Chargers OL Sam Mustipher and TE Eric Tomlinson spent time with the Broncos before landing in Los Angeles.
When the Los Angeles Chargers host the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football this week, two players could face their old team.
The first is Chargers center Sam Mustipher, who signed with L.A. after he was cut by the Broncos in August. Mustipher initially joined the Chargers’ practice squad before later being promoted to the active roster. He was dressed for nine games this season, making one start.
Mustipher competed with Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth for Denver’s starting center job this summer. Wattenberg ended up winning the job and Forsyth made the team as the primary backup. Mustipher then joined a division rival instead of re-signing with the Broncos’ practice squad.
L.A. also has ex-Denver tight end Eric Tomlinson on its practice squad, and the Broncos have three former Chargers on their practice squad: wide receiver Michael Bandy, pass rusher Andrew Farmer and tight end Donald Parham. None of them have appeared in a game for Denver so far this season.
After being cut by the Broncos this summer, center Sam Mustipher joined the division rival Chargers.
The Los Angeles Chargers are traveling to Colorado this week and they’re bringing one former Denver Broncos player to potentially face off against his old team.
After he was cut by the Broncos in August, center Sam Mustipher signed with the Chargers’ practice squad. He was elevated to the game-day roster for L.A.’s last game and started at center, playing 56 snaps. It’s unclear if he’ll start again this week, but Mustipher seems likely to at least dress for the game.
Mustipher competed with Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth for Denver’s starting center job this summer. Wattenberg ended up winning the job and Forsyth made the team as the primary backup. Mustipher then joined a division rival instead of re-signing with the Broncos’ practice squad.
Denver also has a pair of former Chargers on its practice squad: pass rusher Andrew Farmer and tight end Donald Parham. Neither player has appeared in a game for the Broncos so far this season.
Denver’s game against Los Angeles will be regionally televised on CBS. Despite playing at home with a three-game winning streak, the Broncos are considered underdogs against the Chargers this week.
The Chargers made several roster moves on Thursday.
The Chargers made several roster moves on Thursday, including making the signing of quarterback Taylor Heinicke official.
Los Angeles will send the Falcons a 2025 seventh-round pick that converts into a 2025 sixth-rounder if certain conditions are met.
In correspondence, the team released safety Tony Jefferson and waived running back Jaret Patterson. Jefferson was signed to the practice squad.
Additionally, L.A. signed center Sam Mustipher and tight end Eric Tomlinson to the practice squad. Cornerback Robert Kennedy was released from the practice squad.
Mustipher spent the 2023 season with the Ravens, appearing in seven games and starting two. Before that, he spent the first three seasons of his career with the Bears, where he made 40 starts.
Tomlinson has played in 85 career games (53 starts) between seven teams (Ravens, Texans, Broncos, Giants, Raiders, Jets and Eagles). He has totaled 27 receptions for 280 yards (10.4 yards per catch) and three touchdowns.
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:
The Chargers signed former Bears, Ravens, and Broncos center Sam Mustipher to the practice squad on Wednesday.
The Chargers have added depth on the interior of the offensive line.
Los Angeles signed Sam Mustipher to the practice squad on Wednesday, adding a center with nearly 3,000 snaps of experience to the depth chart behind Bradley Bozeman and Brenden Jaimes.
Mustipher spent the 2023 season with Baltimore, seeing action in seven games and starting two for the Ravens, all at center. Prior to that, he spent the first three seasons of his career with the Bears.
The Broncos released Mustipher on Tuesday and reportedly had an offer to return to Denver’s practice squad, but chose to sign with the Chargers instead. It ends up being a one-for-one swap after tight end Donald Parham Jr. reportedly signed with the Broncos practice squad earlier in the day.
A 2019 undrafted free agent from Notre Dame, Mustipher graded out well in the preseason for Denver but was stuck behind starter Luke Wattenberg and backup Alex Forsyth, who were roster locks for the Broncos. He will now reunite with Joe Hortiz, likely a major reason why the Chargers made the move.
Los Angeles will continue to fill out the practice squad on Wednesday.
Here are 10 takeaways following the first week of Broncos training camp.
The Denver Broncos started their ramp-up sessions last Wednesday, but the team did not begin official full-speed training camp practices until last Friday. So based on official practices, today marks the end of the first week of Broncos training camp.
So far there’s been one fight — tight end Nate Adkins and outside linebacker Durell Nchami got into it after a run play on Tuesday.
“It’s a scuffle,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the incident after Tuesday’s practice. “Sometimes it doesn’t bother me. In that case, I think we’ll look at the film. I think one player gets blocked pretty well and frustrated. I don’t want discipline fouls, and we’ve all seen it. We talked a little bit about it afterwards, but the guys are working hard.”
