Before the Denver Broncos started mandatory minicamp this week, Broncos Wire released a way-too-early 53-man roster prediction for 2023.
Broncos general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton will face many tough decisions when they set the roster in August, and we got a preview of those tough cuts during own our prediction.
On offense, we parted ways with wide receiver KJ Hamler, a former second-round pick, and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, a former fourth-round pick.
On defense, we cut made three tough cuts at cornerback and parted ways with safety Delarrin Turner-Yell, a fifth-round pick last year.
All of the players who the Broncos cut this summer will be eligible to remain with the team on the practice squad. Denver will have to set a 53-man roster by Tuesday, Aug. 29, then the team can build a 16-player practice squad.
Here are the 13 players who were hardest to cut in our roster prediction.
QB: Ben DiNucci
We have DiNucci beating Jarrett Guarantano for the QB3 job, but we expect the third-string quarterback to be on the practice squad.
OL: Kyle Fuller and Isaiah Prince
Fuller has started 12 games in his career, but Lloyd Cushenberry is Denver’s incumbent center and the team has two young prospects in Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth. Unless he surprisingly wins the starting job, it’s hard to imagine Fuller making the team.
Prince is an intriguing young tackle who has started six games in his career. We have Quinn Bailey above him on the depth chart for now, but that could change this summer.
TE: Albert Okwuegbunam
“Albert O” has shown flashes of brilliance as a receiving tight end, but his blocking ability has kept him off the field at times. If the Broncos only carry three TEs, Okwuegbunam might be the odd man out.
WR: Kendall Hinton, Brandon Johnson, KJ Hamler
Hinton is a fan favorite, Johnson is a promising young receiver and Hamler is a former second-round pick. It would be hard to cut any of those three, but the Broncos have so much depth at receiver. The arrival of Marvin Mims might make Hamler expendable. Denver could make a trade or two at the position, which would make it easier for Hinton and/or Johnson to make the team.
DL: Jonathan Harris
Harris has been with the team since 2019, appearing in 14 games and earning four starts. He’ll have a real shot to make the active roster this summer, but the Broncos have a crowded defensive line depth chart.
OLB: Aaron Patrick
Patrick was a key player on special teams last year before he tore his ACL. He’ll hope to fully recover and reclaim his spot this summer, but the Broncos have a lot of options at outside linebacker.
CB: Essang Bassey, Art Green, Ja'Quan McMillian
Bassey has had a bumpy journey with the Broncos and it’s certainly possible that he could win the backup slot role this summer. It’s also possible that he could end up on the outside looking in. McMillian played well in his NFL debut in Denver’s season finale last year, and Green is one of the team’s top undrafted free agents. It wouldn’t be surprising to see any of these three make the 53-man roster, but we had to make tough decisions in our prediction.
S: Delarrin Turner-Yell
If the Broncos end up trading a safety, Turner-Yell would likely make the team (assuming he’s not the safety who is traded). As things stand now, though, it’s hard to imagine Turner-Yell beating out P.J. Locke or JL Skinner, who was just picked in the sixth round of April’s NFL draft.
