Broncos’ most agonizing roster decision looming on 2026 cutdown day

George Paton has a tough task ahead of himself. The Denver Broncos general manager has to trim the team’s roster down to 53 players on Aug. 30, also known as cut-down day. That won’t be an easy task for Paton because Denver’s roster is loaded with talent. The GM will have to choose whether or not to keep three quarterbacks on the active roster. Bo Nix is the team’s leader, and he is backed up by Jarrett Stidham, but trying to risk squeezing Sam Ehlinger onto the practice squad could lead to another team scooping him up.

Paton also has to manage the off-ball linebacker and edge rusher spots. Inside linebacker is arguably the weakest position group on the team, and a number of players are fighting to earn a spot at LB. The edge rusher position is different. After a 68-sack season, the Broncos are loaded with pass rushers. That will lead to some really good players being cut, though, and there is still uncertainty regarding a potential Jonathon Cooper suspension.

No decisions regarding those position groups are what Paton has to dread most, though. So, what is the Broncos’ most agonizing roster decision for cut-down day?

The Broncos will have tough decisions to make at running back

The Broncos will have to make many tough cut-down decisions, but what they will do at running back is the biggest question. The team has what appears to be a potentially great three-headed monster. J.K. Dobbins has always been great when he’s been on the field, as was the case during his first season in Denver last year. However, injuries have proven to be an inevitability with Dobbins, and the Broncos need to prepare for situations where he can’t play.

Dobbins is backed up by two young ball carriers with loads of potential. RJ Harvey was with the team last year, and his big-play ability was evident right. Harvey wasn’t always efficient during his rookie season, though. The team then drafted Jonah Coleman in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Washington product was considered a perfect fit and a draft day steal by many, and he has reportedly been one of the biggest standouts of training camp. Coleman is also unproven and will surely have some rookie struggles in year one. Regardless, those three players will all be big parts of Sean Payton’s offense.

While there is talent and potential in this backfield, there is also inexperience and injury concerns. Rostering more than three running backs seems like a must, especially because it is unclear how much any of Dobbins, Harvey, and Coleman will play on special teams.

Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie are in a battle to earn the fourth the RB4 spot. McLaughlin is a speed threat who has become a fan favorite. He thrives as a pass catcher out of the backfield and as an outside-the-tackles speed back. Badie isn’t as flashy, but he has Payton’s trust. Badie is a versatile player who the Broncos have used in a number of ways, including in pass protection situations. He also has an edge when it comes to special teams talent, too.

However, reports suggest that Cody Schrader has outplayed the both of them during training camp, so he has to be considered for a roster spot, too. For peace of mind, Paton will hope that one ball carrier outshines the others during Denver’s final preseason game, but if that doesn’t happen, he will have a super hard choice in choosing who the final running back on the 53-man roster will be.

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