Your 2009 Denver Broncos Starting Line Up - v4.0 Final Predictions

Since the end of April, just after the draft, I have been monitoring the potential 53 man roster that the Broncos will start the season with.  Obviously, 5 months of practices and training and injuries has changed the roster quite considerably since the first time I made the predictions.  So now I am bringing together all 3 previous rosters with a prediction on how the final roster will look when the last round of cuts are made.  (Read left to right form version 1 to 4)

Special Teams

Kern
Prater
Paxton

These three have been every presents on all three of the roster predictions and there is no reason to change that now with the release of Britton Colquitt.  From the reviews of his play I have read, I am sure he will find another team somewhere in the NFL and if not, he's a good candidate to keep around - if the Broncos feel they can use a practise squad spot on a punter.

Cornerbacks and Safeties

I've had Josh Barrett in and out of the roster and I still think he's on the edge of the it.  But my argument to keep him comes in three strands.

• He's a stand out special teams player and Coach McDaniels has mentioned that he is not adverse to keeping players who excel on Special Teams
• His work at LB in Nickel Packages is the versatility he needs to show which will keep him on the roster.  Being able to cover Gates and Miller will make him a bonus on passing downs.
• He player well in his games in his first season and although he is practice squad eligible, he will probably not clear waivers.  And most importantly, there isn't a better player to take his spot.

Inside Linebackers

Only 4 to make the final roster?  Yes, I think so.  Both Nick Griesen and Boss Bailey have held down spots on this list but injuries have put paid to their spots.  My argument for keeping four inside linebackers is simple, I have Josh Barrett and Mario Haggan on the roster and in an emergency either of those can fill an inside linebacker spot in the middle of game.  Keeping a 5th, like CFA Lee Robinson wouldn't surprise me but I don't think it would be at the expense of one of these 4.  I think to keep a 5th ILB, the Broncos are going to have to release a player from another position.

Outside Linebackers / Defensive Ends

Oh Jarvis Moss.  I'd like to put you on this list, I really would.  But to get on the final roster of 53, I have to ask myself this question, who out of the 53 I have picked who would I leave off?  The improved play of Mario Haggan has squeezed Moss out of my roster.  Leaving the final OLB position down to a shoot out between Moss and Crowder.  I think Crowder certainly has the edge given the comments and articles I have read about coming out of camp.  I wouldn't be surprised to see him make the roster, in fact I'd be a happy if Moss was on it but I just can't find a spot in 53 players for him.

Defensive Line

Defensive line has always been difficult to call.  Probably only Peterson, Fields, McBean and Smith are sure of their places on the roster.  Chris Baker is probably the next in line - he's put in some quality pre-season numbers and I have yet to hear anyone say a bad word about his play on the field.  Thomas and Clemons could easily be Askew, Powell or Pedescleaux.  I would like Carlton Powell to make the roster, mainly because he seems like a stand up guy - since he lost last year to injury he is eligible for the practice squad and if he does clear waivers and gets picked up on there, I don't think he'll be there for long, there will be teams looking for Tackles and I would imagine he'll be on an NFL roster sooner rather than later - even if its not with the Broncos.

Quarterback

Barring any injury / PUP moves, all three Quaterbacks make the roster.  With injury questions hanging over 2/3rds of the QB roster, I wouldn't be surprised if the Broncos jiggled around with the injury allowances and Ingle Martin got into the squad.  However, I'm not really up to speed with what they could do regarding injuries so I will call it straight and predict the three of them to stay on the roster.

Offensive Line

The release of Blake Schlueter will probably lead to him being re-signed to the practice squad.  As for Kory Lichtensteiger, it doesn't look good.  Olsen seems to have passed him as first reserve at Guard and Hamilton slides across to Center when Wiegmann has missed time in camp and when a team trades a draft pick for a player who is going to be a reserve but in your position it doesn't really look good.  The reserve tackle spot will be interesting to watch.  I haven't seen any of the 2nd and 3rd team offense this year, apart from highlights (or should that be lowlights!) so its tough to call between Polumbus and Gorin or any of the others.

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends

Probably the most settled spot on the roster.  I have Brandon Marshall on here.  He's a Bronco at the moment and until he's not a Bronco, he's on my roster.  If he were to be traded then obviously the entire make up of the roster could change.  But until there's any official word, he stays on the roster.

Running Backs

Darius Walker takes the last roster spot because of some excellent pre-season work.  I can't see Jordan being cut because there really isn't anyone else to take his spot.  Unless the Broncos are keen to keep an extra wide receiver, like Nate Swift, then I predict five running backs.  The roster in this spot could also be a bit more fluid and depends on what happens on the defensive side of the ball.  If the Broncos feel that they need to keep Lee Robinson that would free up Spencer Larsen to take on a bit more offensive work and that would probably be at the expense of Walker.

Practice Squad Possibles

The practice squad can be made up of 8 players - here's the Wikipedia Entry

Both rookies and young veterans are eligible for the practice squad. However, a player cannot participate on the practice squad for more than three seasons, or if he has accrued a year of NFL experience (six or more games on a club's 53-man active roster or official Injure Reserve list.) If the player was on the active list for fewer that 9 games during their "only Accrued Season(s)", they maintain their eligibility for the practice squad

If I had to pick from the players on the Broncos current roster that may end up on the practice squad, I'd say

• Schlueter
• Powell
• Pedescleaux
• Robinson

And they'd be joined by a 4 players released by other clubs in areas of need for the Broncos.

So what do you think?  I am planning on coming back and scoring my predictions next week once the final roster is released.