After losing inside linebacker Alex Singleton to a season-ending knee injury in September, the Denver Broncos signed veterans Kwon Alexander and Zach Cunningham to their practice squad.
It took the players a few weeks to get up to speed and Justin Strnad started in Singleton’s place from Weeks 4-6. Denver then elevated Alexander from the practice squad to the game-day roster in Week 7.
Practice squad players can be elevated to the game-day rost three times during a season. Alexander’s three elevations were used from Weeks 7-9. After that, the Broncos elevated Cunningham in Weeks 10 and 11. He will likely be elevated a third and final time in Week 12.
Denver seems to be giving the two linebackers a trial run before potentially deciding who ends up on the 53-man roster. Alexander got three games and Cunningham is on the verge of making his third appearance this weekend. After that, one of them could end up on the active roster for the final stretch of the season.
Cunningham did not play in his first game. He totaled three tackles on 11 snaps last week. Alexander recorded eight tackles on 65 snaps in his three appearances, including two starts.
Right now, Alexander seems like the favorite to eventually end up on the 53-man roster, but Cunningham will (presumably) get one more opportunity to impress in Week 12.
