Sean Payton says Broncos are pleased after last-day roster process that produced initial 53-man roster and 17-man practice squad

The Denver Broncos’ roster foundation for the 2026 regular season is now set. In a post-cutdown update, head coach Sean Payton said he was “pleased with what transpired in the last 24 hours,” describing a hectic final stretch that included a series of roster moves, monitoring of waiver activity, and careful final assembly ahead of the league’s deadline.

Payton’s comments came after the Broncos finalized their initial 53-man roster following their last preseason game. The coaching staff and front office also continued to work the margins that typically determine how deep a team can be at key positions, particularly on special teams and along the back end of the depth chart.

According to the Broncos, the team’s process in the final day included multiple roster transactions and the practical work that follows cutdown weekend: watching for opportunities that can arise through waiver claims. For teams, this part of the process is often about keeping the best overall fit across roles, not simply filling a roster slot. A player’s practice habits, ability to contribute on special teams, and readiness to play multiple assignments can matter as much as the position designation on the depth chart.

Denver also confirmed that it assembled a 17-player practice squad. While the practice squad is not the same as the active roster, it functions as a reserve development and depth mechanism, allowing teams to keep additional players within the organization’s weekly preparation process. In many NFL seasons, practice-squad construction is viewed as an insurance policy for early-season injuries and for the inevitable tactical adjustments that occur once the regular season begins.

Payton and the Broncos framed the moment as a completion of the “foundation” work, with the head coach’s tone suggesting the team liked how the final day’s movement played out. The roster cutdown period is, by design, a series of decisions under time pressure, and the final 24 hours often include outcomes that are partially out of the club’s control, especially when other teams submit claims.

For Broncos supporters, the immediate takeaway is that Denver is entering the season with both its active identity and its developmental reserve group already in place. The next test will come once the team begins to fold practice-squad contributors into game planning routines and settles the weekly rhythm of which units look most stable, and which roles may require adjustment.

The only caveat with early cutdown reporting is that roster construction can still evolve through the regular season via additional transactions. The Broncos’ initial 53-man roster and practice squad are set for the start, but the NFL’s ecosystem ensures that depth charts are rarely static once injuries, matchup needs, and performance trends emerge.