NFL teams aren’t required to have an initial 53-man roster set until 2:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday, Aug. 29, but several clubs have already started making cuts, including the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos parted ways with five players on Sunday, the most notable player being wide receiver Kendall Hinton. He will now be subject to the NFL’s waiver wire and if he clears waivers, Hinton will presumably be a top candidate to remain in Denver on the practice squad.
Hinton, 26, became a household name during the 2020 COVID-19 season when he was called up from the practice squad as an emergency quarterback after all of the team’s QBs were deemed ineligible to play. Hinton struggled at QB but he became a fan favorite for his willingness to take on an impossible task.
Over the last two seasons, Hinton has played exclusively as a wide receiver, hauling in 39 receptions for 486 yards and one touchdown in 28 games (six starts). Hinton is entering his fourth season in the NFL.
If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to carlotta.olson@gazette.com at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability.
Tuesday
Four Year Strong — 6 p.m., Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St., Denver, $41 and up. Tickets: summitdenver.com.
The March Violets — With Die So Fluid, Wingtips, Void & Vela DJs, 8 p.m., HQ, 60 S. Broadway, Denver, $22 and up. Tickets: hqdenver.com.
Quickly, Quickly — With Plain Air & Snowflyer, 8 p.m., Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, $20.55-$23.55. Tickets: lost-lake.com.
“Shadow and Light: Patrick Marold” — Through Jan. 5, Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver, go online for prices; botanicgardens.org.
“Movements Toward Freedom” — Through Feb. 2, MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St., Denver, go online for admission prices; mcadenver.org.
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“Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak” — Through Feb. 17, 2025, Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway, Denver, go online for prices: denverartmuseum.org.
“De la Tierra: Reflections of Place in the Upper Río Grande” — Through May 23, History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway, Denver, go online for prices: historycolorado.org/exhibit/de-la-tierra.
The Denver Broncos dealt away Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday. (Photo by Hyoung … [+] Chang/The Denver Post)
Denver Post via Getty Images
Despite boasting a 5-4 record following Sunday’s blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the Denver Broncos surprised many on Monday by trading away pass rusher Baron Browning.
Denver dealt Browning to the Arizona Cardinals. NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report that the Broncos received a mere sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft for Browning.
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Browning, 25, was a third-round pick of the Broncos out of Ohio State back in 2021. He put up a combined 21 quarterback hits and 9.5 sacks in two seasons heading into the 2024 campaign.
The pass rusher took a step back this season before being dealt, recording just seven tackles without a sack in five games.
Whether this deal means that the Broncos plan on going into seller mode ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline remains to be seen. But rumors have pointed in this direction for some time. Sure, Denver is in the midst of a playoff race. But general manager George Paton as well as head coach Sean Payton are thinking more about the future than anything else.
That’s magnified by the decision to start rookie quarterback Bo Nix out of the gate this season.
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Three Players The Denver Broncos Could Move Ahead Of The NFL Trade Deadline
There are a number of players on Denver’s roster who would receive interest if put on the trade block over the next several hours.
Prior to moving Browning, the Broncos signed fellow edge rusher Jonathon Cooper to a four-year, $60 million contract. Could that have another player or two at this position headed out of town here soon? Here’s a look at some players the Broncos could consider moving soon.
Courtland Sutton, Wide Receiver
The Denver Broncos could trade Courtland Sutton within the next several hours. (Photo by Dustin … [+] Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sutton, 29, has been rumored to be on the trade block for some time now. Some of that included a contract stalemate between the former Pro Bowler and his team over the offseason.
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Sutton is set to become a free agent after next season and might not fit into the Broncos’ long-term plans. The only issue here would be moving Nix’s top target in the middle of the season.
ForbesNFL Trade Deadline: 5 Wide Receivers Who Could Be Moved, Including Cooper KuppBy Vincent Frank
If the Broncos do indeed put Sutton on the block, there is going to be a nice amount of interest in his services. Thus far this season, the former second-round pick from Southern Methodist has tallied 36 receptions for 499 yards with two touchdowns in nine games. The Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers are teams to watch.
D.J. Jones, Defensive Tackle
Broncos defensive tackle D.J. Jones could also be on the block. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver … [+] Post)
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Denver Post via Getty Images
Jones is yet another under-the-radar player who could be had ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline. The former San Francisco 49ers sixth-round pick has been a full-time starter since signing with Denver ahead of the 2022 season. He’s among the best run-stuffing defensive tackles in the game right now.
The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini reported recently that Denver will not move Jones. But that could change if the team receives a solid offer for the veteran. He’s been linked to his former 49ers team a lot in recent days. It certainly is something to keep an eye on.
Javonte Williams, Running Back
Javonte Williams could be a big name moved by the Denver Broncos ahead of the NFL trade deadline. … [+] (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Denver Post via Getty Images
Williams, 24, came to Denver with high expectations after the team exhausted a second-round pick on the North Carolina product back in 2021. Unfortunately, it has just not worked out for Williams in Mile High.
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He suffered a torn ACL four games into the 2022 campaign and has not returned to pre-injury form. Thus far this season, Williams is averaging just 3.8 yards per rush. In reality, it’s been a struggle in the Broncos’ backfield all year.
The backdrop here is Williams’ status as a free agent after the 2024 season. If Denver can get some draft capital for the still-young running back, it will have to think long and hard about dealing him.
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