he gave a decent account of himself he clearly faded in the second half of the fight. His inability to make weight might’ve played a role in that but you can be sure that the main reason was Figueroa’s incessant pressure and physical strength, which can be overwhelming. The positive? The protégé of Manny Pacquiao was quicker and more athletic than Figueroa, which allowed him to get in, do damage and get out in the early rounds. And his explosive multi-punch combinations got everyone’s attention. He’s a good fighter. He was just in with the wrong guy.
MOST QUESTIONABLE SCORING?
Figueroa-Magsayo – Sean Gibbons, Magsayo’s promoter, was livid over the scoring of the fight with Figueroa. The official scores were 118-108, 117-109 and 117-109, meaning one judge gave Figueroa 10 rounds and two gave him nine. Judge Zachary Young gave Figueroa the last nine rounds. “You cannot, no matter how you add it up, score rounds four [through] 12 for Brandon Figueroa. You just can’t do it,” Gibbons told reporters. “… This man fought his ass off. And everybody saw the fight. Even with the point deductions, [it] could’ve been 15-13, 14-14. But 17-9? No.” Said Magsayo, who left the ring without being interviewed immediately after the fight: “If I didn’t [get] the two deductions, I [thought] I’m gonna win the fight. I hit him clearly, solid punches. He feel it. He was hurt.” I agree that the scoring was too wide, although not outrageously so. I scored it 115-111 for Figueroa, seven rounds to five. And I understand that Gibbons wanted to stand up for his fighter. However, the right man won. He dominated the final nine rounds even if you give one or two to Magsayo.
BIGGEST WINNER II
Armando Resendiz understood the significance of his accomplishment. Esther Lin / Showtime
Armando Resendiz – The 24-year-old Mexican chose the right time to deliver his best performance as a professional. The light heavyweight-turned-super middleweight-turned middleweight had a shaky 2021, eking out a split decision over journeyman Quilisto Madera and losing a unanimous decision to Marcos Hernandez. He bounced back to stop another journeyman, Heber Rondon, in two rounds last October, which led to a shot at former unified 154-pound champion Jarrett Hurd on the Figueroa-Magsayo card. He arrived prepared. Naturally bigger and stronger than Hurd – as well as fit – he took the fight to his more heralded opponent, outworked him and was never hurt. That’s why he was well ahead on the cards when the scheduled 10-round fight was stopped after nine because of a gruesome cut on Hurd’s upper lip. Resendiz (14-1, 10 KOs) celebrated wildly afterward. Why not? He had just taken a significant step toward becoming a legitimate middleweight contender.
BIGGEST WINNER III
Teenager Elijah Garcia (left) fought like a veteran against Amilcar Vidal. Esther Lin / Showtime
Elijah Garcia – Nineteen years old? Someone check Garcia’s birth certificate. The teenager from Phoenix fought with the maturity of a veteran against the more-experienced and previously unbeaten Amilcar Vidal (16-1, 12 KOs) on the Figueroa-Magsayo card, withstanding a fierce attack from Vidal and firing back in kind in an entertaining scrap. And then Garcia delivered the most dramatic moment on the televised portion of the card. He hurt Vidal with a right hook and followed with a barrage of hard shots, which put Vidal on the canvas. Referee Jack Reiss took a quick look at Vidal and decided he could not continue, which was the right decision. The fourth-round knockout was like a coming out party for Garcia (14-0, 12 KOs), who seems to have the physical tools and frame of mind to succeed in boxing. He said he wants to win a major world title by the age of 21. His performance on Saturday is an indication that anything is possible.
BIGGEST LOSER II
Jarrett Hurd (right) had his moments against Armando Resendiz. Esther Lin / Showtime
Jarrett Hurd – It’s probably too early to write off Hurd (24-3, 16 KOs) but he’s not in a strong position. He appeared to be a budding star going into his title defense against the talented Julian Williams in 2019. He’s 1-3 since, losing to Williams, Luis Arias and now Resendiz after returning from a 21-month layoff. He performed well enough against Resendiz to make me think he should keep trying. Maybe the long break left him rusty, which is now gone. At the same time, it seems that he doesn’t have at 160 pounds the physical advantages he had at 154. I suspect Hurd’s future in boxing will come down to his determination more than anything else. How badly does he want to regain his status as an elite fighter? Is he willing to put in the all-consuming, grueling work it will take for him to succeed? We’ll see how this plays out.
A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Brandon Figueroa – How good is Figueroa? Really good. He told me going into his fight with Mark Magsayo on Saturday that he feels he’s still seen as an easy mark. Well, if that was once the …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Brandon Figueroa – How good is Figueroa? Really good. He told me going into his fight with Mark Magsayo on Saturday that he feels he’s still seen as an easy mark. Well, if that was once the case, it certainly isn’t now. The former 122-pound titleholder overcame a slow start against a quicker, more athletic opponent to grind him down with relentless pressure and win a wide decision, thus positioning himself for a shot at Rey Vargas’ 126-pound belt. The fact is Figueroa’s a physical freak, an unusually strong, ridiculously fit warrior who seems to be at his best when things are their most harry. Said pound-for-pounder Stephen Fulton Jr., who narrowly outpointed Figueroa: “It was a tough fight, he’s a tough person.” Ya think? I compare Figueroa to Leo Santa Cruz, another aggressive volume puncher adept at breaking down opponents. I think Figueroa (24-1-1, 18 KOs) might be more durable than Santa Cruz, though. That’s going to make him difficult to beat regardless of the opponent. Vargas could be in trouble.