That was perhaps Payton’s diplomatic way of telling Nchami to keep a cool head after getting thoroughly blocked by Adkins. That kind of retaliation on a game day would have led to a 15-yard penalty.
Scuffle aside, what did we learn from the first week of training camp? Here are ten quick takeaways from Denver.
Broncos backup swing tackle/guard Quinn Baileyfractured his ankle at Tuesday’s practice, a brutal injury for the 28-year-old lineman. Bailey was set to serve as the team’s “No. 6 lineman” this season, used in “jumbo” formations and filling in whenever a starting tackle or guard was sidelined. It’s now uncertain if Bailey will be able to return in 2024.
“It’s always tough to see and to be a part of when you’re at a practice,” Payton said of the injury. “It’s one of the bitter realities of our game. He was having a really good camp.”
Elsewhere on the injury front, safety Brandon Jones (hamstring) will be out another week or so, Caden Sterns (knee) is being eased into action and lineman Nick Gargiulo (undisclosed) remains sidelined.
2. Quinn Meinerz’s contract exemplifies Payton’s view of o-line
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Denver rewarded guard Quinn Meinerz with a four-year, $80 million contract extension before kicking off training camp. Giving big-money contracts to offensive linemen is nothing new for Payton.
“I think it is the most important position group on your roster,” Payton said last week when asked about valuing the offensive line. “I think it permeates your building. I believe that and it has served us well everywhere I have been.”
Since he arrived last year, Payton quickly emphasized improving the offensive line. He brought in two new starters through free agency last year and gave Meinerz an extension this year. Garett Bolles is up next (more on that later).
“I think it was really stressed to us a lot last year about how for the most part, the team goes as far as the offensive line,” Meinerz said. “So that kind of shows this offensive system and its success that Sean has had in the past. So we’ve understood since this new staff came that came in that the pressure was going to be put on the offensive line and that in the same breath, the way the games go, it’s on us.
“If we win a game, it’s on us, if we lose a game it’s on us and that’s the kind of mentality that we have. Whether it be in practice, individual period, team periods, one-on-ones, weight room, meetings, we know what’s at stake. We know what the pressure is — but I mean the cliché is that pressure makes diamonds. We’re ready for it.”
3. Pat Surtain and Garett Bolles are now on deck
(Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)
Following the big extension for Meinerz, star cornerback Pat Surtainand left tackle Garett Bolles are now next in line for new contracts.
Payton said “we will keep you posted” when asked about a potential extension for Surtain, and he confirmed that he wants to re-sign the cornerback. PS2, meanwhile, is focusing on his play.
“There’s no specific timeframe right now,” Surtain said when asked if there’s a timeline for a new deal. “I’m going to let my agent handle that and let that process speak for itself. Right now, my ongoing focus is the football field for sure.”
Bolles is in a similar scenario.
“This team counts on me, so any time that we have voluntary or team meetings or whatever it is, I’m going to be the first one there,” Bolles said. “I love this city and I love this organization. I want to play my whole career here. The front office knows that. They know I want to be a Bronco for life.
“My family is here and established here. We love it here. We don’t want to go anywhere else. My job is to just play good football and the ball is in their court. I just have to do my job and the rest will take care of itself.”
4. Javonte Williams lost weight at Payton’s request
“He set me a goal weight and I got to it,” Williams said last week. The running back stopped eating after 7 p.m. and cut out snacks, including Takis, one of his favorites.
“The type of coach Coach Payton is, he’s seen a lot of great running backs come through,” Williams said. “Anything that he says, I’m going to listen to it. Just for him to even care and just to tell me, ‘This is what I want you to be when you come back to have the best chance to do what you have to do.’ That by itself just showed me that he cared, and if he put that much effort into it, I will too.”
Payton has praised Williams this summer, saying early in camp that the fourth-year running back has looked “real sharp.”
Some fans and pundits speculated this offseason that Williams might have a reduced role in 2024. The team’s backfield rotation, however, suggests that Williams will remain the RB1. The other spots are still up for grabs.
Denver drafted Audric Estime and then signed Blake Watson as a college free agent this spring, adding them to a backfield that already included Williams, Samaje Perine, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie.
“I think we have good competition there,” Payton said. “We have good skill sets and guys that can do different things there. Historically speaking for me, I’ve always believed that that depth is important because there’s a lot of wear and tear in 17 weeks to play with just one runner. It’s good to have him out there.”
It seems fair to assume the Broncos will carry four running backs on the 53-man roster. If they don’t believe Watson can sneak down to the practice squad, Perine could end up being a cap casualty.
“It’s going to be real intense and that’s the way you should want it to be,” Williams said of the RB competition. “No days off, like it says right here, ‘Compete Street,’ and every day we’re coming in and competition [should] be excellent. We’re all just going to get better from it.”
