The WAY too early, 53-man roster projection (Offense)
By Adam Uribes
· General
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· 3 min read
Break out your crystal balls, who will call themselves a Denver Bronco at Training Camp’s end?
The 2025 Broncos have a different vibe heading into training camp. At the same time, last year’s team came in with little to no expectations. Fresh off a playoff berth for the first time since the 2015 Super Bowl and picking up steam as the next challenger to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, a solid training camp will be the springboard for a great season.
There may not be many unanswered questions on this roster, but that doesn’t mean that battles aren’t raging every day to make this year's 53-man roster. Starting with the offense, let’s project who makes the final roster.
**Quarterback** - Bo Nix, Jarret Stidham, Sam Ehlinger
**Who Makes the Cut? (Probably)** All 3
Short and sweet, Sean Payton only brings three quarterbacks to camp, and all three probably make the roster, with only Ehlinger’s deployment as the emergency QB, up for question. Unless the numbers crunch hits another part of the team (knock on wood), Denver likely takes 3 players into the season.
**Running Back** – Tyler Badie, J.K. Dobbins, Audric Estime, RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin, Blake Watson, Michael Burton (FB)
**Who Makes the Cut?** **(Probably)** Dobbins, Harvey, McLaughlin, Burton.
Outside of Dobbins and Harvey, it’s anyone’s guess how many backs make the 53 and who will play what role. McLaughlin and Estime figure to have the inside track, but both Watson and Badie had sparkplug-like moments in 2024.
**Wide Receiver** – Michael Bandy, Joaquin Davis, Pat Bryant, Troy Franklin, Courtney Jackson, Marvin Mims Jr, Jerjuan Newton, Kyrese Rowan, Trent Sherfield, Cortland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, A.T. Perry (PUP)
**Who Makes the Cut? (Probably)** Bryant, Franklin, Mims Jr., Sherfield, Sutton, Vele.
Not much of a mystery here. Carrying six wideouts is about standard for most teams, and except for Perry coming off of PUP at some point, this group seems set. For any questions on Sherfield, he fills the special team gunner role this year.
**Tight Ends **– Nate Adkins, Evan Engram, Lucas Krull, Caleb Lohner, Caden Prieskorn, Adam Trautman.
**Who Makes the Cut? (Probably)** Adkins, Engram, Krull, Trautman.
Both Krull and Adkins have familiarity with the offense AND play special teams. The wild card is how fast 7th-rounder Lohner picks up the pro game, since his raw potential may make stashing on the practice squad untenable.
**Tackles** – Garett Bolles, Marques Cox, Frank Crum, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Matt Peart, Will Sherman.
**Who Makes the Cut?** (Probably) Bolles, Crum, McGlinchey, Palczewski and Peart.
The tackles will be an encore of last year's group, headed by Bolles and McGlinchey. Peart was re-signed and can play both tackle spots. Ditto for Palczewski. The only question is which development lineman makes the team this year. Crum has a leg up due to making the team last year, but Will Sherman can make a case as well.
**Guards** – Nick Gargiulo, Ben Powers, Calvin Throckmorton, Clay Webb, Quinn Meinerz, Xavier Truss
**Who Makes the Cut?** (Probably) Powers, Meinerz, Gargiulo, Truss.
Several players on the line can play more than one spot, so this will be a group in flux after Powers and Meinerz. Throckmorton was cut and brought back last season, but keep an eye on 2024 draft pick in Gargiulo. Denver thought enough of him to stash him on the 53 last season for fear of losing him on the practice squad to another team. One surprise choice? UDFA Xavier Truss, a four-year starter out of Georgia.
**Centers -**Alex Forsyth, Joseph Michalski, Luke Wattenberg
**Who Makes the Cut?** (Probably) Wattenberg
The clock may be ticking on Forsyth, who lost his job to Wattenberg last season and was a massive piece of the special team blunder that cost the team a win in Kansas City notoriously. As Meinerz and Gargiulo can play center, and Wattenberg being the 9th lineman, may make him a camp casualty.
Count on Offense - 27
If we give ourselves that we will carry a kicker, punter, and snapper, this is the number that the team would like to be at, and we already have some surprises. Watch this space for the other side of the ball and who gets to wear the orange and blue for 2025.
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