Tag: Jalen Virgil

Bills sign ex-Broncos wide receiver to practice squad

The Bills signed ex-Broncos wide receiver Jalen Virgil to their practice squad.

The Buffalo Bills have signed wide receiver Jalen Virgil to their practice squad, the team announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Virgil (6-0, 210 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State with the Denver Broncos in 2022. He dressed for nine games as a rookie, hauling in two receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown. Virgil then missed the 2023 season with a knee injury.

Virgil competed in a crowded wide receiver room this summer and was ultimately cut when the Broncos set their 53-man roster in August. He then joined Buffalo’s practice squad. Virgil was promoted to the Bills’ active roster on Nov. 8 and he appeared in six games before being cut on Dec. 14. He now returns to Buffalo on the team’s practice squad.

Elsewhere on the ex-Bronco front, offensive lineman Zack Johnson worked out for the San Francisco 49ers this week and receiver/returner Isaiah McKenzie signed to the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad.

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20 ex-Broncos players have signed with NFL practice squads

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.

Here’s the list:

  1. RB Mike Boone (Carolina Panthers)
  2. RB Nate McCrary (Green Bay Packers)
  3. WR Tim Patrick (Detroit Lions)
  4. WR Brandon Johnson (Pittsburgh Steelers)
  5. WR Jalen Virgil (Buffalo Bills)
  6. WR KJ Hamler (Buffalo Bills)
  7. WR Montrell Washington (Kansas City Chiefs)
  8. OL Elijah Wilkinson (Atlanta Falcons)
  9. OL Sam Mustipher (Los Angeles Chargers)
  10. OL Henry Byrd (Minnesota Vikings)
  11. OL Sebastian Gutierrez (San Francisco 49ers)
  12. DT McTelvin Agim (Indianapolis Colts)
  13. DL Elijah Garcia (New York Giants)
  14. DL Kyle Peko (Detroit Lions)
  15. DL PJ Mustipher (Arizona Cardinals)
  16. DT Haggai Ndubuisi (Washington Commanders)
  17. OLB Thomas Incoom (Carolina Panthers)
  18. CB Art Green (New York Giants)
  19. DB Kareem Jackson (Buffalo Bills)
  20. DB S Caden Sterns (Philadelphia Eagles)

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.

As for their own practice squad, the Broncos have filled 16 of 17 spots so far. The final spot should be filled soon.

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9 players cut by Broncos this week have landed with new teams

Nine players cut by the Broncos this week have landed with NFL teams.

The Denver Broncos made 38 roster moves earlier this week to get down to a 53-man roster ahead of the 2024 season.

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.

The Broncos also released 11 veterans. Two of them — wide receiver Tim Patrick with the Detroit Lions and running back Samaje Perine with the Kansas City Chiefs — have already found new homes.

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:

Ex-Broncos signed to active rosters:

1. OT Demontrey Jacobs (New England Patriots)
2. RB Samaje Perine (Kansas City Chiefs)

Ex-Broncos signed to practice squads:

3. WR Tim Patrick (Detroit Lions)
4. DL Elijah Garcia (New York Giants)
5. C Sam Mustipher (Los Angeles Chargers)
6. WR Brandon Johnson (Pittsburgh Steelers)
7. WR Jalen Virgil (Buffalo Bills)
8. OLB Thomas Incoom (Carolina Panthers)
9. CB Art Green (New York Giants)

After setting their 53-man roster and 17-player practice squad, the Broncos will turn their attention toward a Week 1 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks.

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Broncos lose 2 WRs they wanted to sign to practice squad

The Broncos wanted to re-sign WRs Brandon Johnson and Jalen Virgil but lost them to the Steelers and Bills, respectively.

The Denver Broncos opted to carry five wide receivers on their 53-man roster this year, which left Tim Patrick, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Brandon Johnson and Jalen Virgil among their roster cuts this week.

Patrick quickly landed on his feet with the Detroit Lions and the Broncos were able to re-sign Humphrey to their practice squad. The two others got away.

Johnson signed with the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Virgil signed with the practice squad of the Buffalo Bills. Denver wanted to bring back both receivers.

The Broncos could not top the Steelers offering a reunion with wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni and quarterback Russell Wilson. Denver also “badly wanted” to bring back Virgil, but he believed Buffalo offered a clearer path to the active roster.