6. Courtland Sutton’s glad to be back with a revised deal
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton skipped the voluntary portion of the team’s offseason program in protest of his contract situation. Sutton reported for all of the mandatory sessions and Denver agreed to revise his contract one day before official training camp practices started last week.
Sutton can now earn an additional $1.5 million through new incentives in 2024 and he’s glad to have the negotiations behind him.
“It was nice,” Sutton said of the incentives being added. “I think it was made pretty clear that this is home for me, and this is where I wanted to be. I’m grateful that we were able to come to some form of an agreement to be able to help both of us move forward.”
With his contract situation sorted out, Sutton is now “like a kid in a candy store” at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit.
“It’s been amazing,” Sutton said. “I think the last time I talked to you guys, I told you that it was killing me not being out on the field with the guys. I’ve just been out here enjoying it like a kid in a candy store. Every little thing is a big thing, and just enjoying it.
“From the individuals [drills], to stretching with the guys, to route on air, being able to finally run plays against the defense, being in the huddle and hearing plays. All of those different things have been such a blessing to be able to do. [I’m] just enjoying each step of the way. It’s been a lot of fun.”
7. Sean Payton likes to have big wide receivers
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Broncos have 12 wide receivers on the 90-man offseason roster. Of those receivers, all but three are at least 6-1. Seven are 6-3 or taller. That’s not a coincidence — it’s a Payton preference.
“That position group is going to be interesting as you guys look at it, try to put it together and piece together,” Payton said of the WR room. “It’s a big group, size wise. First year I ever coached in the NFL in 1997 in Philadelphia, we played the 49ers.
“I want to say it’s ’97 — could have been ’98. It was at the old Veteran’s Stadium, and I remember when the Niners’ receivers walked out, it was Jerry Rice, and John Taylor and it was [J.J.] Stokes. I couldn’t get over how they looked. There is a prototype. That doesn’t mean that they can’t be smaller — then they have a different skill set — but in this league, that’s what we’re looking for. This is a big group.”
Courtland Sutton is 6-4, as are Tim Patrick and Lil’Jordan Humphrey. The tallest receiver on the roster is Devaughn Vele (6-5), and Payton’s appreciation of height is something to keep in mind when predicting Denver’s final WR depth chart.
8. Levi Wallace could be a sleeper at cornerback
(Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
In an ideal world, one of Riley Moss or Damarri Mathis will step up this summer and emerge as the team’s No. 2 cornerback across from Pat Surtain. That’s the preferred scenario. But a veteran like Levi Wallace stepping in as a short-term solution might be a more likely scenario.
“We have a good smart veteran player who has played in a lot of games,” Payton said of Wallace. “With the amount of multiple receiver sets we get, there’s that level of expertise and experience he brings. [He is] steady. I think he brings something to the room as well. I think quietly, he’s been a real good addition for us.”
Wallace has also drawn praise from Surtain, which is notable.
“It’s great,” PS2 said. “Another ‘Bama’ boy, so that’s great for sure. Levi, he’s provided a great presence to our secondary room. His experience — I think this is Year [7] for him. Going into it, he knows a lot about the game, a lot about Xs and Os. It helps a lot because when you have a veteran presence in the defensive back room it helps your game for sure.”
9. The center competition might be Luke Wattenberg’s to lose
(Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)
Luke Wattenberg handled the first-team center duties through the first few days of practice before Alex Forsyth eventually joined the rotation. Forsyth has also been getting some looks at guard, a position Wattenberg has also played in the past. That versatility will serve both players well. Whoever does not end up starting at center can serve as a backup swing guard/center. That might leave center Sam Mustipher as the odd man out.
“He’s smart,” Payton said when asked about Wattenberg. “I think he’s got good versatility. There are traits that you look forward to in a center. You look for guys that obviously are strong inside handling the pash rush. Then it’s how are they at the second level? Often times, that player is able to combo and get up to a linebacker—can they finish? So he’s someone that’s pretty athletic and has a really good ability to get to his second-level blocks.”
10. Quarterback competition seems to have two contenders
Bo Nix Looks Very Accurate at Broncos Training Camp with Deep Ball to Michael Bandy pic.twitter.com/nDl3k6QK1W
It’s no surprise, really, but Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nixseem to be pulling ahead of Zach Wilson in the quarterback battle.
Stidham already has a year of experience in Payton’s offense, which gives him an obvious advantage in the competition. It’s no surprise, then, that many pundits believe Stidham is the best QB1 option at this very moment.
That could change over the next few weeks, though, especially if Nix continues to impress.
Bo Nix is DEALING…just hit Reynolds for a 15 yard gain on a freaking rope over the out stretched hands of Ja’Quan McMillian along the left sideline. What a DIME@KOAColorado#Broncos
The competition will ultimately be decided during preseason. It would be a big upset for Wilson to bounce back and win the job. Whoever looks the best between Stidham and Nix this summer will line up under center when the Broncos go on the road to face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.
