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According to The Athletics Nicki Jhabvala and The Denver Posts Ryan O’Halloran, running back De’Angelo Henderson and rookie linebacker Jeff Holland are already generating interest from other teams.
The Broncos have to trim their roster from 90 players to 53 players at the end of the week so nuggets like this are interesting.
So has undrafted OLB Jeff Holland, I’m told. https://t.co/Y75gTLzz7E
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 27, 2018
Henderson is entering his second season in the league after going in the sixth-round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He made the squad last season after having an impressive preseason but only played sparingly during the regular season. He totaled 7 carries for 13 yards while hauling in 2 receptions for 36 yards and 1 touchdown. He has looked promising whenever he has hit the field, but he has not been given much of a chance to showcase what he can do.
To make matters worse for Henderson, the Broncos drafted Royce Freeman in the third-round and Dave Williams in the 7th round of the 2018 NFL Draft. They also added rookie Phillip Lindsay as an undrafted free agent into the mix as well. It appears at least two of these three rookie backs have surpassed Henderson on the depth chart and he is competing with Dave Williams for that final roster spot at running back.
Now with Henderson either potentially on the outs or on the bubble, teams are already expressing interest in the second-year back. If the Broncos are planning on waiving Henderson during the cuts, they could try to work out a trade with one of these teams. Much like they did with Ty Sambrailo last season. Or, this news could work in Henderson’s favor. They may have been hoping he could slip through waivers and land on their Practice Squad. This news that teams are already expressing interest could help keep him on the Broncos 53-man roster.
The roster crunch is always a tough one and it could be an interesting week for Henderson.
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As for Holland, I am not surprised teams are already expressing interest. Most pundits believed he would go in the 3rd or 4th rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft, but for some reason, Holland went undrafted. The Broncos quickly swooped in and signed Holland to an undrafted contract and bolstered the teams already deep edge rushing unit.
Holland has had a solid preseason but also faces the same roster crunch that Henderson and many others are facing. He has the likes of All-Pro Von Miller, fifth-overall pick Bradley Chubb, former first-round pick Shane Ray, and Shaquil Barrett ahead of him. So playing time will be hard to find for Holland which makes his roster spot questionable at best. You can never have enough edge rushers, but again, the roster crunch is tough and Holland could be on the outs. However, much like Henderson, the news that teams are already showing interest could force their hand a bit here and keep him on the 53.
Watch Henderson have a better career than Booker after the Broncos release him https://t.co/3Q6NYTod33
— Sigmund Bloom (@SigmundBloom) August 27, 2018
Personally, I like Holland’s odds much better than Henderson. Talented pass rushers are never easy to find and backs like Henderson are for a lack of a better term, a dime a dozen and much easier to find and replace.
Both talented young players are on the roster bubble and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out for them and many other Broncos in the coming days.