Jordan Turner was one of the under-the-radar stars of preseason for the Denver Broncos, but it wasn’t enough to get him a spot on the 53-player roster coming out of training camp.
But he’ll finally get his chance to suit up in the regular season.
In need of a fourth inside linebacker for the game-day active roster, the Broncos chose to elevate Turner from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Denver needed the extra linebacker because of Dre Greenlaw’s one-game suspension following a postgame incident immediately after last week’s 33-32 win over the New York Giants.
NFL vice president of operations Troy Vincent asserted that Greenlaw used language described as “abusive” and “threatening” toward referee Brad Allen, leading to the one-game suspension.
Turner notched 1.5 sacks, a tackle for loss and 4 quarterback hits during the Broncos’ three-game preseason, but lost out on a 53-player roster spot to fellow undrafted rookie Karene Reid, who has played in all seven games so far.
Reid has yet to play a defensive snap, with all 117 of his snaps coming on special teams. Turner’s work Sunday is likely to come in that phase.
BEYOND TURNER: BRONCOS PRACTICE-SQUAD ELEVATIONS:
2025:
Week 1: LB Levelle Bailey, FB Adam Prentice
Week 2: FB Adam Prentice, LB Garret Wallow
Week 3: FB Adam Prentice, LB Garret Wallow
Week 4: LB Garret Wallow
Week 5: None
Week 6: OL Calvin Throckmorton
Week 7: None
Week 8: LB Jordan Turner
2024:
Week 1: FB Michael Burton, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Week 2: RB Tyler Badie, WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey (2)
Week 3: RB Tyler Badie (2), DB Tanner McCalister
Week 4: LB Levelle Bailey, DB Tanner McCalister (2)
Week 5: LB Levelle Bailey (2)
Week 6: OT Cam Fleming, IOL Calvin Throckmorton
Week 7: ILB Kwon Alexander, IOL Calvin Throckmorton (2)
Week 8: ILB Kwon Alexander (2), IOL Calvin Throckmorton (3)
Week 9: ILB Kwon Alexander (3), FB Michael Burton (2)
Week 10: FB Michael Burton (3), ILB Zach Cunningham (1)
Week 11: ILB Zach Cunningham (2), S Keidron Smith (1)
Week 12: ILB Zach Cunningham (3), OL Nick Gargiulo (1)
Week 13: OL Nick Gargiulo (2)
Week 15: OL Nick Gargiulo (3), CB Reese Taylor (1)
Week 16: DL Matt Henningsen (1), RB Blake Watson (1)
Week 17: DL Matt Henningsen (2), WR David Sills (1)
Week 18: DL Matt Henningsen (3)
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