First things first, Denver will have three preseason games in August, starting with a road game against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 11. This is just a hunch, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Stidham start the first preseason game and Nix start the second. Perhaps the Broncos could then decide on a starter around the third week of preseason.
That’s just a guess, though. Payton hasn’t revealed his timeline for naming a starter. It’s obviously the story at training camp, and one we’ll continue to follow on Broncos Wire.
The Broncos also have a competition at center and before Tuesday, Luke Wattenberg had been running with the first-team offense. Alex Forsyth got his turn with the starters on Tuesday after previously spending time at guard.
“Well, he’s been working with [No.] 1s and we’ve actually been able to get Alex reps at center and also at guard,” coach Sean Payton said when asked about Wattenberg last week. “There’s no etched-in stone right now at that position. There’s competition, and we like it. We like the way that both of those guys are playing. That flexibility that Alex is showing a little bit at guard has been encouraging.”
With Wattenberg seemingly holding a lead at center and Forsyth displaying versatility, it seems that veteran Sam Mustipher might be the odd man out in the competition. Mustipher has played as a center to this point in his career whereas Wattenberg has filled in at guard for the Broncos in the past.
“He’s smart,” Payton said of Wattenberg. “I think he’s got good versatility. There are traits that you look forward to in a center. You look for guys that obviously are strong inside handling the pash rush.
“Then it’s how are they at the second level? Often times, that player is able to combo and get up to a linebacker — can they finish? So he’s someone that’s pretty athletic and has a really good ability to get to his second-level blocks.”
Denver’s staff will want their backup center to be a versatile player who can fill in at both center and guard if needed. Wattenberg has already proven he can do that and Forysth is showing signs of promise. If he doesn’t come out of nowhere to win the starting job, Mustipher could end up off the roster when it’s all said and done.
We’ll see how the center reps shake up when preseason begins later this month. The Broncos will open preseason on the road against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 11.
Sam Mustipher joined the Broncos this spring with 42 career starts on his resume. He’s set to compete for the center job this summer.
Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at sixth-year offensive lineman Sam Mustipher, No. 61.
Before the Broncos: Mustipher (6-3, 306 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame with the Chicago Bears in 2019. After spending his rookie season on the practice squad, Mustipher dressed for nine games in his second season, earning seven starts. He then started 33 games at center from 2021-2022. After his rookie contract expired, Mustipher signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. He was active for nine games last fall and started two games at center in Baltimore.
Broncos tenure: After losing Lloyd Cushenberry during free agency, Denver signed Mustipher to a one-year contract in April. With 42 career starts on his resume, he is the most experienced center on the Broncos’ roster.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Toss up. Mustipher will compete with Alex Forsyth and Luke Wattenberg for the starting center job this summer. If he doesn’t win the starting role, Mustipher might not be a lock to make the active roster. The 27-year-old center could provide depth from the practice squad if he does not end up making the 53-man squad.
“It’s going to be really exciting to see during training camp who is going to take that job,” Quinn Meinerz said of the center competition.
In addition to having three players competing for the starting quarterback job this summer, the Denver Broncos will also have a trio of centers rotating snaps in a competition to anchor the offensive line.
Denver has fifth-year veteran Sam Mustipher, third-year swing guard/center Luke Wattenberg and second-year pro Alex Forsyth competing at center. After losing Lloyd Cushenberry during free agency, the Broncos are set to have a new Week 1 center for the first time since 2020.
The team’s four other starters up front are all returning, including guards Quinn Meinerz and Ben Powers.
“The good news for the center most of the time is that he’s working with one of those two players,” coach Sean Payton said during mandatory minicamp. “There are times where he’s isolated, but certainly the experience of those two players helps a lot.”
Meinerz was diplomatic when asked about the team’s center competing, saying all three centers are great linemen.
“We have three great centers,” Meinerz said. “We’ve been kind of interchanging all three of them. It’s going to be really exciting to see during training camp who is going to take that job. I’ve enjoyed playing with all three of them so far in OTAs.”
Forsyth played with rookie quarterback Bo Nix at Oregon in 2022 so if Nix ends up winning the starting job, that might help Forsyth’s chances. Mustipher is the most experienced option, but he does not have the position flexibility of Wattenberg.
It might be difficult for the Broncos to carry all three centers on the 53-man roster this fall, so the competition could have much more than the starting job at stake. If Mustipher doesn’t win the starting role, for example, he probably won’t be a lock to make the active roster.
Denver is expected to begin training camp on July 26. The center competition will heat up during camp and continue into preseason before the final roster is set in August.
Regardless of who wins the position battles, the Broncos will have a new starting QB and a new starting center in Week 1 after moving on from Russell Wilson and letting Cushenberry walk this spring.
