Ranking UDFA Chances of Making the Team

[Idiot_Kicker]

Once again, the Broncos front office did a great job of bringing in undrafted players with a serious chance of making the team and developing into players that can help the team down the road.

Here's my take on what their chances look like.

1) OLB/DE Lerentee McCray, 6'3"-251, Florida
If you check out his Youtube highlights, McCray lines up alot as a true DE in pass rush situations, but at the same time has been credited for having the ability to drop into coverage. With his size and physicality, McCray could serve as an understudy to Shaun Phillips and fill a similar role after Phillips is gone.

2) RB CJ Anderson, 5'9"-224, CAL
Anderson has a bowling ball type build that has served other late round picks well. He is also very tough with a special teams mentality. CAL backs typically come NFL ready, so I give him a punchers chance to make the team with a PS spot all but assured.

3) OG/OT Manase Foketi, 6'5"-320, West Texas A&M
Foketi was a good player on a very good K St team when he injured his achillies tendon and had to transfer. He has already taken some reps at LT in OTA's, and has played four of the five O-line positions, so his versatility could give him an edge.

4) TE Lucas Reed, 6'6"-245, New Mexico
With his size, wingspan and NFL bloodlines, Reed could surprise and take a roster spot, especially if Joel Dreessen is not ready come TC

5) WR Lamaar Thomas, 6'0"-185, New Mexico
5a) WR Quincy McDuffie, 5'10"-178, Central Florida
Both players are speed guys who excel with the ball in their hands. McDuffie could develop into one of the best kick returners in the game if he can find a way to stick around long enough, and Lamaar Thomas was once a 5-star recruit for Ohio St that has legit RAC skills.

6) P Ryan Doerr, 6'3"190, Kansas St
Doerr could surprise and make life uncomfortable for Britton Colquitt. Colquitt is once of many contracts the Broncos will have to deal with again after the season, so if Doerr shows he can handle the job, they may choose to solve the punter question for the future now

7) NT Romney Fuga, 6'2"-320, BYU
A tough, hard-nosed NT that stuffed the run on one of the best collegiate defenses in the CBA last season

8) DB Aaron Hester, 6'1"-207, UCLA
Appears to be a CB/S 'tweener that has a nose for the ball. Is big enough to be a physical presence in nickel and dime sets

9) OLB Uona Kaveinga, 5'11"-235, BYU
Another player from a tough BYU defense with some 3-4 experience. Best chance is to be a trained killer on special teams

10) QB Ryan Katz, 6'1"-217, San Diego St
Has enough skills to warrant keeping an eye on. Will likely have to beat out Zac Dysert to even make the PS, but you never know

The rest of the players seem to be long shots at the very best

[JaysusCutler]

We're too deep all across the roster for any to make it this year, at least it appears that way. Barring injuries, none of those guys will be higher than the PS in 2013.

[samparnell]

These are very good football players. Depending on how TC and preseason go, they could get a roster spot or all might all end up on the PS.

McCray would need to crack into the current seven who are expected to make the Backer Corps: Irving, Johnson, Bradley, Woodyard, Trevathan, Miller and Phillips.

Anderson is in the same boat trying to beat out one of: Moreno, Hillman, M.Ball and Hester.

Either Foketi or Painter have a shot at a roster spot, but I'm inclined to doubt they both make it. Foketi taking reps at T runs counter to scouts projecting him as an NFL G. Personally, I like Tackle/Guards; guys like Dave Diehl who can play both. If Foketi and Painter can play T, they can certainly play G. Manny's not a T, but apparently he can play C. I'm inclined to think that Foketi and Painter have significantly more upside than Clark. The coaches will be evaluating that during TC. It might be possible to stash Foketi on the PS, but not Painter (who I realize is not an UDFA).

Before 2012, Lucas Reed was considered a good receiver. During 2012 he did a ton of blocking in UNM's new Pistol offense. Now he is a much better all around TE. However, the presence of Dreessen, Green, Thomas and Tamme might send him to the PS, too.

Denver's PS will be very good this year, and will make great scout team players.

[Idiot_Kicker]

We're too deep all across the roster for any to make it this year, at least it appears that way. Barring injuries, none of those guys will be higher than the PS in 2013.

I disagree, with my money on McCray to make the team and continue the UDFA streak...and I could even envision a scenario where as many as four UDFA's make it with Foketi, Reed and Doerr sticking if things break the right way...ie Doerr is very good in camp and the Broncos see him as a legit replacement for Colquitt...Foketi would have been drafted if not for his injury and having to transfer out of K State...if Virgil Green and Julius Thomas really come on, and Tamme is Tamme, Joel Dreessen could be expendable for the future if Reed flashes...all of this, and that's not even factoring in CJ Anderson at RB

Odds are against all of these things happening, but for me, that what makes TC so interesting

[-Rod-]

Lerentee McCray has a chance. He has the size and athletic ability to be a natural backup for Von Miller at SLB. Even if he stays behind Shaun Phillips, he can make the roster as the 7th LB and play on special teams. I don't consider Joe Mays and Stewart Bradley as players with safe spots. I have 6 LBs: Miller, Irving, Woodyard, Trevathan, Phillips and Steven Johnson. If there is a 7th spot at LB, McCray can take it.

