NFL roster cuts 2021: Final 53-man roster, depth chart for the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have a new starting quarterback this season, in Teddy Bridgewater. One of the hottest defenses in the NFL, the Broncos are a mission to become a force in the AFC West yet again.
Now, with just a little over a week before the season officially begins, let's have a look at how the Denver Broncos' 53-man roster and depth chart shapes out this week.
Denver Broncos' Offense
Quarterback: Teddy Bridgewater, Drew Lock
The Broncos have officially turned the page on their hopes with Drew Lock the last two seasons. Naming Teddy Bridgewater the starting quarterback come Week 1 the Broncos have made a statement that they are ready to win now.
Running Back: Melvin Gordon, Javonte Williams,
Could this be Melvin Gordon’s last season in Denver? That remains to be seen. But, alongside him is a rookie with a lot of promise and potential to be the feature back for the Broncos.
Wide Receiver: Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Diontae Spencer.
Jerry Jeudy is poised for a breakout season in 2021 as is KJ Hamler who didn’t have the rookie season he and the Broncos would have hoped for. Hamler has shown a lot of improvement this preseason. Tim Patrick showed potential at times last season. With the addition of Teddy Bridgewater under center, the Broncos' wide receiver core is likely to flourish.
Tight End: Noah Fant, Albert Okwuegbunam.
Noah Fant's 2020 campaign saw him racking up 673 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Albert Okwuegbunam enters his second season, after his rookie campaign was cut short after he tore his ACL.
Offensive Line: Garett Bolles (LT), Dalton Risner (LG), Lloyd Cushenberry III (C), Graham Glasgow (RG), Bobby Massie (RT).
Left tackle Garett Bolles had one of his best seasons in 2020, with 584 pass-blocks. He also didn't allow a sack, a record for the season. The rest of the Broncos' offensive line struggled last season, so it should be interesting to see how they fare this season.
Denver Broncos' Defense
Defensive End: Shelby Harris, Dre'Mont Jones, McTelvin Agim.
Shelby Harris signed a four-year extension with the Broncos this offseason. Dre'Mont Jone,s who was a fourth-round pick in 2019, missed time due to injury in 2020. Meanwhile, McTelvin Agim had eight tackles and one pass deflection in his rookie season in 2020.
Linebackers: Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Josey Jewell, Alexander Johnson.
The Broncos' linebackers are one of the best lines in all of the NFL. With veteran Von Miller returning after missing all of the out the entirety of the 2020 season and younger linebackers like Bradley Chubb and Josey Jewell, the line is expected to give opposing offenses a lot of trouble.
Cornerbacks: Kyle Fuller, Ronald Darby, Bryce Callahan, Patrick Surtain II.
The cornerback situation is so stacked that the Denver Broncos are taking trade offers for Bryce Callahan. Rookie Patrick Surtain II may not start initially, but is set to be the future of the defense.
Safety: Kareem Jackson (SS), Justin Simmons (FS).
Kareem Jackson is the strong safety and Justin Simmons, who signed a four-year extension with the Broncos, is the starting free safety.
Denver Broncos' Special Teams
Kicker Brandon McManus will return for his eighth NFL season as the kicker of the Denver Broncos. Sam Martin is entering his second season of a three-year deal with the Broncos. He will once again take punting duties. Jacob Bobenmoyer will be the long snapper for the Denver Broncos in 2021.