As is their right under the new NFL collective bargaining agreement, the Denver Broncos have elevated two players off the practice squad to the gameday roster for Week 2. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Broncos have called up running back Damarea Crockett and offensive guard Austin Schlottmann.
This marks the second 'elevation' for Crockett this young season and it'll be the last one in which the Broncos won't have to expose him to the waiver wire afterward. Teams can 'elevate' any two players off the practice squad on gameday but there's a two-game limit of sorts.
After being 'elevated' the second time, the team must waive that player and he must pass through waivers unclaimed before he can be re-signed to the practice squad. This is Denver's last risk-free 'elevation' for Crockett but then again, the team isn't too worried about his services being in high demand across the league because he went unclaimed after the Broncos waived him in the final round of cuts.
Until Mike Boone gets healthy, the Broncos are likely to continue leaning on Crockett on gameday — primarily for his special teams acumen. The team's running back depth chart of Melvin Gordon, Javonte Williams, and Nate McCrary is more than enough to get by offensively on gameday but special teams needs its lynchpins.
As for Schlottmann, this elevation all but guarantees starting right guard Graham Glasgow — currently listed as doubtful for Week 2 — won't play in Jacksonville. Word on the street is that the second-year Netane Muti will start at right guard but if he should struggle against the Jaguars, the Broncos would prefer to turn to Schlottmann's veteran experience than be forced to rely on an even less experienced Quinn Meinerz to stop the gap.
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