Lucas Reed has a very small chance, but a better chance than the rest. The team only has 5 TEs and 4 were carried last season. Reed is 6'6" and he came from a run-heavy offense, so he must know something about run blocking. I still haven't seen anything from Julius Thomas in real games and Dreessen is a 30-year old TE coming from knee surgery. Very small chance. He'll probably compete for a spot on the PS.

The other guys: 0% unless we're hit by the injury bug. I don't see how any of the other UDFAs can make the roster under normal circumstances. I don't even know why players like Ryan Katz and Ryan Doerr are on the roster. I think it's a waste of time - my humble opinion. Osweiler and Dysert need a ton of reps during this camp. Do you think Katz will make any throw during preseason? I see Colquitt as one of the best punters in the league. Young, cheap and efficient.

[broncos SB2010]

I think the UDFA most likely to make the 53 man roster is CJ Anderson.

The P and QB just don't stand a chance against their competition, barring injury.

1) OLB/DE Lerentee McCray, is competing against Philips, Malik Jackson, and Q. Smith...I don't like his chances.

2) RB CJ Anderson, CJ will be competing for the lone open RB spot and his main competition will be Hester and Lance Ball. They may not keep a FB this year and CJ has a similar body type to lance but is 6 years younger. He has good vision, can catch the ball, and ran well in outside zone runs which the Broncos will be featuring more this season. I wouldn't be surprised to see him make the final roster.

3) OG/OT Manase Foketi, will be competing with Painter, Blake, Saulsberry and Boren, for that last Oline spot. That's pretty stiff competition for 1 spot.

4) TE Lucas Reed, The only way I can see him making the team is if one of the other guys gets injured. They might only keep 3 TE as it is.

5) WR Lamaar Thomas, 6'0"-185, New Mexico
5a) WR Quincy McDuffie, 5'10"-178, Central Florida
The WR position is pretty wide open at the bottom of the depth chart. Welker, DT, decker, Holliday will all make it but the 1 or 2 spots after them is a crap shoot. McDuffie could make it as a return guy but he is too simialar to Holliday, imo, for them to keep both of them.


7) NT Romney Fuga, This guy also has a chance to make it, imo, the top 3 are Sly, Knighton, and Vickerson but the next spot is open between Siliga, Unrein, and Fuga so anything can happen there.

8) DB Aaron Hester, Again, the top 3 spots are clear...Champ, harris, and DRC. After that it will come down to Bolden, Webster, Butler, Carter, and Hester for 2 spots. My bet is on Bolden and Webster to be those 2 guys but you just never know.

9) OLB Uona Kaveinga, he will be competing with Trevathan at WOLB...I don't see that happening at all, Trevathan played very well last year.

[broncos SB2010]

Lerentee McCray has a chance. He has the size and athletic ability to be a natural backup for Von Miller at SLB. Even if he stays behind Shaun Phillips, he can make the roster as the 7th LB and play on special teams. I don't consider Joe Mays and Stewart Bradley as players with safe spots. I have 6 LBs: Miller, Irving, Woodyard, Trevathan, Phillips and Steven Johnson. If there is a 7th spot at LB, McCray can take it.

Lucas Reed has a very small chance, but a better chance than the rest. The team only has 5 TEs and 4 were carried last season. Reed is 6'6" and he came from a run-heavy offense, so he must know something about run blocking. I still haven't seen anything from Julius Thomas in real games and Dreessen is a 30-year old TE coming from knee surgery. Very small chance. He'll probably compete for a spot on the PS.

The other guys: 0% unless we're hit by the injury bug. I don't see how any of the other UDFAs can make the roster under normal circumstances. I don't even know why players like Ryan Katz and Ryan Doerr are on the roster. I think it's a waste of time - my humble opinion. Osweiler and Dysert need a ton of reps during this camp. Do you think Katz will make any throw during preseason? I see Colquitt as one of the best punters in the league. Young, cheap and efficient.

I think it's good to have another punter in camp. I like Colquitt quite a bit you should never let them get complacent plus he will have to kick half the time which will keep him fresher and less chance of injury.

[bronx_2003]

I think the UDFA most likely to make the 53 man roster is CJ Anderson.

The P and QB just don't stand a chance against their competition, barring injury.

1) OLB/DE Lerentee McCray, is competing against Philips, Malik Jackson, and Q. Smith...I don't like his chances.

2) RB CJ Anderson, CJ will be competing for the lone open RB spot and his main competition will be Hester and Lance Ball. They may not keep a FB this year and CJ has a similar body type to lance but is 6 years younger. He has good vision, can catch the ball, and ran well in outside zone runs which the Broncos will be featuring more this season. I wouldn't be surprised to see him make the final roster.

3) OG/OT Manase Foketi, will be competing with Painter, Blake, Saulsberry and Boren, for that last Oline spot. That's pretty stiff competition for 1 spot.

