The Denver Broncos currently don't have a healthy fullback on the roster as the team cut down to 53 players on Tuesday.
Initially, it was believed that Michael Burton was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return. Instead, it was made a season-ending IR move for the veteran fullback and in addition, the Broncos released fullback Adam Prentice. Fullback is a staple of a Sean Payton offense, and with their Week 1 battle with the Tennessee Titans less than two weeks away, this has fans asking a lot of questions.
Burton had surgery on his hamstring and with that likely being a touchy issue that could linger well into the season, the Broncos chose to shut him down now. While it remains a mystery what the plan is at fullback, Payton has one.
Sean Payton on the Broncos’ fullback plan: “You’ll begin to see it develop”
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) August 26, 2025
That could mean a lot of things. Will the Broncos scour the waiver wire looking for a fullback that a team released? Or will Payton and his coaching staff come up with an answer from what they have to work with already?
One popular idea will be for the team to add Prentice to the practice squad and then elevate him on gamedays until Nate Adkins is back and ready to go. Adkins, a tight end who can easily slide into the fullback role, is nursing an ankle injury but was not placed on IR. That is an indication that the Broncos don't anticipate him missing more than a game or two.
That is likely what you will see happen. Prentice is a veteran who has played in 48 career games. Payton will trust him to handle the role on a temporary basis and for a guy who was a free agent a week ago, he can't ask for much better than that.
READ: Denver Broncos roster cuts tracker
As for Burton, his third season in Denver comes to an end. He will be a free agent after the season.
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