The Denver Broncos announced their 16-player practice squad on Wednesday, fresh off of revealing their initial 53-man roster for the upcoming season.
But teams are allowed a 17th player if they sign one that is part of the International Player Pathway Program. On Thursday, the Broncos chose to exercise that option, bringing in Australian tight end Patrick Murtagh.
Murtagh is a former Australian Rules football player who began his NFL journey in 2023 with the Detroit Lions. Most recently, he was a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars but also took part in a tryout with the Broncos earlier this summer. The team kept tabs on him and, knowing that adding him to the practice squad is a risk-free move, they have chosen to bring him in.
Born in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, Murtagh is 25 years old and has a great frame at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds. He will join seventh-round pick Caleb Lohner as the second tight end on the practice squad.
The Broncos have four tight ends on the active roster (Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull), so the team likely won't need either Lohner or Murtagh to be active on a game day unless there is an injury. Still, it gives each of these players a chance to continue to develop at the professional level and both prospects, although extremely raw, could be of use to the team in the future.
Patrick Murtagh’s 10’4” broad jump at the IPP Pro Day would’ve been tied for 3rd amongst TE at the NFL combine.
— Laurie Horesh (@LaurieHoresh) March 29, 2024
6’6” 245 lbs with explosive athleticism and natural ball skills is a great launching point for 🇦🇺 product.pic.twitter.com/gMcI5KkxfR
Murtagh showed promise in Jacksonville before suffering a broken ankle. But he'll find a familiar face in Evan Engram with the Broncos. To date, the International Player Pathway Program is slowly starting to make an impact on the league, but it's something that is still in the early stages and could be a huge tool to build rosters with in the future.
READ: Former Broncos fan favorite signs deal with Bengals
The Broncos were apparently keen on Murtagh and can now see if they can unlock his true potential.
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