4) TE Lucas Reed, The only way I can see him making the team is if one of the other guys gets injured. They might only keep 3 TE as it is.

5) WR Lamaar Thomas, 6'0"-185, New Mexico
5a) WR Quincy McDuffie, 5'10"-178, Central Florida
The WR position is pretty wide open at the bottom of the depth chart. Welker, DT, decker, Holliday will all make it but the 1 or 2 spots after them is a crap shoot. McDuffie could make it as a return guy but he is too simialar to Holliday, imo, for them to keep both of them.


7) NT Romney Fuga, This guy also has a chance to make it, imo, the top 3 are Sly, Knighton, and Vickerson but the next spot is open between Siliga, Unrein, and Fuga so anything can happen there.

8) DB Aaron Hester, Again, the top 3 spots are clear...Champ, harris, and DRC. After that it will come down to Bolden, Webster, Butler, Carter, and Hester for 2 spots. My bet is on Bolden and Webster to be those 2 guys but you just never know.

9) OLB Uona Kaveinga, he will be competing with Trevathan at WOLB...I don't see that happening at all, Trevathan played very well last year.

I would be shocked if King doesn't make the roster

[broncos SB2010]

I would be shocked if King doesn't make the roster

I agree but so far none of the new WR have proven anything and anything can happen.

[crash123go]

These are very good football players. Depending on how TC and preseason go, they could get a roster spot or all might all end up on the PS.

McCray would need to crack into the current seven who are expected to make the Backer Corps: Irving, Johnson, Bradley, Woodyard, Trevathan, Miller and Phillips.

Anderson is in the same boat trying to beat out one of: Moreno, Hillman, M.Ball and Hester.

Either Foketi or Painter have a shot at a roster spot, but I'm inclined to doubt they both make it. Foketi taking reps at T runs counter to scouts projecting him as an NFL G. Personally, I like Tackle/Guards; guys like Dave Diehl who can play both. If Foketi and Painter can play T, they can certainly play G. Manny's not a T, but apparently he can play C. I'm inclined to think that Foketi and Painter have significantly more upside than Clark. The coaches will be evaluating that during TC. It might be possible to stash Foketi on the PS, but not Painter (who I realize is not an UDFA).

Before 2012, Lucas Reed was considered a good receiver. During 2012 he did a ton of blocking in UNM's new Pistol offense. Now he is a much better all around TE. However, the presence of Dreessen, Green, Thomas and Tamme might send him to the PS, too.

Denver's PS will be very good this year, and will make great scout team players.

Moreno, Hillman, montee and Hester have all made the team already. Anderson is competing with lance ball and JJ to make the team

[crash123go]

I would be shocked if King doesn't make the roster

Draft picks will make the team unless he is absolutely the worst WR ever drafted

[bronx_2003]

In order, I think these have the best chance of making the final 53.

1) OG/OT Manase Foketi, 6'5"-320, West Texas A&M

I was a huge fan of his in college and think we got a steal. He is very versatile and could easily beat out Ramirez, Saulsberry, CJ Davis and Blake.....who is already almost 30 and coming off a bad injury. I like Foketi's upside more. I think he will make the final roster.

2) RB CJ Anderson, 5'9"-224, CAL

Straight shoot-out for the 4th RB position between him and Lance Ball. If he shows promise and ST ability then he could easily beat out Lance.

3) OLB/DE Lerentee McCray, 6'3"-251, Florida

Lots of talent but our LB core is stacked. I could see him beating out Jeremy Beal for a place..............or even Malik Jackson, although Jackson plays a lot of DT so its slightly different but if the coaches think McCray is too good for the PS then they will find a place for him.

4) DB Aaron Hester, 6'1"-207, UCLA

'Appears to be a CB/S 'tweener that has a nose for the ball. Is big enough to be a physical presence in nickel and dime sets' ... sounds like a Chris Harris duplicate. Hard to find a place for him, would have to replace Tony or Quinton Carter, or Bolden, which is possible but not easy.

5) TE Lucas Reed, 6'6"-245, New Mexico

A huge sleepers and lots of talent, just can't see him beating anyone out, but with his talent he has a slight chance.

[samparnell]

Wow! It would be noteworthy if Foketi and Painter made the roster. That would be an infusion of fresh talent on the OL. The Broncos did well in getting them.

[broncos SB2010]

Moreno, Hillman, montee and Hester have all made the team already. Anderson is competing with lance ball and JJ to make the team

the roster isn't final for a long time yet and I don't think Hester is a lock by any means.

[samparnell]

the roster isn't final for a long time yet and I don't think Hester is a lock by any means.

Denver has a new OC. It remains to be seen how often 21 personnel are used, and how often the Broncos line up in I Formations. The Broncos have had plenty of opportunities to acquire good FB prospects, but they haven't. The only way Jacob Hester does not make the team is if two back formations have been completely removed from the 2013 playbook.

The Broncos may decide to keep four RBs including Hester. JJ, Lance and CJ may be on the outside looking in unless they greatly impress during TC and Preseason beating someone out. Hester is more than capable of playing on four STs: KO, KOR, P, PR.