Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The Broncos added QB Anthony Gordon to the practice squad and made several other roster moves Tuesday.
The Denver Broncos hosted eight players for tryouts on Tuesday and made several roster moves, including adding a quarterback. Here’s a quick recap of the team’s transactions.
Broncos inactives: DL Dre’Mont Jones (foot), ILB Kenny Young (concussion), DB Caden Sterns (shoulder/neck), CB Michael Ojemudia and QB Brett Rypien.
The Denver Broncos have announced their list of five inactive players for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Broncos defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones (foot), inside linebacker Kenny Young (concussion), safety Caden Sterns (shoulder/neck), cornerback Michael Ojemudia and quarterback Brett Rypien are inactive today.
Shamar Stephen and DeShawn Williams will fill in for Jones on the defensive line and Jonas Griffith is expected to start at linebacker in the place of Young.
Denver running back Mike Boone and outside linebacker Malik Reed also won’t play today but they are not officially inactive because they do not count against the active roster while on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
The Broncos also on Saturday activated safety P.J. Locke from the Reserve/COVID-19 list to the 53-man roster. To make room for Locke on the active roster, Denver waived cornerback Essang Bassey. If he clears waivers, Bassey will likely be re-signed to the practice squad next week.
Sunday’s game will begin at 2:05 p.m. MT on CBS (view the TV map).
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With Melvin Gordon scheduled to become a free agent in 2022, Broncos RB Mike Boone might be poised to take on a bigger role next season.
The Denver Broncos have a pair of top running backs in Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams, so there’s not really any room for Mike Boone to enter the rotation on offense (he has been a key player on special teams, though).
Last week, Gordon was out with an injury, which led to Williams’ first NFL start (and he didn’t disappoint). Gordon’s injury also finally gave Boone an opportunity to contribute on offense as the team’s No. 2 running back.
Boone rushed four times for 35 yards, logging his first rushing attempts of the season. He also caught his second pass of the year, turning it into a 19-yard gain. Denver couldn’t have asked for much more than 54 yards on five touches.
“I thought he did well,” coach Vic Fangio said after the game. “He hadn’t played in a live game since whenever that was with Minnesota. He had no preseason action, no carries [and just one] catches in any of the games this year. Under those circumstances in a game like that, I think he played really well.”
Once Gordon returns from injury, Boone will go back to his rarely-used RB3 role, but Gordon is scheduled to become a free agent in 2022. After a strong performance on “Sunday Night Football,” Boone has made a case that he will deserve serious RB2 consideration behind Williams next season.
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Bad news: Broncos are without both starting offensive tackles, their backup QB and their offensive coordinator against Eagles. Good news: CB Pat Surtain will play!
The Denver Broncos have announced that left tackle Garett Bolles (ankle), right tackle Bobby Massie (ankle), running back Mike Boone (ribs), defensive lineman McTevin Agim (knee), defensive back Essang Bassey, cornerback Mac MccCain and safety Jamar Johnson are inactive for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain (knee) has been cleared to play.
Denver’s backup quarterback, Drew Lock, and offensive lineman Austin Schlottmann are also unavailable this week. Lock and Schlottmann are not on the inactive list because they do not count against the active roster while on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, but they won’t play.
Brett Rypien will serve as the team’s backup QB behind Teddy Bridgewater this week. Calvin Anderson is expected to start at left tackle with Bolles sidelined and Cam Fleming will likely start at right tackle in the place of Massie.
The Broncos will also be without offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who is in COVID-19 protocol. Quarterbacks coach Mike Shula will call the team’s offensive plays against the Eagles with Shurmur unavailable.
Denver is considered a 2.5-point favorite against Philadelphia. Sunday’s game, scheduled to begin at 2:25 p.m. MT, will be broadcast regionally on select Fox channels (view the TV broadcast map here).
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The Broncos can activate RB Mike Boone from IR to the 53-man roster at any time within the next three weeks.
Denver Broncos running back Mike Boone was back at practice Wednesday after spending the first three weeks of the season on injured reserve with a quad injury.
The Broncos have now started the three-week window for Boone to return from IR. If he is not activated within 21 days, Boone will spend the rest of the season on reserve. Denver having him return to practice appears to be a sign that the RB could return to the 53-man roster soon.
Broncos cornerback Michael Ojemudia (hamstring) is also eligible to return from IR, but he still needs time to recover and has not returned to practice yet.
Meanwhile, starting guards Graham Glasgow and Dalton Risner were both held out of Wednesday’s practice. If Glasgow and Risner are not able to play on Sunday, Netane Muti and Quinn Meinerz will start in their place.