After missing out on Johnson and Virgil, the Broncos added Humphrey, David Sills and Michael Bandy to their practice squad. Our practice squad tracker shows two spots left for Denver. The Broncos will likely want to add another offensive lineman, and linebacker Jonas Griffith is also still available. We are tracking all the team’s signings on this page.

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Broncos’ WR room seems to be set after team cut Brandon Johnson

After moving on from Brandon Johnson, the Broncos appear to have set their wide receiver room for the 2024 season.

The Denver Broncos appear to have finalized their wide receiver room for the 2024 NFL season.

After news broke on Monday that the Broncos planned to trade or release Tim Patrick, Denver then parted ways with Jalen Virgil and Brandon Johnson on Tuesday. The WR room now seems to be sorted.

Courtland Sutton is back as the team’s No. 1 receiver and the team added Josh Reynolds during free agency this year. Troy Franklin (who might be a healthy scratch this year) and Devaughn Vele were added during the draft, and Pro Bowl returner Marvin Mims is back.

That’s five wide receivers. If the Broncos plan to carry six, Lil’Jordan Humphrey is likely safe after he was held out of the team’s preseason finale on Sunday. Michael Bandy also impressed this summer, but he seems more likely to end up on the practice squad.

So with cuts still happening, Denver’s WR room appears to be Sutton, Reynolds, Mims, Vele, Humphrey and Franklin. We’ll see if that ends up actually being the final six.

We are tracking all of the team’s roster moves on Broncos Wire.

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Broncos make first of 30 roster moves on deck Tuesday

The Broncos are waiving WR Jalen Virgil. Many more moves are on deck today.

After officially parting ways with eight players on Monday, the Denver Broncos have 30 moves on deck Tuesday to get down to a 53-man roster.

The first of those 30 cuts was confirmed Tuesday morning when ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the team has waived wide receiver Jalen Virgil. One down, 29 to go.

Virgil (6-0, 210 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State with the Broncos in 2022. He dressed for nine games as a rookie, hauling in two receptions for 75 yards and one touchdown.

Virgil missed all of last season on injured reserve with a torn meniscus. He is healthy now, but Denver has a crowded wide receiver room. The Broncos are also looking to move on from Tim Patrick, either by trade or release.

Virgil has impressive speed and experience as a returner so if he clears waivers, Denver will likely try to re-sign him to the practice squad.

We are tracking all of the team’s roster moves on Broncos Wire.

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5 wide receivers Broncos could trade before roster cuts

Before roster cuts begin, could the Broncos look to trade a wide receiver?

When the Denver Broncos begin roster cuts next week, coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton will have some very tough decisions to make at wide receiver.

There’s not room for all of the receivers on Denver’s 53-man roster, and Payton has said some of them might end up playing for other teams in 2024. The Broncos could make roster cuts easier if they’re able to trade one or two of their receivers in the coming days. Here are five candidates to keep an eye on.

1. Courtland Sutton: He is the team’s best WR and coming off a 10-touchdown season, but Sutton has drawn interest from teams over the last two years. Sutton has one more year left on his contract after this season. If Denver’s not planning to give Sutton an extension, the rebuilding Broncos could trade him before he enters his age-29 season.

2. Tim Patrick: Denver seems unlikely to draw much interest for a 30-year-old Patrick when he’s coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries, but Patrick was featured in the team’s second preseason game last week. Perhaps the Broncos were showing other clubs that Patrick is healthy.

3. Jalen Virgil: He missed all of last season with a meniscus injury, but Virgil has had a good summer. With the NFL switching to an XFL-style kickoff format this year, Virgil’s ability to return kicks increases his value.

4. Brandon Johnson: He ranked second on the team last season with four touchdown catches. Johnson would be a capable WR4 or WR5, but there might not be room for him on Denver’s roster.

5. Lil’Jordan Humphrey: He had a modest campaign last fall with 13 receptions for 162 yards and three touchdowns, but Humphrey has the size (6-4, 225 pounds) and experience (eight starts last year) to serve as a capable reserve receiver in the NFL.

We will track each Denver cut and any potential trades on Broncos Wire.

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5 hardest cuts for Broncos’ projected 53-man roster

The Broncos need to finalize a 53-man roster next week. These players were the five hardest cuts in our 53-man projection.

One week from today, the Denver Broncos will have until 2:00 p.m. MT to get the squad from 91 players down to a 53-man roster. That means a flurry of roster moves are on deck in Denver, and the team will have to make some tough decisions.

