Broncos add DB Sam Webb after tryout, waive CB Blake Cotton with injury designation

The Denver Broncos made a minor roster adjustment on the eve of training camp opening, signing defensive back Sam Webb after he impressed the team during a tryout and waiving cornerback Blake Cotton with an injury designation, according to Yahoo Sports. The timing suggests Denver used the final hours before camp procedures to finalize early depth in the defensive back room.

Webb’s addition follows a tryout that reportedly happened earlier the same day. In camp terms, that means the organization saw enough in either coverage instincts, physical traits, communication, or camp-day execution to justify adding him to the roster rather than waiting for a later signing window. For fringe defensive backs, tryout-to-contract transitions often hinge on how quickly a player can pick up scheme and look comfortable lining up across multiple coverage looks.

Cotton’s waiver with an injury designation indicates the Broncos are proceeding with roster management while accounting for a player’s health status. While an injury designation does not automatically end a player’s chances, it usually affects how quickly a team can keep evaluating the player and how other teams might claim him. Denver will now move forward with the remaining corner depth as camp begins, and it will also determine whether Cotton clears waivers or lands elsewhere.

For the Broncos, moves like this are part of a larger camp pattern: trimming and reshaping the bottom end of the roster so the coaching staff can focus reps on established players and the most promising spring-to-summer performers. Even though the transaction is not framed as a major overhaul, it can influence practice competition, especially in the nickel and sub-packages where defensive backs must be ready to rotate quickly based on formation and down-and-distance.

The practical question going forward is what Webb provides once formal practices start. Tryout signees often face a steep learning curve, but if they can earn consistent reps early, they can quickly become part of camp’s rotation as teams settle depth-chart questions. Meanwhile, Cotton’s next step will depend on whether Denver’s injury designation holds through the waiver process and whether he can return to football activity on the expected timeline.

As training camp progresses, Denver’s defensive back performance and the way coaches shuffle second-team matchups should clarify how these two names fit. The Webb signing is the immediate “what’s next” for Denver’s depth, while Cotton’s situation is the watch item for the broader player market and the Broncos’ health-driven roster planning.