Does the Pat Bryant pick put the new guy on thin ice?
Special teams are absolutely crucial in the NFL and a lot of players around the league are unsung heroes in that phase of the game. One of the biggest free agent signings for the Denver Broncos in the 2025 offseason was former Vikings receiver Trent Sherfield, who was signed to replace the departed Tremon Smith as one of the Broncos' top special teams aces.
On paper, Sherfield's job seems secured for this season, but the Broncos have not been afraid to move on from guys -- regardless of their investment in them -- if the right players are stepping up.
The Broncos signed Sherfield to a two-year, $6 million contract with a pretty low $1.5 million in guaranteed money. While that would be a lot of money to simply throw away, there is a case to be made that younger receivers on the team could have Sherfield on thin ice this offseason.
Broncos young receivers could put new free agent Trent Sherfield on the block
There are four young receivers vying for spots in the rotation for Denver this coming season: Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele, rookie Pat Bryant, and former Saints sixth-round pick AT Perry. Each one of those receivers brings something different to the table but none of them are known for their special teams abilities.
That's where Sherfield currently has a clear advantage over everyone else, and it's where the young receivers need to step up the most.
Sherfield has managed to play 112 NFL games with less than 85 receptions, and the way he's done that? He has logged over 1,200 snaps on special teams. And he's good at it.
There's tremendous value in having players like Sherfield around, and the Broncos discovered that with the impact we saw the last two seasons from Tremon Smith. Smith didn't play a lick of defense for this team, but his contributions on special teams got him on the active roster every single week.
A player like Sherfield doesn't have to catch 10 passes a week in order to be highly valued by NFL teams, but someone on this Broncos roster might have a chance to push him off the roster completely. The Broncos cut ties with Josh Reynolds last year after signing him to a two-year deal in which they threw away a lot more guaranteed money.
There was more going on with that situation than simply roster numbers, but the point remains that Sherfield could be in danger if any of the aforementioned younger receivers learns how to play special teams at a higher level, or at all.
For players like AT Perry and maybe even Devaughn Vele or Troy Franklin, this will be especially critical. Those guys have outstanding size and speed and can use that to their advantage as gunners on special teams. Plaeyrs like Sherfield can't be viewed as a thing of the past. These guys can have all the upside in the world at receiver, but if they can't be relied upon in the game's third phase, they're going to get beat out.
The ideal receiver room for Denver in 2025 might not include Sherfield, but he's not going to go down without a fight.