Broncos Wire released an updated 53-man roster prediction yesterday. There were five cuts in particular that were hard to make when projecting the roster.

1. QB Jarrett Stidham: He has performed well in preseason, but the Broncos can save $5 million if he’s released. Stidham is also a vested veteran, so he would not be subject to the waiver wire if cut. Denver could release him to set an initial 53-man roster and make roster claims and then attempt to either re-sign him to the practice squad or bring him back on the active roster after sorting out an initial 53.

2. RB Samaje Perine: Perine is the team’s best blocking and receiving running back, but he’s about to turn 29 and the Broncos will save $3 million if he’s released. Perine would not be subject to waivers, but Denver would be unlikely to get him back on the practice squad with other teams lacking RB depth.

3. WR Jalen Virgil: The Broncos have an extremely crowded wide receiver room, and coach Sean Payton expects a few of the team’s WRs to end up on other teams after roster cuts. Virgil increases his value by bringing his return abilities to the table, but Denver just has too many talented WRs.

4. WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey: Although he has the size Payton likes in a receiver, Humphrey also seems likely to get cut. He could be a candidate to return on the practice squad.

5. CB Damarri Mathis: This one might be viewed as a surprise because Mathis is a former fourth-round pick and he competed with Riley Moss for a starting job this summer. The Broncos have a crowded cornerback depth chart, though, and Tremon Smith seems likely to make the team as a key special teams player. That could leave Mathis on the outside looking in.

These are just projections, of course. We will track all of Denver’s actual roster cuts on Broncos Wire next week.

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Sean Payton has ‘a good problem’ with Broncos’ wide receivers

“We potentially have guys that may end up playing for another team,” Sean Payton said of the Broncos’ depth at wide receiver.

The Denver Broncos have an extremely crowded wide receiver depth chart going into the second week of NFL preseason.

Courtland Sutton is coming off a 10-touchdown season and he is the team’s No. 1 receiver. Marvin Mims is one of the best returners in the NFL. Josh Reynolds just signed with the team during free agency this spring. Denver just used a fourth-round pick to draft Troy Franklin in April.

Those four players have to be considered locks, and the Broncos only carried four receivers on their initial 53-man roster last year. Surely, Denver will carry at least five WRs this season.

Even with an extra spot, though, it will be hard to choose between veteran Tim Patrick, seventh-round pick Devaughn Vele and others. Jalen Virgil adds value as a returner. Lil’Jordan Humphrey has the height coach Sean Payton looks for in a receiver. Brandon Johnson scored four touchdowns last season.

Have fun choosing between them.

“Yesterday we spent a lot of time on personnel,” Payton said Wednesday. “Sometimes the nod is kicking game related. Sometimes the nod might be experience. There’s a lot that goes into it. … More than I can recall anywhere, the depth in competition at that position group — we potentially have guys that may end up playing for another team.

“It’s still early in the process. I think it’s a real good question and it’s the reality of this camp right now. These guys are working hard and it’s a good problem to have.”

As Payton noted, it’s a luxury problem, but the Broncos don’t want to waive a receiver and then see him shine for another club. Denver might consider attempting to trade a receiver or two when roster cuts approach later this month. Our latest 53-man roster prediction has five WRs with Vele making the squad over Patrick. Barring trades or injuries, the Broncos will have to make some very tough decisions at the position this summer. The initial roster will be set on Aug. 27.

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Broncos roster series: No. 15, WR Jalen Virgil

After missing last season with a torn meniscus, Broncos WR Jalen Virgil will aim to bounce back in Year 3.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at third-year wide receiver Jalen Virgil, No. 15.

Before the Broncos: Virgil (6-0, 210 pounds) spent six years at Appalachian State with a redshirt freshman season in 2017 and an extra year of eligibility added following COVID-19. In five seasons, Virgil hauled in 98 receptions for 1,436 yards and 11 touchdowns. In his final season in 2021, Virgil also returned 26 kickoffs for 781 yards and two scores.

Broncos tenure: Denver signed Virgil as a college free agent following the 2022 NFL draft. He dressed for nine games as a rookie and caught two passes for 75 yards and one touchdown. Virgil tore his meniscus during preseason last summer and missed the entire 2023 regular season.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Toss up. Now healthy again, Virgil will have a chance to compete for a spot in a crowded WR room. The fact that he has experience as a returner could help Virgil’s chances because the Broncos will feature two returners on kickoffs this fall. Entering his third year in the NFL, Virgil is set to turn 26 next week.

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