Clearing wide receiver Tim Patrick shows the seriousness of the Denver Broncos when it concerns depth and competition in the wide receiver room. The last years have indeed been tough on him due to several injuries. That means attempts to make a comeback were well appreciated. Despite this fact, the Broncos released him. This decision seems to come from a focus on capitalizing on the talent the organization already possesses and embodies, bringing in new players into the mix, while being cognizant of Patrick’s challenges and what he brought to the team in the past.
Patrick’s Long Road to Recovery
Tim Patrick has been dealt a rough hand for the past two years with a torn ACL in the 2022 training camp and then again in 2023, with a torn Achilles tendon right at the start of camp. He worked like a dog through his rehab to get back for the 2024 training camp. He has, and it shows; that he’s made some good plays this preseason.
According to Klis, the Broncos researched trading Tim Patrick this past weekend but, with the roster deadline looming Tuesday, released him if they could not find a trade partner. All teams need to reduce their squad to the required 53, something that almost always comes down to hard decisions and painful sacrifices.
Impact of Patrick in the Team
Even with this recent rash of injuries, Tim Patrick has made quite an impression on the team. Since he was a tough player who did not care about contact, he got respect from his teammates and coaches. Coach Sean Payton of the Broncos says that the grit and determination Patrick has to bring value into the locker room.
Some of these changes at the receiver position have influenced the Broncos to cut Tim Patrick. They selected another receiver in the draft as well: a fourth-round pick named Troy Franklin and a seventh-round pick in Devaughn Vele. Both will make the roster, but it’s the latter who got some attention from general manager George Paton when comparing him to Patrick.
Aside from drafting new talent, the Broncos also brought in Josh Reynolds via free agency. The Broncos already had Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr. in major roles. Adding more receivers to this team has only made competition for spots harder. An already-packed receiver room didn’t allow Tim Patrick to find a spot in the roster easily.
Patrick’s Preseason Performance
In the preseason, Tim Patrick had five catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. As good as those numbers were, they just weren’t good enough to make the team. This move by the Broncos shows that at times, one has to weigh performance against roster space and future potential.
Another player in a somewhat similar position is running back Samaje Perine. With the crowdedness of the depth chart at his position, he’s projected to be squeezed out. Although effective as a pass protector and receiver, the fact that Perine wasn’t playing in the preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals probably gave him further indication of his tenuous position with the team.
While releasing Tim Patrick certainly cleans up some of the logjam for the Broncos, who will now work on assimilating new and existing receivers into an evolving offense, it becomes a dependence on that emerging talent via the draft and free agency to fill the roles and make the needed impact going into the season. It was a tough choice but is part of the bigger picture of building a competitive team for the future.
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