3 cut candidates for Broncos' 53-man roster ahead of deadline ft. Eyioma Uwazurike

The Denver Broncos are getting ready for their last preseason game against the New Orleans Saints on Saturday. The team will look to continue their fine preseason form in that game, having won their first two games against the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals.

The Broncos have begun preparing to make difficult decisions as the regular season draws near. They will be reducing their roster from 90 players to 53 next week ahead of the Aug. 26 cutdown deadline.

Ahead of Saturday's preseason finale, we have compiled a list of three players who are most likely to be cut from the Broncos' roster.

3 cut candidates for Broncos' 53-man roster

#1. Damarri Mathis, cornerback

Pat Surtain, Riley Moss and rookie Jahdae Barron are the top three cornerbacks on the Denver Broncos roster. Considering that Reese Taylor, Ja'Quan McMillian and Kris Abrams-Draine are all still in the mix, it's difficult to see how Damarri Mathis will still fit into the 53-man roster.

Denver has had Mathis as a cornerback option since his rookie campaign in 2022, when he featured 16 times (11 starts) and recorded seven pass deflections and 65 tackles. Although he had reduced playing time in 2023, it wasn't until 2024 that he was surpassed for a primary cornerback role by Moss and Levi Wallace.

Mathis’ playing time in Denver has decreased in three years and his chances of making the roster got even slimmer since April when the team selected Barron with the 20th pick in the draft.

Additionally, the Broncos will get to save about $3 million if they cut the former Pittsburgh defensive back.

#2. Eyioma Uwazurike, defensive end

Eyioma Uwazurike will most likely not have a spot on the active roster if the Broncos decide to retain Jordan Jackson as their sixth defensive lineman alongside Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, D.J. Jones, Sai'vion Jones and Malcolm Roach.

Uwazurike has failed to impress since being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft, and he's likely at a disadvantage to make the roster ahead of Jackson at this point.

#3. Adam Prentice, full back

The Broncos have acquired fullback Adam Prentice. However, this signing seems to be a temporary measure to conclude the preseason rather than a long-term solution. The injuries to Nate Adkins and Michael Burton seem to be the sole reason the Broncos moved to sign the former Colorado State fullback.

The Broncos also brought in Prentice as an undrafted free agent in 2021 but they ultimately waived him when the time came to trim the roster down. He made 48 appearances (13 starts) during his time with the New Orleans Saints from 2021 to 2024, with 17 of those games coming last campaign.