Monday afternoon, Gary Kubiak and his coaching staff are expected to release the 53-man depth chart that will show how the first team, second team and third team will look when the Denver Broncos take on the Seattle Seahawks this Friday in the preseason opener.
While there is likely not to be too many surprises on the depth chart, this is the first chance fans will have to get some understanding of the roster decisions Kubiak and the rest of the coaching staff are leaning towards.
Additionally, one of the best parts about training camp is to see which undrafted rookie has made a strong enough impression to get onto the 53-man roster. For the past 11 years, that’s been a given for the Broncos.
Every year since 2004, the Broncos have paced an undrafted rookie on their season opening 53-man roster. Two notable ones in recent history are Chris Harris Jr. (2011) and C.J. Anderson (2013).
Will the trend continue this year? Odds are high it will.
Joe Don Duncan, a 6-foot-4, 267-pound tightend/fullback, has consistently been turning heads throughout training camp, mainly for his versatility, toughness and size. A jack-of-all-trades type of player, Duncan can play multiple positions and that is a valuable asset for an NFL team. C.J. Anderson knows what its like to face long odds, but Duncan is taking advantage of his opportunity and as C.J. pointed out last week, “Joe Don, we were all waiting to see. And he hit somebody in the mouth today so were happy about that.” If 24-year-old Duncan can make the 53-man roster, he would be the seventh player from D-II School Dixie State University to make an NFL team roster.
Jordan Taylor is another undrafted rookie that has a chance at making the 53-man roster at the wide receiver position. Taylor was a standout receiver at Rice University and was on the 2014 preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list. At 6-foot-4 and 209-pounds, Taylor has great height for a wideout and throughout camp he has impressed coaches with his catching abilities and consistency. “You see him running past everybody… Jordan has such great length,” offensive coordinator Rick Dennison said. “If you throw it in his zip code he seems to be able to come down with it.” With the final wide receiver position up for grabs, 23-year-old Taylor has to like his chances of making the 53-man roster.
Dillon Day is a long shot, but would not be a complete shocker as well. At 6-foot-4, the 299-pound center/guard from Mississippi State is an interesting proposition and with the Broncos leaning towards Matt Paradis as the starter, that leaves an important back-up piece needed. The 23-year-old will be battling with Gino Gradkowski for the roster spot, and the coaches could give the spot to veteran center Gradkowski, meaning the practice squad would loom for Day.
For all these undrafted rookies, they are making the most of the opportunity given to them by the Broncos and have worked their tails off throughout training camp. Facing steep odds is what drives these guys and for some their NFL dream may continue with the Broncos.
For a more in-depth look at the expected Broncos depth chart, listen to the Danny and Cello from Mile High Sports AM 1340 as they make their depth chart predictions.
Listen to Dan Williams and Marcello Romano every weekday from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. on Mile High Sports AM 1340 or Listen Live anytime for the best local coverage of your favorite Colorado teams.
Sammy Mugharbil, a Mile high Sports intern and student at MSU-Denver contributed to this report