Denver’s complete Wednesday injury report can be seen below.
| Player | Wed | Thur | Fri | Game Status |
| RG Graham Glasgow (knee) | DNP | |||
| LG Dalton Risner (ankle) | DNP | |||
| DL Mike Purcell (knee) | Limited | |||
| RB Melvin Gordon (ribs) | Limited | |||
| OLB Andre Mintze (hamstring) | Limited | |||
| LB Justin Strnad (hand) | Full | |||
| DL Shelby Harris (wrist) | Full | |||
| OLB Malik Reed (ankle/thumb) | Full |
The Ravens’ injury report from Wednesday will be added below when it becomes available.
| Player | Wed | Thur | Fri | Game Status |
The Broncos are considered home favorites this week.
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Former Minnesota Vikings running back Mike Boone, was became a free agent, is signing with the Denver Broncos.
In his time with the Vikings, Mike Boone showed flashes of promise, but he remained in a relatively small role on offense.
That’s because RB Dalvin Cook and RB Alexander Mattison were both ahead of him on the depth chart, making Boone the definitive third running back. Now, he may just have a chance of landing a bigger role with a new team.
According to multiple reports, Boone is signing a two-year deal with $2.6 million guaranteed, including a $1.6 million signing bonus with the Broncos.
Boone was a restricted free agent this offseason. Minnesota did not tender him. The lowest tender was $2.1 million, a hefty sum of money for a third-string running back. Teams with a need for that position would be more likely to pay Boone than the cash-strapped, running-back-deep Vikings.
Our friends at Broncos Wire reported that Denver gave running back Phillip Lindsay an original-round tender that will allow him to negotiate with other teams.
Lindsay was second on the Broncos in carries and rushing yards this past season, meaning if he doesn’t come back, Boone could be looking at the No. 2 spot of the running back depth chart. Melvin Gordon III, Denver’s leading rusher from 2020, is still under contract, though.
The Minnesota Vikings will not be tendering their three restricted free agents amid a cash-strapped 2021 offseason.
The Vikings have an interesting class of restricted free agents this offseason. DE Ifeadi Odenigbo was a a stellar reserve in 2019, but he struggled as a full-time starter in 2020. WR Chad Beebe had his moments in 2020, but also had his share of mishaps. RB Mike Boone was good, but he was in a very limited role on offense.
A compelling case can be made that all three should try to be retained this offseason. But tendering one of those three is a tall order for the Vikings, a team that’s strapped for cash and likely doesn’t want to shell out that kind of money to role players.
According to multiple reports, Minnesota doesn’t appear to be tendering Odenigbo, Beebe or Boone this offseason. Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reported that Minnesota will not tender Boone.
The Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling reported earlier in the offseason that the team wants Beebe back, but likely won’t be tendering him. Also according to Goessling, Odenigbo won’t be tendered, either.
It should be pointed out that these three could also return to Minnesota. Although, it seems likely that the Vikings would be paying them less than the low tender of $2.1 million.
Do you want the Minnesota Vikings to bring back RB Mike Boone this offseason? He is set to be a restricted free agent in 2021
The Vikings will have some tough decisions to make in free agency.
Minnesota will have trouble keeping a few of its top free agents. However, the Vikings also have restricted free agents who, for the most part, will be easier to keep around.
Mike Boone is one of those players due to be a restricted free agent. Boone has been a reserve running back on the Vikings in all of his three NFL seasons. Alexander Mattison typically gets more carries when both are healthy and Dalvin Cook is the definitive starter. However, Boone can still contribute.
Minnesota appears to want to keep Boone this offseason, according to a report. Per the Pioneer Press’ Chris Tomasson, the Vikings “definitely want to bring back” Boone.
Personally I don’t think Boone is worth a tender, especially with the depth the team already has at running back. That said, he would be a useful player to keep around. You can see what Vikings Wire said about all of Minnesota’s players who are set to be restricted free agents here.
The Minnesota Vikings have some options when it comes to the team’s three restricted free agents: DE Ifeadi Odenigbo, WR Chad Beebe and RB Mike Boone.
Minnesota has 15 players who are set to be free agents this year. Safety Anthony Harris is the big-ticket unrestricted free agent. Linebacker Eric Wilson, another unrestricted free agent, could also command a high price in free agency.
Due to the restrictions the Vikings probably have to deal with on 2021’s salary cap, the team isn’t in a great place to re-sign either Harris or Wilson. However, Minnesota can still look at ways of retaining other players who are set to be free agents.
This list takes a look at the restricted free agents for the Vikings this offseason. Just a note: DB Chris Jones is technically an exclusive rights free agent, so he is not included on this list.
Here is a look at each of the restricted free agents and how Minnesota can approach each one going forward:
Here are four Minnesota Vikings players who might see a bigger role in Week 17 against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The Minnesota Vikings are in a strange predicament at the moment.
With nothing to play for, Minnesota will head to Detroit to play the Lions in Week 17. There is a compelling case for the team to rest its starters this week. Regardless of whether the team does that, it will be without some key players.
That leaves the opportunity for younger, more inexperienced players to step up and earn more reps. Minnesota is 6-9 overall, but it has a chance to get better for 2021.
Here are four Vikings players who may get a bigger role than usual against the Lions on Sunday.
