As the 2025 NFL preseason comes to a close, all 32 NFL teams will soon shift their focus to looming roster cuts. Cutdown day is Tuesday, August 26, when teams must be down from 90-man offseason allotments to 53-man totals. That creates a series of obstacles for every organization, and the Denver Broncos are no different.
Entering the weekend, general manager George Paton got a head start on that roster construction. Unfortunately, it came at the expense of an injured player who wasn’t tracking to count against it anyway.
Per the league transaction wire, cornerback Gregory Junior was waived (no recall) from the injured reserve list with an injury settlement.
Broncos Waive CB Gregory Junior With Injury Settlement
This move shouldn’t come as a massive surprise. It’s more of a procedural move by Paton just a day before the Broncos’ final preseason outing of the summer. Just a week prior, Junior was designated as waived due to a hamstring ailment. Denver’s joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals caused him to eventually pass through waivers following the injury and return to the team on IR.
Junior was originally a corresponding move to defensive back Micah Abraham being signed.
An injury settlement isn’t all doom and gloom for Junior, though. On the contrary, it likely makes plenty of sense for him. If he wasn’t going to make the team anyway, being waived directly from IR with that settlement helps him recoup some money and, potentially, even more time. Depending on the nature of the injury, he’d be free to sign with another team once the settlement expires. Had he stayed on IR, his 2025-26 season would’ve been over.
Junior, 26, signed with the Broncos back in May. The former sixth-round pick has 10 games of regular-season experience under his belt, all coming with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s split time evenly between defense and special teams, logging 111 snaps in each realm. In those opportunities, the former Ouachita Baptist standout recorded 17 tackles (2 for loss) and a pass broken up.
After leaving Jacksonville but prior to joining Denver, Junior spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers organizations.
Updated Look at Denver’s Secondary With Week 1 Approaching
It’s no secret that the Broncos’ defense is their key to success. Last year, for instance, Vance Joseph’s unit led the sport in EPA/play allowed per SumerSports. They also ranked first in lowest EPA/pass surrendered. To top it all off, they set the standard in Eckel rate — percentage of drives either ending in a touchdown or having a first-down snap inside the 40-yard line — at sub-40%. The secondary played a big role in that dominance and will do so once again.
The straw that stirs the drink is undoubtedly cornerback Pat Surtain II. He does have some help at the position, as evidenced by someone like Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian or 2024 fifth-round pick Kris Abrams-Draine. The non-Surtain headliner, however, is rookie first-rounder Jahdae Barron. A favorite to play in the slot and find success as a rookie, Barron gave Broncos fans a scare with an injury this week but will be just fine.
The safety room has some new faces. Talanoa Hufanga is one of the prized pickups of the offseason, coming over from the San Francisco 49ers on a multi-year deal. He’s complemented by fellow signing Brandon Jones and internal options like P.J. Locke and JL Skinner.
Somehow, this may be the best version of the Broncos’ secondary. That’s scary to think about if you’re the rest of the NFL.
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