McKenzie roster spot with Broncos hinges on WR room, not fumbles
Aug 20, 2018, 6:50 PM
Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph reiterated on Monday his hope that a fumble by wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie won’t stunt the moment the shifty returner has gained thus far in training camp.
McKenzie — whose rookie season was littered with six muffed punt, tied for most in the NFL — fumbled late against the Chicago Bears on Saturday, which essentially ended a comeback effort by the Broncos.
After the game, Joseph said he hopes McKenzie doesn’t suffer a set back because of the turnover and reiterated the comments on Monday.
“I want him to remain confident. He’s done some really good stuff. I don’t want him to go in the tank because of one play,” Joseph said. “He’s got to continue to push and compete, and right now, he’s in a good spot. I wouldn’t want him to take a step back. Hopefully, he remains confident and keeps performing.”
However, fumbling issues might not be the main reason McKenzie’s possible spot on the 53-man roster could be in jeopardy.
During The Fan War Room on Monday, 104.3 The Fan hosts Sandy Clough and Orlando Franklin argued McKenzie could be the odd man out in a talented wide receiver room.
“If Isaiah McKenzie was going to make this team, he wasn’t going to make this team as a receiver,” Franklin said. “He was going to make this team as a punt returner, as a kickoff returner.
“There’s too much talent in that room to say we’re going to put him out there and give him a roster spot to be a receiver on this team.”
Franklin said losing the football at critical times certainly hurts McKenzie’s chances of making the roster, especially with rookie running back Phillip Lindsay showing his ability to return kicks as well.
“When you losing the ball at critical times, you’re losing football games for your team,” Franklin said. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter that the Broncos could have played better for the first four quarters. It matters that he fumbled the ball late in the fourth quarter and they were able to get the ball and kneel on it and win the football game.”
Clough, however, said he’d likely make the same argument about the precarious nature of McKenzie’s roster spot whether or not he fumbled against the Bears.
“It has not nearly as much to do with a fumble as with the fact that there are two guys, one wearing No. 81 and one wearing No.2,” Clough said, referring to wide receiver Tim Patrick and Lindsay, respectively.
Patrick should make the squad as the fifth wide receiver, and there is no need to carry six, Clough said, adding that Lindsay can handle return duties.
“At this point, the risk seems to outweigh the reward, and there isn’t room for a sixth receiver on the roster,” Clough said.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
