The deadline for NFL teams to cut their rosters down to 53 players has come and gone, and as is the case with every season, plenty of difficult decisions were made across the league. For the Denver Broncos, the team’s immense depth was its biggest weakness on Tuesday, as they had to cut multiple guys who can be quality players in this league.
Right at the 2:00 p.m. deadline, the Broncos made two final moves to put the official 53-man squad into place. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger was released while fullback Michael Burton was placed on the long-term injured reserve list, effectively ending his season.
No 3 QB Sam Ehlinger not at Practice, was released per source. As vested veteran, he’s not subject to waivers so a free agent of sorts. Broncos love him and want him back on practice squad. But he also has multiple other options. May not shake out til tomorrow.
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) August 26, 2025
Correction: Broncos placed FB Michael Burton (hamstring) on season-ending IR not short-term IR as previously reported. Done for year.
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) August 26, 2025
Burton, who has been battling a hamstring problem throughout training camp, underwent surgery to address the issue, Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced on Tuesday. That is a procedure that could potentially put the 33-year-old’s career in jeopardy with how many miles he has on his body.
Payton said that Burton was the only Bronco who was put on the IR list.
While the fullback isn’t a huge part of the Broncos’ offense, it is a component. Burton played 175 snaps — 16 percent — last year and 189 snaps — 18 percent — in 2023. He’s not the most electrifying player in the NFL, but he’s done exactly what Payton has needed out of him the last two seasons. Now, the team will likely turn to Nate Adkins to fill that role when he returns from his ankle injury. Payton didn’t share much on his plans for the position going forward.
“I think you’re going to see it develop,” he said.
Burton only has two touchdowns in his career, and one of them came with the Broncos a season ago. As is the case with most fullbacks, his impact doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. Nonetheless, it’s an important loss for Denver this season.
For Ehlinger, he was straight up released rather than waived because of his experience in the league. Payton is hoping to see him back in the building.
“Sam’s a guy that that we want back… Every team in this league, when the season starts is going to have three in the building. And the question is, just simply, what’s the third in the building is the active or practice squad? So, I think a lot of it varies when you look at the other components of your roster,” Payton said.
The longtime head coach also referenced how a rule that the NFL put in a few years back that requires a team’s third quarterback to be on the active roster in order to dress for games has changed things.
Ehlinger, 26, went 42-for-57 in the preseason for 415 yards and two touchdowns (one interception). He made great plays in his final outing last weekend against the New Orleans Saints, but the Broncos opted to use that final roster spot elsewhere on the roster. He had the fifth-most passing yards and the sixth-highest passer rating (98.2) league-wide in the preseason. His solid performance could have earned him a roster spot elsewhere, but if not, the Broncos will happily take him back.
Read here to see all the roster cuts the Broncos made at the deadline.
