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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Saturday's regular-season roster deadline brought several shuffles by the Broncos to reduce the team to 53 players.
Twelve players were released, one player was waived/injured and a new defensive lineman was brought to Denver.
Twelve-year veteran Vonnie Holliday was signed by the club on Saturday, bringing in a wealth of experience. Holliday has started 141 career games with the Packers, Chiefs and Dolphins. He registered 46 tackles, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble in 15 starts for the AFC East champion Dolphins in 2008.
The 12 players that did not make the final list of 53 were Marquez Branson, Tony Carter, Nic Clemons, Tim Crowder, Mitch Erickson, Vernon Fox, D.J. Johnson, Braxton Kelley, Everette Pedescleaux, Antwain Spann, Darius Walker and Matthew Willis. Joshua Bell was also waived/injured.
Of the 12 players released on Saturday, five were rookies and all of them were signed via the college free agent route. The only 2009 college free agent to make the club was Chris Baker. All of the Broncos' 2009 NFL Draft choices made the team, with the exception of seventh-round pick Blake Schlueter, who was waived on Sept. 1.
Of the veterans released, Clemons, Crowder, Erickson and Fox all saw time with the Broncos last season. Crowder was the longest tenured in Denver, entering his third season after being selected in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
With the addition of Holliday, the Broncos' defense consists of seven defensive linemen, four outside linebacker/defensive ends, five inside linebackers, four cornerbacks and five safeties. Holliday joins Champ Bailey, Brian Dawkins, Brandon Stokley and Casey Wiegmann in the Broncos' class of elder statesmen, with at least a decade of NFL experience.
The team will keep seven receivers on the roster, though only six are currently active with the suspension of Brandon Marshall. When Marshall returns from the reserve/suspended list, the team will make another roster move.
Three quarterbacks, four running backs, nine offensive linemen and three tight ends round out the rest of offense. The specialists -- Brett Kern, Matt Prater and Lonie Paxton -- close out the list.
Once players clear waivers, the Broncos can begin to assemble their eight-man practice squad for the upcoming season.
