Why Frank Crum made the Broncos’ 53-player roster

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For Frank Crum, the data regarding his preseason play was unkind.

The Denver Broncos rookie offensive tackle allowed three sacks over the course of his preseason work. According to the data compiled by Pro Football Focus, the rate of one sack allowed every 17.3 pass-blocking snaps was the second-worst among 304 offensive linemen with at least 25 pass-blocking repetitions during preseason play.

Crum’s pressure rate of one allowed every 8.7 pass-blocking snaps ranked 288th among the 304 offensive linemen in that sample size.

But in the eyes of Sean Payton, that’s not the whole story.

“His tape has been really good,” Payton said. “We all saw the two or three sacks. But it’s interesting when you sit up in that room and you just watch every snap from training camp and in the game, which we do.”

And because of that, Frank Crum made the 53-player roster. Along with running back Blake Watson and linebacker Levelle Bailey, Crum extended a long-running Broncos tradition, as at least one undrafted player has made the team’s initial roster in 20 of the last 21 years.

What’s more, the University of Wyoming product did so comfortably.

NO CONSIDERATION TO PUTTING FRANK CRUM ON WAIVERS

At the roster deadline, careful consideration is given to cobbling together the roster. And some of it involves a guessing game to ascertain whether a player could slip through waivers to the practice squad or whether he might be claimed by another team for its active roster.

The Broncos lost that gamble with tackle Demontrey Jacobs; New England claimed him. But with Frank Crum, Payton didn’t even want to take the risk.

“But, man, his size and upside, he wasn’t one we were considering [exposing to the waiver wire],” Payton said.

“We felt like he made this team.”

Broncos rookie OT Frank Crum allowed 3 sacks in the preseason, according to the data compiled by Pro Football Focus.

But that didn’t tell the whole story, according to Sean Payton, who said that with his “size & upside, he wasn’t one we were considering [exposing to waivers].” pic.twitter.com/B2F4tUsOgo

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 29, 2024

Watching film from other teams on Tuesday night as the Broncos scoured for potential additions confirmed it in Payton’s mind.

“So, not only of our own guys last night — I think we finished it like 1:30 in the morning,” Payton said. “And we’re watching this player from another team, this player from another team, this player from our team, and it gives you a better grasp as to where this guy’s at.”

Perhaps most promising of all for Crum is the parallel Payton made between him and current offensive-line coach Zach Strief, who played 12 seasons in New Orleans under Payton at guard and right tackle.

“I coached his position coach, who we took in the seventh round. Now, Strief was [five seasons] before he started at tackle,” Payton recalled. “Now, there was a season or two he was the jumbo tight end and everyone in the stadium got tired of hearing, ’74 reporting.’

“I’m not making a comparison, but he’s much further along athletically than Zach. We’re real encouraged with him.”

Encouraged enough to see past three preseason sacks.

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