Brandon Stokley isn’t worried about the release of TE Justin Joly

The NFL’s roster cut deadline arrived on Sunday and the Denver Broncos finalized their 53-man roster for the 2026 season. Every year, the final round of cuts produces at least one name that catches the fan base off guard. This year, that name was Justin Joly.

On a recent edition of “Stokley and Evans, with Mark Schlereth” on 104.3 The Fan, the hosts broke down the decision to release the fifth-round tight end, a move that, on the surface, seems to contradict the very need the Broncos identified heading into the offseason.

Mike Evans laid out the tension directly.

“The surprise cut I guess was Justin Joly. Here you are, a Broncos team that didn’t hide the fact that tight end was a need for them, that they wanted to fill this offseason. They draft Joly in the fifth round, but George Paton and crew cutting him,” Evans said.

Joly’s final preseason appearance only deepened the intrigue. Against the Vikings, the rookie recorded two receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown, the vast majority of that yardage coming from an electric 88-yard touchdown reception that had Broncos fans buzzing about his potential.

For a player fighting to make the roster at the team’s thinnest position, that kind of performance felt like it should have been enough to secure a spot.

Evans asked the question the fan base was already debating.

“Bad look Stoke to be cutting this guy?” Evans asked.

Brandon Stokley wasn’t concerned.

“No, not at all. He’s a fifth-round pick,” Stokley said.

He then expanded on the reality of what late-round selections actually represent in the NFL.

“Fifth round, I mean you take flyers. That’s what you do. And you hope that they’re ready to go,” Stokley said.

Fifth-round picks are lottery tickets. Some hit. Most don’t. The fact that Joly flashed in limited preseason action doesn’t automatically mean he was ready to contribute on a roster built to compete for a Super Bowl. Training camp evaluations happen across hundreds of reps, not just the ones that make the highlight reel.

Stokley then delivered the line that puts the entire decision into its proper context.

“And you know, if you’re a bad football team, you keep ’em. They’re not a bad football team. It was gonna be hard to make this roster for a lot of these later draft picks. It’s all good,” Stokley said.

Bad teams keep developmental players because they can afford to wait. Good teams, teams with Super Bowl aspirations and rosters stacked with proven contributors at every position, can’t afford to hold a spot for potential that isn’t ready yet. Every roster spot on a contender carries weight. Every seat at the table has to be occupied by someone who can contribute immediately. Joly’s upside is real, but upside alone doesn’t earn a spot on a 53-man roster this talented.

There is still a path back for Joly. If he clears waivers, the Broncos could bring him back on the practice squad, a landing spot that would allow him to continue developing within the system without occupying a roster spot the team needs for someone ready to contribute now. That would be the ideal outcome for both sides.

The cut stings for fans who saw the 88-yard touchdown and imagined what could be. But Stokley’s perspective is the right one. The Broncos aren’t a bad football team. And good football teams make hard decisions that bad football teams don’t have to. That’s the price of being a contender, and it’s a price the Broncos should be proud to pay.

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