Mile High Report
Could UDFA linebacker Karene Reid make the Broncos 53-man roster?
After seven rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, Utah linebacker Karene Reid did not hear his name called. While disappointing, it did not take long for him to find a new home in the NFL after the draft concluded. The Broncos were the team that would sign him, and they gave Reid the second-highest total guarantee of all their undrafted free agents this offseason.
Reid played a total of four seasons at Utah and was a consistent contributor for them on the defensive side of the ball. During his four seasons, he appeared in 43 games and totaled 238 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, 9 sacks, 3 interceptions, 10 pass deflections, and 1 forced fumble. This past season, he appeared in 8 games and totaled 54 tackles, 6 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, and 1 pass deflection.
Now, he joins a Broncos linebacker room that currently has more questions than answers at the position. Both presumed starters, Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton, are coming off significant injuries, former third-round pick Drew Sanders is at a make-or-break point in his career, and then you have special teamer Justin Strnad and a handful of UDFA’s fighting for a spot on the roster. He’ll look to push for a spot on the Broncos' 53-man roster or for a spot on their practice squad.
Special teams, special teams, and special teams. If Karene Reid wants to make the Broncos' 53-man roster, he will need to excel on special teams. As I have said for a number of bubble players looking to make the team, Sean Payton values special teams play, and if you want to stick around, you need to contribute there.
He faces competition if he wants to make the 53-man roster. Former third-round pick Drew Sanders and longtime core special-teams player Justin Strnad seem like the current favorites to make the team. After that, you have 2024 UDFA Levelle Bailey, and rookie undrafted free agents JB Brown and Jordan Turner looking to make the team/practice squad as well. So, there figures to be plenty of competition for not only a roster spot but a spot on the practice squad.
Like with any player currently on the outside looking in, Reid needs to stay healthy. If he suffers an injury early in camp and misses time, that could be it for him. Stay healthy, contribute on special teams, and impress the coaches are the three things Reid will need to do this summer.
Realistically, he is likely competing for a spot on the Broncos' practice squad. He’ll be competing against Levelle Bailey and UDFA’s JB Brown and Jordan Turner for these spots, so it’ll be a tough battle for all...
