Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at fifth-year safety P.J. Locke, No. 6.
Before the Broncos: Locke (5-10, 202 pounds) played college football for the Texas Longhorns, totaling 163 tackles, 12 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, three interceptions and 1.5 sacks in four seasons (47 games).
Broncos tenure: Locke entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019. After failing to make Pittsburgh’s 53-man roster, Locke signed with Denver’s practice squad four months later. He went on to make the Broncos’ active roster in 2020 and played primarily on special teams over the next two seasons.
Locke emerged as a rotational safety in 2022, totaling 22 tackles and one pass breakup in 16 games. Healthy for 12 games last fall, Locke served as an eight-game starter while Kareem Jackson was suspended and Caden Sterns was injured. Locke had the best season of his career in 2023, recording 53 tackles, three quarterback hits, three sacks and one interception.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Lock. He’s not guaranteed to win a starting job over Sterns and Brandon Jones, but Sterns will be a key member of Denver’s secondary in 2024. He’s a lock to make the active roster this summer.
