On Monday morning, the Denver Broncos announced that reserve linebacker Jordan Turner has passed his physical and will be activated off the NFI list. He has been there since the start of camp, but for the first time this summer, Turner is on the practice field and participating in Broncos Camp.
Turner joined the team last season as an undrafted free agent and was a standout player during training camp and the preseason. However, he was among the team’s final cuts, but he did sign on to their practice squad. He would be signed to the active roster during the season and appear in 7 games for the Broncos, playing primarily on special teams. Now, in year two with the Broncos, Turner will be competing for a spot on the team’s 53-man roster and the LB3 job behind starters Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad.
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The battle for the final two linebacker spots, including that LB3 role, is expected to be a competitive battle throughout the remainder of training camp and into the preseason. Turner will be competing with Karene Reid, who made the 53-man roster last season, Levelle Bailey, and rookies Red Murdock and Taurean York. So, this will be a roster battle to watch as we near the preseason opener this Friday when the Broncos take on the Atlanta Falcons.
Special teams will be a big contributing factor to who makes the team and eventually gets that LB3 job. Turner had 117 special teams snaps last season in limited action, so he does have a bit of a leg up on the competition. Karene Reid also had 171 special teams snaps, so he will be someone to keep an eye on as well. Rookie Red Murdock seems like a strong contender for a roster spot and special teams role due to his ability to force fumbles, while Taurean York may have the best instincts of the entire group. So, it should be a fun battle to watch in the coming days and weeks, but getting back Jordan Turner could be a potentially significant addition to the Broncos’ roster.
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