The clock is ticking down in Denver, and Friday night’s final preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings is it: the last shot for nearly 40 guys to prove they belong on an NFL roster. General manager George Paton and coach Sean Payton are about to make some brutal calls, trimming the squad from 91 players down to a lean 53, which means a whopping 38 players are getting moved. It’s a huge moment for these guys, and some bubble players absolutely need to ball out against the Vikings or they’re hoping for a practice squad spot at best.
Defensive Line Questions Are Getting Louder
Man, where has Sai’vion Jones been this summer? Going into training camp, the biggest question on everyone’s mind was who would step up to replace John Franklin-Myers on the defensive line. Everyone thought it could be filled by a rotation, but the team still hasn’t found a sufficient answer. Second-year guy Sai’vion Jones, a third-round pick, looked like a frontrunner early on, but he’s been way too quiet. Seriously, offensive linemen are just pushing him around out there at the professional level. They probably won’t just cut bait on a third-rounder this quickly, but he needs to do something, anything, on Friday to show he belongs. None of this quiet performance is a good sign for his future.
Linebackers and Safeties Fighting for Survival
Then you’ve got linebacker Jordan Turner, a guy the Broncos definitely like. The problem? He’s stuck behind Karene Reid, and with Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, and Red Murdock all but guaranteed to make the team, Turner is down to his last play. He needs a monstrous game against the Vikings to avoid getting placed on the practice squad or, worse, claimed off waivers by another team. At safety, Miles Scott, a seventh-round pick, seemed destined for the practice squad. But get this: the recent release of Taylor Rapp actually cracked the door open for him! A big game on Friday could absolutely earn Scott a spot on the 53-man roster, which would be a wild ride for a seventh-rounder.
The Return Specialist Who Might Be Too Good
Finally, we have Kolbe Katsis, a wide receiver with a truly unique situation. His real value to the Broncos right now is as a kick returner, not necessarily as a receiver. He’s probably not making the 53-man roster, but he’s a lock for a practice squad spot if he keeps doing what he’s doing. Here’s the kicker, though: another solid outing returning kicks would cement his practice squad status, but he could perform *so well* that another team snatches him up off waivers to be their future return specialist! So, Paton and Payton are in this wild spot: if they’re already sold on his talent, do they even play him in this final preseason game or try to use him in a different role to hide him from other teams? The strategies of team building at the end of the preseason are truly endless, and Friday night is going to be packed with high stakes for all these guys.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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