Two ex-Broncos receivers land on AFC West practice squads

The Broncos went light at wide receiver on their initial 53-player roster. They kept just four players at the position — only three of whom are healthy this week.

Then, they kept added four receivers to the practice squad — two of whom weren’t on the roster during the preseason. Newcomers Phillip Dorsett and David Sills join holdovers Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Michael Bandy.

Neither Marquez Callaway nor Montrell Washington ended up on the Broncos’ practice squad. But they will remain in the division, as they signed to the practice squads of the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.

WASHINGTON’S EVENTFUL 16 MONTHS

Montrell Washington tantalized the Broncos.

First, he captured their attention in the pre-draft process — and not just the attention of draft decision-makers, either. Even Russell Wilson took note of Washington.

Russell Wilson said that he watched film of every WR on the Broncos’ draft radar with George Paton for an hour & a half before the draft.

Then they got to Montrell Washington.

“We looked at each other and said, 'He may the one,’” Wilson recalled.

Washington became a R5 pick.

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) September 1, 2022

But that might have been the apex for Washington, whose inclusion in the draft came to the surprise of many pundits who saw his future in the undrafted pool. The Broncos gave him the punt-returner job despite some lingering ball-security concerns. In the regular season, those worries became justified.

When interim head coach Jerry Rosburg fired special-teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes hours after accepting the temporary post last Dec. 26, Washington’s job became tenuous. The Broncos made him a healthy scratch for Rosburg’s two games running the show. And when the Broncos drafted Marvin Mims Jr. to handle punt returns, the die appeared cast.

It looked as though Washington had some wind in his sails early in training camp. But that breeze died quickly. And now, Washington will try to rebuild his prospects on the practice fields in the shadow of Arrowhead Stadium.

CALLAWAY FAILED TO LAUNCH

It was fair to expect Marquez Callaway to stick on the Broncos. Not only did he play for Sean Payton in New Orleans, but he led the 2021 Saints in receiving yardage.

But the free-agent pickup never found his stride with the Broncos. Other receivers displayed more consistent playmaking ability. And the drafting of Mims with a second-round pick narrowed Callaway’s path to the roster. Even the season-ending torn Achilles tendon suffered by Tim Patrick didn’t create much of a window for Callaway.

The preseason finale saw a potential touchdown pass from Ben DiNucci slip out of Callaway’s grasp. Now he’ll try his luck in Las Vegas.

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