Broncos’ gamble doesn’t pay off as defensive veteran and key depth get scooped up less than 24 hours after roster cutdowns
Farewell, friends.
Sometimes, the risk isn’t worth it. On Wednesday, the Denver Broncos ended up losing two players they had released the previous day during the final roster cuts. Defensive back Damarri Mathis was claimed off waivers by the Carolina Panthers, and guard Xavier Truss was scooped up by coach Sean Payton’s former team, the New Orleans Saints. The team was hopeful Truss and Mathis could return on the PS, but they found new homes instead.
The Broncos have their 53-man roster, but that doesn’t mean their work is finished because they now have to assemble a 16-man practice squad. Make sure to bookmark our PS tracker to stay up to date on the latest Broncos moves.
While the team cleared significant cap space by cutting Mathis— more than $3.4 million— he was unable to come back on the practice squad. A 2022 fourth-round pick, Mathis was once part of the organization’s long-term plans, but couldn’t get on the field or assert himself within the defense. He started in 18 of 43 games for the Broncos, amassing nine passes defended with 103 combined tackles, 81 solo tackles, and one tackle for loss. Mathis reunites with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, who coached him in Denver in 2022.
For Truss, the 6-7, 309-pound offensive lineman was undrafted and had one of the higher bonuses and guarantees of the players Denver added to its 15-man undrafted rookie class. The versatile but raw lineman wasn’t rumored to crack the 53-man roster since Denver’s unit is one of the best across the NFL, with no real room for Truss. The hope was to get him back on the PS, but the Saints swooped in and grabbed him.
Payton opened up to the media about how the team prepared to cut its roster from 90 to 53, highlighting that this year was more difficult due to the depth across the board. Denver had plenty of difficult decisions to make outside of just Mathis and Truss.
“Last night was closer to six hours,” Payton said. “There was a lot of discussion, film. It was very evident that we’re deeper [. . .] I would say, just strictly based on the length of the meeting and the process itself, that was very clear. I think it was evident in the preseason games as you watched them. When the second wave or the third wave went in, you saw good football,”
Payton and the organization know how to find gems in the draft, and the team has continued its unprecedented success with an undrafted rookie making the team’s 53-man roster. With Karene Reid cracking the 53, it now makes it 21 of the past 22 years where a UDFA has made the team.
Additionally, another feather in Payton’s cap was with Truss and Mathis themselves. Hundreds of players are waived across the league, and a small percentage of those players get picked up by another team. For the 2025 NFL season, 608 players were waived, with only 29 claimed, which is 4.77% of all players. For Payton, two of the 29 were from his roster. One thing is for certain: Denver knows how to build a football team.
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Broncos 16-man Practice Squad Tracker: Live updates as the Denver Broncos continue to build after roster cutdown deadline
The Denver Broncos initial 53-man roster is set. Now, onto the practice squad.
