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Aug 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton during the national anthem against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Stability at Last: Broncos Carry Over 39 Players to 2025 Roster

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Erick Trickel | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 9:40 PM ET

With the Denver Broncos setting their initial 53-man roster, it reflected a personnel strength that they haven’t had in years. It is a testament to GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton's work in rebuilding the Broncos' roster, as 39 of the 53 players on the initial 53-man squad were also on the 2024 roster.

From 2020 to 2024, 33 players were the most that Denver carried over on the initial 53-man roster year-to-year. That spanned from 2020 to 2021 and from 2021 to 2022. When Payton took over in 2023, only 27 players carried over from the year prior. That number climbed to 30 for Payton's second year as head coach.

What makes it even more notable is that some of the ‘new’ players on the Broncos' 53-man roster were actually with the team last season but didn’t make the initial 53-man roster. Running back Tyler Badie and outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman, the two players who fit that category, still help bolster the continuity of this team, despite not making the initial 2024 active roster.

That would mean 41 of the 53 players on the Broncos' initial roster were with the team last year, and even played snaps for them, with Badie being a spark in the run game before he got hurt in Week 4, and Tillman contributing five sacks as an undrafted rookie. Having this kind of continuity for a team is rare, let alone for one that many considered to be rebuilding a year ago.

Of the remaining 12 players new to the Broncos' roster, seven of them are rookies with six draft picks and one undrafted free agent. As a team looking to compete for the Super Bowl and preparing to begin the process of losing players due to cap restrictions, this is exactly what the Broncos need.

There are big expectations for this rookie class, with significant roles for most of them, though only punter Jeremy Crawshaw, whom Payton defended in his post-cut press conference, is expected to start out of the gates. The Broncos could still see cornerback Jahdae Barron and running back RJ Harvey emerge as starters, with wide receiver Pat Bryant, defensive lineman Sai’vion Jones, and outside linebacker Que Robinson filling out key roles at their respective positions.

The rest of the new faces are key signings, and all are expected to be starters in some capacity. Obviously, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga, and tight end Evan Engram are key starters that were desperately needed. Even then, the other two signings will likely be considered starters, with J.K. Dobbins the likely top running back, and wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr a core special teams player.

Of course, this is only the Broncos' initial 53-man roster. In the NFL, a roster is never truly finalized.

Teams add players throughout the season to cover for injuries, as well as cut players who initially make the team but are eclipsed by others on the roster. There are also potential changes to come from waiver wire claims or signings of players cut from other teams in the initial cutdown.