The Denver Broncos are six days away from their season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. They might not be done tweaking the roster (and practice squad) before getting there, though.
According to DNVR Broncos’ Zac Stevens, the team kicked the tires on four players today. They worked out two safeties, Dean Clark and Jack Henderson, and two linebackers, Jack Dingle and Emany Johnson.
Henderson spent time with the Buccaneers, Steelers, and Dolphins after entering the league as an undrafted free agent last season. He was released from Pittsburgh on final roster cut-down day last week.
Dingle joined the Bengals as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Cincinnati. Some thought he had a chance to stick around, but he ultimately didn’t survive the final roster cuts there.
Clark played in 12 games, including two starts, for the Jets last season. He also played 172 snaps on special teams. Meanwhile, Johnson has spent time with the Cowboys and Chargers since joining the league as an undrafted free agent in 2024. He didn’t survive the final roster cuts in Los Angeles last week.
While none of them are big names, they would be interesting additions to the practice squad. From there, they could be called up to the active roster in a pinch if injuries strike.
Emany Johnson Is The Most Interesting Name Of The Bunch
Emany Johnson might not be a household name, but some were excited about what he could bring to the Chargers defense this season. He was all over the field last preseason for Los Angeles, and his efforts were highlighted by The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.
“Another standout defensive player from Saturday’s practice: linebacker Emany Johnson, who had two tackles for loss in the nine-on-seven run period,” Popper wrote. “Johnson also tracked down Heinicke on a play-action quarterback keeper in 11-on-11. The offense faced a fourth-and-1. Heinicke faked the handoff before sprinting to the sideline. Johnson ran with Heinicke and cut him off. Harbaugh ruled Heinicke down before the first-down marker.”
Johnson played safety at Nevada, and then transitioned to linebacker since joining Los Angeles. His 9.58 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) was near-elite for a strong safety, and it’s even more impressive at linebacker.
ChargersOnSI’s Nate Gosney called him an “extremely talented athlete” back in June. However, he also questioned his ability to make the roster at that time.
“The Chargers LB room is pretty set for the upcoming 2026 season, with guys like Junior Colson and Marlowe Wax fighting for the final spot; and that is if the Bolts decide to keep five LBs on the roster, which has been known to play a lot of Nickel packages,” Gosney wrote. “That would leave Johnson off the active roster, but there is no denying that he has talent and has flashed in the preseason as someone who can be called up from the practice squad and play if necessary.”
Dean Clark Is Another Interesting Name To Keep An Eye On
Clark is the only player who has seen live reps in an NFL setting (aside from preseason action). While he didn’t exactly stand out in New York, the same can be said for virtually everyone else in the Jets’ secondary last season. They didn’t record a single interception all season.
With that said, the fact that the undrafted rookie earned two starts along the way is a testament to his ability. He also showed the versatility to play on special teams, which is somewhat of a prerequisite for being a backup in today’s NFL.
The fact that they tried out two safeties and two linebackers is interesting, as it could indicate they don’t feel great about their depth at either position. As far as their depth at safety goes, they probably hope to have that spot covered with the addition of Taylor Rapp to the practice squad. However, time will tell how soon he can make an impact.
Broncos Work Out 4 Players On Tuesday, Including an “Extremely Talented Athlete”