The Denver Broncos will have to make some tough cuts when they set a 53-man roster next week.
One position in particular that could cause headaches is wide receiver. Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin and third-round pick Pat Bryant are presumably locks. Devaughn Vele is presumably safe, and Trent Sherfield is set to serve as a key special teams player this season.
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The Broncos are extremely unlikely to carry more than six receivers on the active roster, so undrafted receiver Courtney Jackson — and other receivers including Michael Bandy, Joaquin Davis and (if healthy) A.T. Perry — could be on the outside looking in.
“There’ll be some tough decisions,” Denver coach Sean Payton said last week. “There’s a chance a receiver that might be out here today might be on a 53-[man roster] somewhere else [in Week 1]. So it’s a good thing. And we’re deep at running back. We’re just further along. We’re so much further along as a roster, and that elevates quite naturally the play of everyone.”
As Payton noted, it’s a good problem to have. Making difficult decisions and potentially losing players to other teams during roster cuts is the sign of a deep, talented roster.
“I think there’re going to be a number of tough decisions, but I’d rather be in that position than the position we were in two years ago at this time,” Payton said. “I think that the talent level has gradually gotten better. These guys, they’re all competing, and we say this to them, and it’s serious. We’re rooting for all of them. We’re rooting for their best, and because I think there’s going to be some players that end up on other teams’ rosters playing. That’s part of the deal.”
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After a preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 23, the Broncos will have until Aug. 26 to set a 53-man roster. The players who make it through waivers will then become candidates for the practice squad. Jackson, who has looked sharp as a returner this summer, will be a key player to follow.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL: Sean Payton says Broncos WR could land on another team’s roster