Subscribe
Follow Us
The Denver Broncos are gearing up for a new season, and as the preseason has come to a close, tough decision must now be made. With a limited number of roster spots available, some fan favorites and key contributors will inevitably be cut.
In the late afternoon on Tuesday, the Broncos officially announced their 53-man roster. Let's take a look at the most shocking Broncos roster cuts ahead of the 2024 season.
WR Tim Patrick
On Monday, it was reported that the Broncos would be moving on from wide receiver Tim Patrick. This move came as an immediate shock to Broncos fans, as Patrick had firmly established himself as a fan favorite. What also added to the shock was that Patrick was poised to have a bounce-back season after missing the prior two seasons due to injury. Patrick even changed his jersey number to the one he wore in college to signify a new era with the Broncos.
Patrick took a pay cut in order to return to the Broncos. He would end up having a rather positive training camp without any injury setbacks. Unfortunately for Patrick, the Broncos wide receiver room is rather stacked. Rookie seventh-round pick DeVaughn Vele would dazzle in training camp and the preseason. In fact, Vele has a very similar play style to Patrick. In the end, the Broncos would ultimately choose to keep Vele over Patrick.
FB Michael Burton
With the release of veteran fullback Michael Burton, it seems like the Broncos will start the season without a true fullback. The choice to release Burton was a bit random, as he was a reliable contributor in terms of his physicality and blocking abilities.
Burton was the oldest player on the team at 34 years old. He wasn't a significant cap hit either, so it's unlikely his release was a money-motivated move. Likely the Broncos moved on from Burton in order to expand their total running backs on the roster, which now consists of Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, and Blake Watson. Estime and Watson are both big-bodied, bruiser-type backs, and will likely bring the physicality that Burton once brought.
ILB Jonas Griffith
Jonas Griffith has been with the Broncos since 2021. In his first season with the Broncos, Griffith appeared in 13 games and had four starts. Griffith would end up starting eight games in 2022 before suffering a season-ending foot injury. He would also miss the entire 2023 season with a torn ACL. Needless to say, Griffith was ready to have a bounce-back season in a decently thin Broncos inside linebacker room.
With the Broncos, Griffith totaled 92 tackles, five quarterback hits, one interception, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup. If Griffith clears waivers, there is a chance he could return to the Broncos' practice squad.
The Broncos inside linebacker room now consists of Alex Singleton, Cody Barton, Justin Strnad, and undrafted rookie Levelle Bailey.
RB Samaje Perine
A few months ago, Samaje Perine being released would have been rather shocking. But after the conclusion of the preseason, it's not entirely shocking that Perine lost his spot on the roster.
In the Broncos' first preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts, Perine bobbled a routine pass from Jarrett Stidham, and the ball ended up being intercepted. Perine would not see the field again that day, and many felt like that play alone lost Perine his roster spot. Perine would struggle to impress in the next preseason game against the Packers where he had five carries for 16 yards and one reception for five yards.
During the 2023 season, Perine played a complementary role to Javonte Williams. Williams brought the elusiveness, and Perine brought the power. But in the 2024 preseason, rookies Estime and Watson impressed more and ended up beating out Perine for roster spots.
