The Denver Broncos are set to take on the San Francisco 49ers in preseason action on “Monday Night Football” this evening. Time is starting to run out for the players sitting on the team’s roster bubble.
Here are four guys that need to have a strong performance in this game in order to either keep their name on that bubble or start to move further from it and closer to the 53-man roster.
1. Devontae Booker
If not now, when?
The handwriting may already be on the wall for Booker, but the injury to Theo Riddick kept the door open for him at least a crack. That said, he must make some plays.
He’s been anything but impressive during his time with the team and that time is all but up, if it’s not already out.
2. Jamal Carter
Once a safety, Carter is moving to inside linebacker, a spot where the Broncos can use all the help they can get. This is an interesting move and one that will be something to keep a close eye on in this game.
But Carter will have to prove he can make a seamless transition in a short amount of time or the team will move on from him.
3. Trinity Benson
There were plenty of rants and raves regarding Benson when camp first opened, but those have died down to nothing more than a whimper as Benson hasn’t done much in preseason games.
Unless the coaching staff wants to hide his ability as a return man from other teams, he has yet to return a kick or punt in the preseason. During those preseason games, he has caught exactly one pass.
As a result, a spot on the practice squad is much more likely than a spot on the main roster at this point.
4. George Aston
Aston has a huge opportunity due to the injury to Andy Janovich but the team could still opt to use one of its tight ends, such as Troy Fumagalli, at fullback as a stopgap until Janovich can make it back.
A fullback is important in Denver’s offense and in the case of Janovich, he’s a big part of the team’s special teams unit. Aston should get significant snaps in this game and will have the chance to all but earn a roster spot with a solid performance.
Though Janovich is a big fan favorite, Aston is a player that no one should sleep on.
