The Denver Broncos signed safety Jim Leonhard and linebacker Keith Brooking a couple of weeks ago to provide some depth and veteran leadership, but there’s no guarantee that they are going to make this team. In fact, if you just simply look at the roster and the numbers game, both are going to have a difficult time making the final roster.
Let’s start with Leonhard, who is coming back from a horrible knee injury and battling for one of the safety spots. The problem is that there are four players who have all ready locked up spots at that position, including Mike Adams, Rahim Moore, Quinton Carter and David Bruton. Adams, Moore and Carter will play most of the time once the regular season begins and Bruton is one of the team’s best on special teams. It’s possible that the Broncos could keep five safeties, but with some tough decisions at other positions, it seems unlikely. The biggest thing Leonhard has going for him is that he is an accomplished punt returner and that’s an area of need for the Broncos.
Brooking’s problem is that he was hurt in his second practice and still has not returned from a hamstring injury. If the Broncos aren’t able to see what Brooking has left, if anything, then they are probably going to go with younger players. In looking at the numbers at linebacker, there are six who are going to make this team without including Brooking or the suspended DJ Williams. They are Joe Mays, Von Miller, Wesley Woodyard, Mike Mohamed, Nate Irving and Danny Trevathan. Again with the battles at other positions, it is difficult to see the Broncos keeping more than six linebackers. The one reason to keep Brooking would be his leadership for a group that is fairly young, but if he can’t play, that’s not enough to keep him on the 53-man roster.
It is possible that one or both could still make the final roster for the Broncos, but don’t be surprised if we never see Leonhard or Brooking line up in a regular season game.
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