Broncos Add Young ‘Standout’ Playmaker to Roster Before Facing Cowboys
The Denver Broncos have tweaked their roster before they take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8, adding linebacker Jordan Turner to their gameday roster.
Turner is a rookie undrafted free agent. He began his college career at Wisconsin before finishing closer to home at Michigan State in 2024. Turner signed with the Broncos after the 2025 draft and has been a member of their practice squad since.
He will get his first taste of the regular season in Week 8.
Broncos Elevate Jordan Turner to Active Roster
The Broncos announced that “We’ve elevated ILB Jordan Turner for #DALvsDEN,” with a post on X on October 25, drawing attention to a player The Denver Post’s Luca Evans called a “camp standout.”
“Denver has added a young defender to its active roster for Week 8,” DenverBroncos.com’s Aric DiLalla wrote on October 25. “The Broncos elevated rookie inside linebacker Jordan Turner from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game against the Cowboys, the team announced.
“Turner has yet to appear in a regular-season game, but he recorded 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a tackle for loss and four quarterback hits in preseason action.”
Turner certainly drew attention before the season.
In May, the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson reported, “Among the two rookie tryout players signed, I’m told LB Jordan Turner impressed the #Broncos immediately with the leadership he displayed and his ability to quickly pick up the playbook.”
Broncos Forced to Shuffle Deck at LB
Turner is not the first reserve linebacker the Broncos have turned to amid injuries and disciplinary actions. Specifically, Dre Greenlaw missed the first six games of the season with a quad injury, then received a one-game suspension for “verbally abusing” an official.
“Third ILB to get an elevation so far, joining Levelle Bailey and Garret Wallow (promoted but now on IR),” The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel.
“Makes sense to bring an LB up with Dre Greenlaw suspended.”
Turner joins starter Alex Singleton, Greenlaw’s fill-in Justin Strnad, and fellow rookie UDFA Karene Reid on the Broncos’ active roster for their tilt against the Cowboys. Whether or not he makes it into a game is another story.
Former UDFA Passed Over Again
GettyLevelle Bailey #56 of the Denver Broncos looks on before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Turner’s elevation is telling, both for him and Bailey, a 2024 UDFA who is on the Broncos’ practice squad. This marks the sixth consecutive week that the Broncos have opted against elevating Bailey. He was expected to take a step forward this season.
Like Reid (sixth among LBs in 2025), Bailey ranked among NFL.com draft analyst Chad Rueter’s list of the top UDFAs in his class.
Bailey ranked 13th in his group of free agent rookies.
He also appeared in 10 games for the Broncos as a rookie. He logged 5 total tackles and played 147 of his 152 snaps on special teams. However, Bailey has not received a call-up by the Broncos since the regular-season opener. That was a 20-12 win over the Tennessee Titans.
The Broncos have passed over Bailey multiple times. Moreover, they did so for even less experienced, unproven options in Reid and Turner. That seemingly speaks volumes.
Lions Urged to Add ‘Best Edge Rusher’ on Trade Market
The Detroit Lions have a star in edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, but have struggled to find a competent counterpart who can pressure quarterbacks off the opposite edge.
They may have a chance to add that missing piece at the upcoming trade deadline, with several analysts predicting the team could take a run at Miami Dolphins edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. The Dolphins are watching their season spiral and could be just a few weeks away from being essentially eliminated from playoff contention, leading many to peg them as sellers at the trade deadline.
The Lions could take advantage, taking aim at Phillips to round out their edge rushing group.
Lions Could Add ‘Very Effective’ Defensive End
Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News identified top trade candidates for all 32 NFL teams, noting that the Lions may have their eyes on Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson but would find Phillips a more attainable player.
“With Hendrickson unlikely to happen and the Lions may be being a bit reserved in giving the Bengals that great desired haul, they can take a shot on another very effective would-be complement to Defensive Player of the Year candidate Aidan Hutchinson,” Iyer wrote.
Phillips has endured some injury issues over the last two years, appearing in just 12 total games between the 2023 and 2024 seasons. But he has proven to be a productive pass rusher when healthy, averaging more than seven sacks in each of his first three seasons in the NFL.
Reporter Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports predicted the Lions could land Phillips with a Day 3 draft pick.
“The Lions will have to give a high Day 3 pick to get it done, but what they get back is a player who has racked up 22 pressures this season and is just begging to take advantage of the one-on-one opportunities that Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill provide,” Payton wrote. “In my opinion, this is the deal the Lions should do at the deadline because there’s a chance for a future, it doesn’t cost a first-round pick, and you don’t have to break the bank.”
Payton noted that Phillips is the “best edge rusher” on the trade market, which could make competition fierce to land him.
Lions Could Look at Other Targets
Iyer noted that the Lions could look at another potential trade target on the Dolphins, edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
Other potential targets could be slipping out of their grasp. New York Jets edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, seen as a top trade candidate, said this week that he wants ot stay with the team and expressed that on social media.
“I’m definitely wanted here, and I want to stay here,” Johnson told ESPN. “That’s been understood. Hence the tweet.”
The Lions have used the trade deadline to add help in their edge rushing group before. They made something of an emergency addition last year, acquiring Za’Darius Smith to lead the position group after Hutchinson suffered a season-ending injury in October.
The Lions have put together a Super Bowl-caliber roster and could take an aggressive approach this season, especially after the pass rush has faltered in last season’s early exit from the playoffs.
