ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos have been busy.

Since their final preseason game, the team has made a slew of roster moves, set its initial 53-man roster, monitored waiver claims and assembled a 17-player practice squad.

As Head Coach Sean Payton put it Monday, the Broncos "haven't tattooed this roster" as a series of moves continue to ripple across the NFL. Still, the foundation of the Broncos' 2026 roster is in place — and Payton and Co. like how the last day has unfolded.

"We're pleased with what transpired in the last 24 hours, for the most part, as we looked at it," Payton said Monday.

The Broncos were able to add 16 players back to their practice squad on Monday who competed with the team this offseason, including 2026 draft picks in safety Miles Scott and inside linebacker Red Murdock.

Those additions, as General Manager George Paton indicated after the Broncos set their 53-man roster on Sunday, were part of the puzzle that make up an NFL active roster and practice squad.

"Every year is hard, regardless of your depth," Paton said Sunday. "… This year, I think we spent more time on this roster going through a lot of different scenarios with a lot of these players that were released. It's a puzzle. It's ongoing.

"… It's fluid, and yet yes, this was a tough roster to make."

On Monday, Payton dove deeper into several of those decisions:

… The Broncos kept three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster for the first time since 2024, and Payton said Sam Ehlinger "earned it" with his performance.

"He played well, especially finished the preseason well," Payton said. "We felt that became an easier decision as we got into camp a little bit further."

Later in his Monday media availability, Payton gave a nod to Ehlinger as one of the most improved players of training camp.

… The Broncos had a pair of players claimed off waivers, including 2026 fifth-round pick Justin Joly. Payton said the Broncos "felt strongly that he was coming back to our practice squad" if he didn't get claimed. The Dolphins claimed both Joly and cornerback Reese Taylor.

Asked about the decision to keep rookie tight end Dallen Bentley at the position, Payton indicated the seventh-round Utah product had earned his place on the roster.

"They are two different types of players," Payton said of Bentley and Joly. "If I was trying to explain, they're entirely different type players, but we felt that Bentley earned that."

… On Sunday, Paton indicated that waiving running back Jaleel McLaughlin was perhaps the team's toughest decision. A day later, Payton provided more context on Tyler Badie earning a spot on the active roster.

"All of those guys really played well," Payton said. "The edge goes in the kicking game, which is important. … I think so much of this final equation comes down to special teams as we're trying to project a vision when it's close."

The Broncos also signed running back Cody Schrader to their practice squad.

… The Broncos kept seven defensive linemen on their initial 53-man roster for a second consecutive year, and Payton said the decision was made, in part, to try to keep the most players — either on the active roster or practice squad.

"The conversations get into, then, let's say a certain defensive lineman vs. a tight end vs. a runner," Payton said. "Then, is this player going to get claimed or signed with another team? Again, what you're trying to do is get them all, and we felt like we were able to do that for the most part. If you had sat in all those meetings, the final 12-hour meetings are revolving around four players. Then, let's say three are going to find a 53 spot, one's going to be [waived]. Who's least likely to be claimed or protected. Then, you go back and you start watching the tape again. What have they seen from maybe a rookie? The thing that's difficult is we see all of it, and then the outside just sees three games. So, you've got to really put on the targets, put on the hit plays for any one of these players and watch what our 31 teams are seeing and then put yourself in that position. That's the Rubik's Cube of it all."

One possible example features Murdock, who was waived — and then cleared waivers to return to Denver's practice squad. The seventh-round pick joins the four inside linebackers who made the 53-man roster.

"The process [is] 'How do we get the 53, the 16 [player practice squad] as best we can?'" Payton said. "That's the science of it, and it's never exact."

In Murdock's case, the Broncos were able to keep another player by solving the Rubik's Cube in that particular situation.

… Payton said it was "pretty clear" that tackle Frank Crum and tight end Caleb Lohner were going to be the Broncos' pair of players placed on injured reserve and designated to return. On Sunday, Paton noted a potential late October return for Lohner.

Payton said Monday that Lohner suffered his injury "24 hours after the deadline to put someone on PUP [Physically Unable to Perform]."