Training Camp Takes: What comes next after releasing Todd Davis

DENVER — For the Broncos’ inside linebackers, it was a normal Friday — at least, as much as a Friday can be with the 53-man roster deadline looming at 2 p.m. MDT the next day. Training camp was about to end, with only that night’s practice at Empower Field at Mile High remaining.

It was normal … until it wasn’t.

Everything changed when the phone belonging to Todd Davis rang. And at this time of year, a call from the Broncos front office is not what any player wants to see. Davis, the longest-tenured member of the group and the second-longest-continuously-tenured player on the roster, was done after five years and 10 months with the team.

“We were going to meetings and he got a call,” said Josey Jewell, who will replace Davis in the starting lineup. “We got the news later in the meetings that he was gone.”

Just two players now remain on the Broncos’ roster from Super Bowl 50: outside linebacker Von Miller and kicker Brandon McManus. But of greater relevance to the present is how the core of Vic Fangio’s defense changes.

“Just a lot of little things that added up, and unfortunately, we released Todd,” Fangio said. “I’m going to miss Todd. Todd was a great player here for many years. I’m wishing him nothing but the best.

What were those “little things”?

1. INJURIES AND ADAPTABILITY

In recent weeks, the Broncos got a glimpse at their short-term base-package future with Jewell working at inside linebacker while Davis recuperated from a calf injury. The injury was not as severe as the calf injury that cost Davis two games last season, but it gave the Broncos a chance to see Jewell and Alexander Johnson work together.

Davis and Johnson became a quality tandem last year because their strengths complemented each other. They found cohesion fast and communicated well, helping the defense find its rhythm after a sluggish September.

Jewell thinks the same thing can happen for him with Johnson.

“I think we just have a lot of great communication out there,” Jewell said. “When Todd was out there, it was great communication too, but I think we vibe well together out there and we talk. We talk about pre-snap reads, possible play calls and possible plays the offense will run.

“I think we complement each other pretty well out there, being able to communicate and understand what kind of plays are going to come at us.”

Davis called the defenses in recent years, but Fangio said that calling the defenses will be “by committee.”

“Whoever wears the headset, I’m sure will do just fine,” Jewell said. “It does come with a lot of responsibility when you wear it.”

2. TRADING FOR AUSTIN CALITRO

Since going undrafted in 2017, the peripatetic Calitro has been waived six times while playing in 29 regular-season games — 16 with the Seattle Seahawks in 2018 and 13 with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year. When he’s had the opportunity to play, he’s been a tackling machine; in the nine career games in which he played at least 30 snaps, Calitro has averaged 7.9 total tackles per game.

“Calitro is a guy that we’ve liked,” Fangio said. “Our personnel people have liked him in the past. He became available because Cincinnati needed a defensive lineman, so we made a trade there.”

Denver sent defensive end Christian Covington to the Bengals in exchange for Calitro, a move that likely ensures that DeMarcus Walker will make the 53-man roster.

“Our personnel people have had feelings for [Calitro] in the past, and we acquired him,” Fangio said.

3. THE SIGNING OF MARK BARRON

The Broncos added Barron after losing rookie Justin Strnad for the season due to a wrist injury and subsequent surgery. Barron’s role is likely to be as a sub-package linebacker specializing in pass coverage, but the possibility of more exists.

The Steelers successfully involved him in their pass rush at times last season and he finished with three sacks. If the Broncos can allow Jewell and Barron to play to their strengths, they could have a platoon that works.

MOVING FORWARD: THE FINANCIAL RAMIFICATIONS OF FRIDAY’S MOVES

By releasing Davis, the Broncos will save $4.5 million of salary-cap space.

The Broncos came into Friday with $25,710,391 of cap space, according to the NFLPA’s salary-cap report. That figure is the sixth-highest in the league. The exchange of Calitro for Covington yielded another $750,000 in cap savings, per numbers posted at OvertheCap.com.

These moves would push the Broncos’ cap space to $30,960,391. But before you think the space is burning a hole in their pockets, consider that all space can be carried over to next year — a year in which the cap could drop to $175 million, $23.2 million below the unadjusted cap for 2020.

In an environment in which teams might close their wallets, the Broncos are on track to have room for some targeted expenditures — such as a long-term deal for Justin Simmons, if they so desire. Releasing Davis can help as long as they don’t spend the savings in the next four months.

INJURY AND AVAILABILITY NOTES

• OLB Bradley Chubb (knee) and RG Graham Glasgow (sprained ankle) did not practice, but Fangio said that the thought they would be able to practice next week.
• CB Michael Ojemudia practiced for a second consecutive day after recovering from a quadriceps injury. “I thought he did fine [Thursday]. I’ll be anxious to see how he looked tonight,” Fangio said. “Being out there in the officials’ perch, I don’t get a good view as far as how it would relate to a corner, so I’m anxious to watch the tape on him, but I think he’s done well as far as healing and he’s back and I think he feels confident that he can go.”
• The tight-end complement was thin, as the Broncos practiced without Andrew Beck (back tightness), Albert Okwuebugnam (hip) and Troy Fumagalli (abdomen). Austin Fort also remained out following knee surgery three weeks ago.
• WR K.J. Hamler remained sidelined with a hamstring injury.

NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS

• The offense fared better than it did last Saturday, with some solid gains on the ground and through the air and multiple sustained drives. “I thought we had a good night here,” Fangio said of the offense. “I’m cautiously optimistic about our run game, our ability with Drew [Lock] throwing the ball. Again, with no try live action in preseason games it remains to be seen. I like where we’re at. I like our group. I like our players. I’m very hopeful.”
• Fangio said that he would “probably wait until Tuesday” to make an announcement as to the starting center for Week 1. Lloyd Cushenberry saw most of the work on the first team in the week leading up to the first stadium practice last Saturday.
• Fangio also said that he would make a decision as to the No. 3 cornerback by Tuesday. Essang Bassey, Davontae Harris and De’Vante Bausby all saw work there at various points during training camp.