Broncos elevate Rapp, Fresch for Cardinals game

PHOENIX — For a second-straight week, safety Taylor Rapp and cornerback Sean Fresch Jr. were elevated from the Broncos’ practice squad.

This will be the second elevation this season for Rapp, who saw action last week for the first time since he suffered a season-ending knee injury with the Buffalo Bills last season. It will be Fresch’s third elevation, meaning that the former standout for the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks will need to advance to the 53-player roster if the Broncos are to use him again this season.

Each player has a maximum of three practice-squad elevations per season.

Rapp’s return to the game-day active roster isn’t a surprise, as fellow safety Talanoa Hufanga was ruled out on Friday and hasn’t practiced since suffering an ankle injury Oct. 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Fresch’s elevation is potentially tied to the status of Pat Surtain II, who is questionable. Fresch was elevated for the first time in Week 5, seven days after Surtain suffered an ankle injury. He also offers special-teams versatility and has been used on kickoff returns, averaging 22.6 yards per run back so far this season.

RAPP POISED TO GET EXTENSIVE WORK IN HIS SECOND BRONCOS GAME

Rapp isn’t an ordinary practice-squad player, of course. He came to the Broncos with 72 career starts and 93 games played overall to his name over seven previous seasons with the Bills and the Los Angeles Rams.

So, it was easy for the Broncos to put their trust in him for lengthy stretches last week, just as they could with P.J. Locke last season when a torn pectoral muscle shelved Brandon Jones for the final three games of the regular season and both playoff contests.

Rapp didn’t start — that distinction went to Devon Key — but he played 65 of 85 snaps.

“It felt great to get my feet wet,” Rapp said. “I guess I wasn’t expecting to get so many snaps, but it was great to be out there.

“It’s been a really long year for me. It [had] been almost exactly one year since I played an NFL game. And so, just being out there, man, it was definitely fun.”

Rapp first joined the Broncos late in the preseason, but was released two days later to attend to personal matters. Leading into the Week 1 contest at Kansas City, the Broncos brought him back to their practice squad.

“Honestly, I just can’t say how much I appreciate how they handled my situation and what I was going through in training camp,” Rapp said.

“I told Coach [Sean] Payton and George Paton when I was dealing with it that not a lot of organizations, not a lot of franchises would treat my situation a s they did.

“And so, I just can’t say how much I appreciate them in understanding the situation and letting me handle what I had to handle because at the end of the day, if I wasn’t right off the field, I wasn’t gonna be right on the field, if that makes sense.

And two months later, he’s in a better place — thanks in part to the time he needed and was given by the Broncos.

“I’m good now,” Rapp said. “I’m locked in.”

BRONCOS PRACTICE-SQUAD ELEVATIONS:

2026:

• Week 1: LS Mitchell Fraboni, FB Adam Prentice
• Week 2: LS Mitchell Fraboni (2), FB Adam Prentice (2)
• Week 3: WR Kolbe Katsis, FB Adam Prentice (3)
• Week 4: None
• Week 5: CB Brent Austin, CB Sean Fresch Jr.
• Week 6: CB Sean Fresch Jr., (2), S Taylor Rapp
• Week 7: CB Sean Fresch Jr. (3), S Taylor Rapp (2)

2025:

• Week 1: LB Levelle Bailey, FB Adam Prentice
• Week 2: FB Adam Prentice (2), LB Garret Wallow
• Week 3: FB Adam Prentice (3), LB Garret Wallow (2)
• Week 4: LB Garret Wallow (3)
• Week 5: None
• Week 6: OL Calvin Throckmorton
• Week 7: None
• Week 8: LB Jordan Turner
• Week 9: WR Michael Bandy, TE Marcedes Lewis
• Week 10: TE Marcedes Lewis (2), CB Reese Taylor
• Week 11: TE Marcedes Lewis (3), LB Jordan Turner (2)
• Week 13: None
• Week 14: LB Jordan Turner (3)
• Week 15: WR Michael Bandy (2), QB Sam Ehlinger
• Week 16: QB Sam Ehlinger (2), S Delarrin Turner-Yell
• Week 17: LB Levelle Bailey (2), WR Michael Bandy (3)
• Week 18: LB Levelle Bailey (3)
• Divisional Round: TE Caleb Lohner, WR Elijah Moore
• Conference Championship: WR Michael Bandy (1st in postseason, WR Elijah Moore (2nd in postseason)

2024:

• Week 1: FB Michael Burton, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
• Week 2: RB Tyler Badie, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey (2)
• Week 3: RB Tyler Badie (2), DB Tanner McCalister
• Week 4: LB Levelle Bailey, DB Tanner McCalister (2)
• Week 5: LB Levelle Bailey (2)
• Week 6: OT Cam Fleming, IOL Calvin Throckmorton
• Week 7: ILB Kwon Alexander, IOL Calvin Throckmorton (2)
• Week 8: ILB Kwon Alexander (2), IOL Calvin Throckmorton (3)
• Week 9: ILB Kwon Alexander (3), FB Michael Burton (2)
• Week 10: FB Michael Burton (3), ILB Zach Cunningham (1)
• Week 11: ILB Zach Cunningham (2), S Keidron Smith (1)
• Week 12: ILB Zach Cunningham (3), OL Nick Gargiulo (1)
• Week 13: OL Nick Gargiulo (2)
• Week 15: OL Nick Gargiulo (3), CB Reese Taylor (1)
• Week 16: DL Matt Henningsen (1), RB Blake Watson (1)
• Week 17: DL Matt Henningsen (2), WR David Sills  (1)
• Week 18: DL Matt Henningsen (3)
• Wild-card Round: G/C Nick Gargiulo

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