Broncos roster review: Safety Trey Marshall

The Denver Broncos have proved they can find contributors out of the undrafted pool of college free agents each year. In 2018, they added to that list when they picked up safety Trey Marshall after a stellar career at Florida State.

#36 Trey Marshall
Age 24. 6’0”, 207 lbs.
College: Florida State

Marshall spent his rookie season on the Broncos practice squad, but found opportunities to contribute heavily in his second season due to injuries. However, his play on special teams was how he made the most of his opportunities in 2019.

The good

He has worked hard all along the way and when he finally got a chance to play 100% of the snaps on defense, he made a lot of the plays the team needed to win those games. He started and played every snap during the Broncos final two games of 2019 with Kareem Jackson out.

Marshall piled up 9 tackles against the Detroit Lions as the team swept to a 27-17 home win, then he added another 7 tackles in the season finale against the Oakland, now Las Vegas Raiders. He added a forced fumble and fumble recovery in the teams 16-15 win to close out the season.

Jackson was impressed with Marshall’s play in those final two games.

“[When I was] out those last two games, I think he stepped in,” Jackson said of Marshall in early May. “I think he did some good stuff. I think he showed some signs. With him playing the way he did those two games, that would probably be the reason we didn’t sign or draft anybody.”

He had contributed heavily on special teams all season, but his ability to come in and hold down the safety position in those final two games likely assures him a roster spot in the upcoming season as a backup on defense.

The bad

It’s hard to say anything bad about Marshall’s game. He came in as an undrafted free agent and found a way to move himself into a strong position to backup the teams starters at the safety position. For a guy who came into the NFL as a long shot to even make a roster, he is already succeeding well beyond those expectations.

Final word

I think Trey Marshall has already proven he’s got game in the NFL and, as a fan, I feel comfortable having a guy like Marshall backing up Jackson and Justin Simmons heading into the 2020 offseason. While there is no guarantee Marshall will keep that spot, he has a leg up on the competition given he has already proven to this coaching staff that they can rely on him in a pinch.