What we learned from John Elway and Vic Fangio about the Broncos' roster decisions

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — John Elway, Vic Fangio and Co. submitted their initial 2019 roster two minutes before the 2:00 pm deadline in the Mile High City.

Three minutes after that, both the general manager and head coach addressed the media and divulged plenty of information on why they did what they did and what’s to come, which there’s plenty of moves still to be made.

Here’s what we learned about Denver’s initial 52—not 53—man roster.

QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL

The Broncos started the day with four quarterbacks on their roster. Just after lunchtime, they were down to one healthy quarterback.

Elway not only released veteran backup Kevin Hogan and undrafted rookie Brett Rypien, but he also announced Drew Lock will be placed on the injured reserve.

“We’re exploring all of our options,” Elway said about the team’s vacant backup quarterback spot. “We looked at it, it’s a spot that we needed. The plan is to put Drew on IR and then go from there. We needed the spot. With Drew being out six-to-eight weeks, we think it’s the best for us as a team was to use that spot. We’ll make that corresponding move as we go.”

Lock did make the initial roster, which allows him to come back mid-way through the season. But it’s not a certainty the second-round pick will come off the IR this year.

“We’ll have to wait and see how it goes,” Elway explained. “With where Drew is—obviously we’d like to have him on the practice field, but he’s got that thumb that’s going to be six or eight weeks, so it’s going to be longer with a quarterback with a thumb. We needed that spot.

“As [I said in] my discussion with him today, it’s not a year off for him. He’s going to be able to do everything other than be on the football field. He’ll be able to work on his own and do some different things there too. Expect him to continue to work hard and get a good feel with everything and keep learning with the offense, understanding what he’s doing there and be right in the middle of everything.”

Fangio added it will be “tough” for Lock to continue to improve while not on the practice field, but the team will do everything possible to help him develop off the field.

Denver will look at the waiver wire, which comes out Saturday evening, to attempt to find a backup.

Elway stated it’s important the Broncos’ backup quarterback has “at least a feel of the offense,” especially since the first game is just over one week away. Brian Hoyer is a name to keep an eye on after New England released him earlier in the day. He spent half a season with this offense under Rich Scangarello and Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco in 2017.

In the meantime, if the Broncos need an emergency backup, they’ve already got one in the organization.

“I’m loosening up right now,” Fangio said with a smile as he stretched his arm.

MAKING MOVES AT ILB

John Elway didn’t accidentally have an extra roster spot when he submitted the team’s initial roster. No, he was saving a spot for a former Bronco to return to the team in a matter of hours.

Elway confirmed the team is bringing in inside backer Corey Nelson, who was a seventh-round pick by Denver in 2014. Nelson started six games for the Broncos in his four years with the team before signing with the Eagles in free agency in 2018.

With Todd Davis’ availability for Week 1 up in the air, the Broncos needed experience at the inside linebacker position, and Nelson brings that.

“We’ll take it a week at a time. The sooner he gets better the better off we will be,” Elway said on Davis’ recovery from a partially torn calf. “We’d like to have him yesterday, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Nelson’s experience was key since both A.J. Johnson and undrafted rookie Josh Watson made the team. Neither has played a single snap in the NFL.

“Both guys kept improving,” Fangio said of the two young linebackers. “A.J. has been out of football for a while, until last year when he got picked up here. I still think he has a lot more improving to do, but I’m encouraged by where he is headed.”

With Watson, and outside linebacker Malik Reed, making the initial roster, Denver has now had an undrafted rookie make the final squad in 15 of the past 16 years.

“Josh came in and did some really good things and took advantage of the opportunity he got,” Elway said.

IR GETTING CROWDED

Drew Lock won’t be alone on the injured reserve. Unfortunately, he’ll have company.

Jake Butt will join Lock on the IR, and Theo Riddick will “probably” make his way on that list, too. Both, however, made the team’s final roster, meaning they will both have the opportunity to return mid-way through the season, along with Lock.

Denver will only be able to bring back two players off the injured reserve, so Elway will eventually have to make a decision, although he has time.

“We don’t have to say who’s coming back,” Elway said, explaining the way the injured reserve works. “Plus we don’t know—if someone else gets hurt early who could go on. There’s a lot that goes into it… Nothing’s for sure. We’ll just have to see how things go.”

The good news is Andy Janovich, and Joe Jones will not be placed on the IR. Both are scheduled to return sometime between Week 2 and Week 4 of the season. Elway said the plan is to see what’s available on the wire at fullback and tight end and then potentially make a move at either of those positions.

THE DUKE’S ROLE

One day before finalizing their roster, Elway acquired cornerback Duke Dawson from the Patriots. The 2018 second-round pick was just too intriguing for the Broncos to pass up on, especially at the affordable price of exchanging their 2020 sixth-round pick for New England’s 2020 seven-rounder and Dawson.

“He’s a guy that we liked coming out last year,” Elway stated. “Add some depth at corner. We know he’s played a little bit of safety too, so he’s got that flex. We’ll have to see what we have when he gets here.”

Since Dawson did not play last year, mainly due to a hamstring injury, Elway admitted he is a bit of an unknown, but the team is excited to see what they have in him.

“He’s a guy that has played both nickel and corner,” Fangio said, explaining what Dawson brings to the secondary. “Was a guy that was—a lot of teams had good rankings on in the ’18 draft, obviously New England did. We had some good grades on him here in Denver. To get a guy like that to work with, all we had to do was flip a sixth and a seventh, I think is worth a shot.”

Fangio added the trade was not an indication of the team being worried about Bryce Callahan’s foot.

“Just a guy we liked that was available at a position that is of dire need for all teams,” Fangio said, explaining why they made the move. “There’s not enough of them to go around. That’s that.”

OTHER NOTES

• Expect the Broncos to make many more moves over the weekend.
  • “We’re going to continue to try to get better when we see the wire,” Elway stated. “If there’s something on there that can make us better, then we’ll take advantage of it. You always got to have slots for that.”
• Malik Reed drew high praise from Elway and Fangio as he solidified a roster spot with an outstanding preseason and training camp.
  • “Just kept getting better and kept showing that he could be good enough and he continued on that track and became good enough,” Fangio said about the undrafted rookie. “I like the fact that he likes to play physical and he has good instincts—Pass rush, still has some development to do in coverage and things like that, but he’s the right kind of guy with the right kind of temperament.”
• Fangio knew Mike Purcell would make a strong push for a roster spot when Denver signed him on April 22.
  • “I remember when John and Matt [Russell] came to me and said that we’re thinking about signing Purcell way back when, I said ‘Be careful, you might like him,’” he shared with a smile. “Mike came in and had a heck of a camp. He earned his way on this football team. No two ways about it. Through practice and through the games.”
• Denver’s punt return position is still wide open.
  • “Uhhhh, well, we’re still looking. That’s the outlook,” Elway said honestly when asked about where Denver stands at the position. “We’re going to continue to look and try to get better there. Right now it’s River [Cracraft]. We’ll continue to try to get better there if we can. If there is something better than River then we’ll see what we can do.”
• Don’t be surprised to see Jamal Carter end up on the practice squad
  • “Jamal’s a guy we all like here and a guy that we may want to get back here at some point,” Fangio stated. “When you change a guys position, particularly such a drastic change from safety to inside linebacker where he’s really never been, it’s a new world, he needed more time to develop there. But he’s a good football player, and I’m confident he has some more days left in the NFL.”