Polumbus is going to the practice squad, no way they keep ten on the roster, I think Russel makes it and Colbert is cut, also I think Jackson is cut after week two sincge Marshall will be back. I have Clemmons and Peterson as DT and not McKinley or Carrington. As much as I like Larson, I think he will be a practice squad guy. And as much as I would love it if they washed their hands of Ramsey, unless they sign some other vet (Culpepper or maybe McNown if he gets released from Miami), then I think he has a job for this year.

to save a spot for the oft-forgotten Mike Leach at, unless you think we’re willing to risk leaving the long-snapping to someone else. He always messes up my numbers game…

Broncos never keep more than 8. I agree that Polumbus looks good for the PS, and either Nalen or Wiegmann leaves (Wiegmann if Nalen is healthy). If Wiegmann goes, he’ll probably hang around out there in case we need him.
I look at the wide outs, and after Marshall, Stokely, and Royal, I don’t see a thing. I’d go with just four of them (five until Marshall comes back) and keep 5 tight ends – Graham, Scheffler, Jackson, Mustard and Leach as the LS. Jackson and Scheffler are almost as fast as a wide out.
I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again – I don’t see Pittman making the team. Broncos usually keep just five RB’s, and with Sapp, Hillis, Young, Hall and Alridge, we have a good blend of size and speed. I like Pittman, but there’s a reason Tampa let him go in the off season. He hasn’t shown me a thing as a Bronco.
Ramsey will make the team for one more year. He’s the current incarnation of Steve Beurlein/Danny Kanell.
I hope Spenser Larsen can make it past waivers and go to the PS – he made some nice plays against the Packers.

Actually, right now he’s got the nod over Scheffler. He’s second on the depth chart behind Graham, and it’s he, not Scheffler, who comes in when we run two tight end sets. Either way you’re probably right about Mustard. He’s out unless we keep four tight ends plus the long snapper.

From the list I get the feeling that the following three

Kory Lichtensteiger/Tyler Polumbus
Spencer Larsen
Darrell Hackney

hit the practice squad (Tyler or Kory depends on the health of Pears / Nalen)
The other falls into the active 53.

I’m going for the broncos keeping an extra TE, DT and the mercurial mike leach on the active roster as well.

I’m quite torn about rusell as from the limited play I’ve seen he has done a better job than kolbert and martinez (imho) but I’m unsure if that translates into “show time” production.

If i had to go for a surprise cut I’d be looking at Cecil Sapp with the possibility of using a TE out of the backfield to supplement/spell Hillis

to get to 53. The first cut is the third QB. It’ll probably be Cutler and Ramsey. I agree with AlleyCat that Sapp might be a surprise cut. In that case they’d start Pittman and groom Hillis at FB, with Pittman also backing up Hall as the short yardage back. In that scenario they’d keep Alridge, too, since RB is a high-injury position and you like to have good runners to spare. I don’t see us keeping Martinez at WR, and Colbert might be out also. I agree with Broncoman that Russell is probably in but no way are they going to cut Jackson. Also agree about Clemons and Peterson vs. McKinley and Carrington. If Colbert gets cut that puts us at 53, but are we really likely to keep 10 o-linemen? Maybe 9, and if so Lichtensteiger because he’s looked promising so far and we really, really have to get serious about having somebody ready when Nalen and Weigman reach the end of the road. That’d put Polumbus on the practice squad this year and possibly the 53-man roster next year. That puts us at one under, probably opening up an additional slot at DT for McKinley. If we keep only four CBs it’s probably Williams vs. Paymah, but in this scenario we have room for five. Barrett looks safe at safety. That’s 53, I think.. One additional player will have a week’s grace or two until B-Marsh is reinstated. Colbert? I think Kern is the punter. I hope you’re right that we keep both Larsen and Woodyard at LB. If so that would put the capstone on another successful draft (including UFAs) with a continuing infusion of young blood.

I think Spencer Larsen is the only draft pick that might get through waivers and be signed to the PS. As to the CFA’s, I’m afraid that Alridge and Woodyard might get snatched. So, that’s a lot of non-starting youngsters taking up a roster spot, and that’s why I don’t think Pittman makes the team. Sapp will make it over Pittman because he’s played the FB position for a few years now, and he’s great on special teams.

My understanding is that the emergency QB is allowed in order to supplement the ‘active list,’ in other words there would be 7 players rather than 8 on the inactive list for each week and one of those would be the E.B. QB. The emergency QB is designated as such and can only enter the game if the 1st and 2nd string QBs are injured. Neither of them can then return to action during that game.

The 53 man squad consists of all the players who are eligible to be active on any given week, including the 7 (when there’s an E.B. QB) or 8 that are designated as inactive for that week. I’m not aware of who the Broncos would designate as the EB QB. I doubt they’ll carry a 3rd string QB so the question is probably moot.

I’d be interested to hear if the situation is different than I’ve described. The NFL hasn’t done a very good job of listing this information on their site so we’re dependent on other fans — often — to clarify these issues.

Also — we can pull Torain, Powell and Marshall off the 53 man squad and list them separately since they don’t count against the 53 man squad until they’re eligible; Marshall after his suspension, Powell next year, and Torain after his required 6-week stay on the PUP list, which also includes an added period up to 3 weeks to evaluate his condition.