BIGGEST LOSER
Mark Magsayo couldn’t withstand Brandon Figueroa’s pressure. Esther Lin / Showtime
Mark Magsayo – Where do I start? I guess with the fact he initially came in .8 pounds over the 126-pound limit on Friday, which was the result of either difficulty cutting weight or a miscalculation. Either way, it wasn’t a good omen. His fighting tactics were fairly effective, particularly in the first third of the fight. However, the holding became ridiculously excessive. He justifiably lost two points for it, although the deductions didn’t impact the outcome. And while he gave a decent account of himself he clearly faded in the second half of the fight. His inability to make weight might’ve played a role in that but you can be sure that the main reason was Figueroa’s incessant pressure and physical strength, which can be overwhelming. The positive? The protégé of Manny Pacquiao was quicker and more athletic than Figueroa, which allowed him to get in, do damage and get out in the early rounds. And his explosive multi-punch combinations got everyone’s attention. He’s a good fighter. He was just in with the wrong guy.
MOST QUESTIONABLE SCORING?
Figueroa-Magsayo – Sean Gibbons, Magsayo’s promoter, was livid over the scoring of the fight with Figueroa. The official scores were 118-108, 117-109 and 117-109, meaning one judge gave Figueroa 10 rounds and two gave him nine. Judge Zachary Young gave Figueroa the last nine rounds. “You cannot, no matter how you add it up, score rounds four [through] 12 for Brandon Figueroa. You just can’t do it,” Gibbons told reporters. “… This man fought his ass off. And everybody saw the fight. Even with the point deductions, [it] could’ve been 15-13, 14-14. But 17-9? No.” Said Magsayo, who left the ring without being interviewed immediately after the fight: “If I didn’t [get] the two deductions, I [thought] I’m gonna win the fight. I hit him clearly, solid punches. He feel it. He was hurt.” I agree that the scoring was too wide, although not outrageously so. I scored it 115-111 for Figueroa, seven rounds to five. And I understand that Gibbons wanted to stand up for his fighter. However, the right man won. He dominated the final nine rounds even if you give one or two to Magsayo.
BIGGEST WINNER II
Armando Resendiz understood the significance of his accomplishment. Esther Lin / Showtime
Armando Resendiz – The 24-year-old Mexican chose the right time to deliver his best performance as a professional. The light heavyweight-turned-super middleweight-turned middleweight had a shaky 2021, eking out a split decision over journeyman Quilisto Madera and losing a unanimous decision to Marcos Hernandez. He bounced back to stop another journeyman, Heber Rondon, in two rounds last October, which led to a shot at former unified 154-pound champion Jarrett Hurd on the Figueroa-Magsayo card. He arrived prepared. Naturally bigger and stronger than Hurd – as well as fit – he took the fight to his more heralded opponent, outworked him and was never hurt. That’s why he was well ahead on the cards when the scheduled 10-round fight was stopped after nine because of a gruesome cut on Hurd’s upper lip. Resendiz (14-1, 10 KOs) celebrated wildly afterward. Why not? He had just taken a significant step toward becoming a legitimate middleweight contender.
BIGGEST WINNER III
Teenager Elijah Garcia (left) fought like a veteran against Amilcar Vidal. Esther Lin / Showtime
Elijah Garcia – Nineteen years old? Someone check Garcia’s birth certificate. The teenager from Phoenix fought with the maturity of a veteran against the more-experienced and previously unbeaten Amilcar Vidal (16-1, 12 KOs) on the Figueroa-Magsayo card, withstanding a fierce attack from Vidal and firing back in kind in an entertaining scrap. And then Garcia delivered the most dramatic moment on the televised portion of the card. He hurt Vidal with a right hook and followed with a barrage of hard shots, which put Vidal on the canvas. Referee Jack Reiss took a quick look at Vidal and decided he could not continue, which was the right decision. The fourth-round knockout was like a coming out party for Garcia (14-0, 12 KOs), who seems to have the physical tools and frame of mind to succeed in boxing. He said he wants to win a major world title by the age of 21. His performance on Saturday is an indication that anything is possible.
BIGGEST LOSER II
Jarrett Hurd (right) had his moments against Armando Resendiz. Esther Lin / Showtime
Jarrett Hurd – It’s probably too early to write off Hurd (24-3, 16 KOs) but he’s not in a strong position. He appeared to be a budding star going into his title defense against the talented Julian Williams in 2019. He’s 1-3 since, losing to Williams, Luis Arias and now Resendiz after returning from a 21-month layoff. He performed well enough against Resendiz to make me think he should keep trying. Maybe the long break left him rusty, which is now gone. At the same time, it seems that he doesn’t have at 160 pounds the physical advantages he had at 154. I suspect Hurd’s future in boxing will come down to his determination more than anything else. How badly does he want to regain his status as an elite fighter? Is he willing to put in the all-consuming, grueling work it will take for him to succeed? We’ll see how this plays out.
