The week of roster cuts is a stressful time for all involved. From the front office and coaching staff to rookies and even veterans, all parties experience a multitude of emotions as teams go from 90 t0 53 players. Some dreams are made and some are broken. For Kyle Peko it was a little of both but ultimately his dream came true Saturday.
On Friday, the Broncos called in the undrafted rookie defensive lineman to tell him he had not made the team. He would be cut and have a chance to join the practice squad if he passed waivers and the team wanted to do so. It would surely be bad news. Suddenly, and as sometimes happens, the Broncos changed their mind. Peko had done enough to impress the staff that he would become the team’s newest undrafted college free agent to make the roster.
The move was only possible because the Broncos had begun to make roster cuts early, starting Friday morning before the Saturday 2 p.m. deadline so they could begin their short-week preparation for Thursday’s National Football League opening game versus the Carolina Panthers. The early start gave them just enough time to change their minds and contact Peko again.
“We’re in a different situation this year, I will tell you, just because we play Thursday night,” general manager John Elway said Saturday of the limited work week. “Things were done a little bit differently this year because I wanted to get Gary through the process because he likes to talk to everybody so we wanted to get through that process as quickly as we could so he can get on to Carolina. We had one (Peko) that we changed our mind on in the 24-hour period. Once we spoke with him, he was very happy.”
Peko joins a long and unprecedented list for the Broncos. Unlike most NFL teams, each season it seems the Broncos find a roster spot for players overlooked in the draft. Peko represents the 19th rookie college free agent to make the active roster and the 12th time in the last 13 years they have done so.
“It’s always good when you have the young guys making the team. That’s part of the process, “Elway said of Peko as well as the team’s entire draft class making the roster. “You hope that when you go through the draft and that process [that] you’re able to pick the right guys that are able to come in and help your football team.”
Peko spent two seasons at Cerritos Junior College before transferring to Oregon State University in 2015. He played well for the Beavers, starting 12 games while tallying 45 tackles (24 solo), two sacks, two passes defensed and also block two kicks. Peso’s chances to join the roster increased as interior defensive linemen suffered injuries and absences throughout training camp and preseason.
“It’s a blessing to be here,” Peko said in August in the heat of competition from training camp.
That blessing was briefly taken away Friday and given back Saturday. Now Peko can proceed with his dream intact while the Broncos hope they found yet another diamond in the rough.
