Broncos elevate two veterans from practice squad for Week 1

SEATTLE — Lil’Jordan Humphrey was released by the Denver Broncos at the roster deadline last week in spite of playing all 17 games last year. The same was true for Michael Burton. Both landed on the practice squad one day later.

But when the first — albeit “unofficial” — depth chart was issued by the Broncos this week, both of their names were on it, even though practice-squad players typically aren’t listed on a depth chart issued to the public. What’s more, Burton was listed as the first-team fullback, which might be the first time a practice-squad player has ever been listed No. 1 on an NFL team’s depth chart.

“Those two guys have been with us,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said Friday. I don’t know that there’s any rule whether we can put practice squad players on, but they’ll be important to our team and throughout the year.”

It might not have made sense in a previous era of the sport. But with three elevations from the practice squad to the 53-player roster permitted per player per season, it makes perfect sense as Sean Payton and the Broncos work to balance current needs with the development of younger players who might have been poached off the waiver wire had they been exposed.

(Photo by Andrew Mason / denversports.com)[/caption]

So, when the Broncos announced Saturday that Burton and Humphrey would move up to the game-day roster, it came as no surprise — even though Payton played it coy Friday.

“We’ll see, but I would definitely say they’ll both be playing this season,” Payton said then. “Relative to this game, I’d rather just not comment on it.”

All the comment Payton needed came with the official announcement Saturday. Both should have extensive roles. Denver will face a roster conundrum in three weeks if the team keeps using elevations on both players, but for now, the Broncos have the players they need for Week 1.

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