ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos have waived veteran linebacker Mark Barron, the team announced Tuesday.
Cornerback Parnell Motley, whom the Broncos signed last week off the 49ers' practice squad, was officially placed on the team's roster. The Broncos had an exemption for the rookie cornerback as he went through COVID-19 testing protocols.
The Broncos signed Barron, a former first-round pick, in August to bolster a thinning linebacking corps, but he suffered an injury ahead of Week 1 and was placed on injured reserve. Barron then suffered another injury in the weight room while on IR, according to Head Coach Vic Fangio.
Barron was activated from IR in late November, but he has been among the team's game-day inactives for each of the team's ensuing games. The missed time put the veteran player "up against the eight ball," Fangio said in early December.
"It's made it difficult to get him ready with reps," Fangio said. "We're at that part of the season where we practice — our reps on the field are less than they were in the beginning of the season. It's been a perfect storm for the wrong reasons to get him up and going."
Motley was a first-team All-Big 12 player in his final season at Oklahoma and could add depth to a depleted cornerback group.
"We'll see if Motley can progress here and pick up what we're doing and see where he's at and make that decision as we go during the week," Fangio said Monday.
