Karene Reid
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Denver Broncos linebacker Karene Reid.
The best stories that come out of final cut days every year in the NFL have to be the undrafted free agent rookies that make 53-man rosters. These are the players that got passed over in the NFL draft and are sometimes hoping to just catch on with the practice squad.
For the Denver Broncos, linebacker and rookie UDFA Karene Reid now finds himself part of what could be the NFL’s premier defensive unit after he shocked the world and made the 53-man roster on August 26.
“We saw a draftable player,” Denver head coach Sean Payton told The Denver Post’s Luca Evans.
“(Payton) spent over an hour recruiting (Reid) post-draft against other teams,” Evans wrote on his official X account. “Now he’s on Denver’s initial 53.”
“The Denver tradition lives on, with another UDFA earning a spot on the opening roster,” Sleeper Broncos wrote on its official X account. “Much-needed depth in that room, and (Reid) deserved it.”
“Karene Reid continues the Broncos streak of a UDFA making the 53-man roster 21 of 22 years,” DNVR reporter Zac Stevens wrote on his official X account.
Reid was one of four inside linebackers the Broncos kept on the 53-man roster along with Dre Greenlaw, Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad.
Reid Began Turning Heads Early On
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski identified one of those players as former University of Utah linebacker and undrafted free agent Karene Reid, who he called the “most exciting” UDFA prospect on Denver’s roster.
Reid is the son of former NFL linebacker Spencer Reid, who played 3 seasons for the Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts in the late 1990s.
The Broncos signed Reid to a 3-year, $2.98 million contract on May 9.
“Maturity can play a large part in earning a roster spot for an undrafted free agent,” Sobleski wrote on May 26. “NFL teams and coaching staffs want those who understand what it means to prepare like a professional. Karene Reid is already 25 years old … Reid understands how to play linebacker, with the instincts to keep him around the ball, especially when playing downhill. He does struggle in coverage, though he counters that weakness by being an adept blitzer.”
Reid’s Draft Stock Dipped After 2024 Injury
Reid, 6-foot and 230 pounds, saw his hopes of being a late round draft pick dashed when he missed 4 games with an ankle injury in 2024.
Already a 2-time All-Pac-12 pick for the Utes, Reid’s 54 tackles, 3.0 sacks and 6 TFL were his lowest numbers since his freshman season after earning All-Pac-12 honors in 2022 and 2023.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein had Reid projected as a seventh round pick or a preferred free agent signee in his pre-draft evaluation.
“Undersized linebacker with a revved-up motor and instincts that take him to the action,” Zeirlein wrote. “Reid comes from NFL bloodlines and plays the game with passion. He diagnoses quickly and is focused on getting to where he needs to be, but his lack of size and length will make it hard to leverage his gap as a pro … He saw limited reps on special teams but has the motor and play demeanor for the job.”