Broncos roster review: Safety Tanner McCalister

Broncos roster review: Safety Tanner McCalister

The Denver Broncos picked up second-year safety Tanner McCalister on a future contract after the end of the 2023 season. McCalister, an undrafted free agent last year, spent his first season with the Cleveland Browns where he spent most of the season their practice squad.

Player Profile

Height: 5’11” | Weight: 191 pounds

40-time: 4.44 seconds | Vertical Jump: 37 inches

Age: 24 years old | Experience: 2nd Year

Safety Tanner McCalister’s 2024 outlook

McCalister was elevated from the Browns practice squad in December and played in three games as a rookie. He mostly played on special teams with 37 snaps on that unit, but also saw action on the defense with 19 more snaps on the defensive side of the ball in those three games.

In college, he played mostly at Oklahoma State but transferred to Ohio State as a senior where he played in 12 games. He had three interceptions for 41 yards.

For McCalister, it will likely be competing for a chance to catch on for another season on the practice square where he can continue to developer his game at the NFL level. Denver has a good, young crop of safeties, but those projected starters have had some injury issues in their careers so far. Denver might need to draw upon their depth again in 2024 and that is where McCalister’s outlook for this season could come into play.

Final Thoughts

I think Tanner McCalister will be a strong practice squad candidate. He is just a second-year player and has a few games of playing experience on what was a very strong Browns defense in 2023. That could give him an inside edge to snag one of those practice squad spots here in Denver.

As for the final 53-man roster, I don’t think that is likely going to happen unless McCalister popped the heck off in training camp. Anything is possible and he’ll certainly have an opportunity to do just that in a couple of months.