The Denver Broncos released veteran safety Taylor Rapp on Friday, according to the league’s official transactions.
The move ends a brief but eventful 2026 stint for the 28-year-old defensive back, who had carved out a role in the secondary while helping cover for injuries.
Rapp entered the league as a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 out of Washington.
He spent his first four seasons with the Rams, including the Super Bowl LVI championship campaign, before hitting free agency.
In 2023 he signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills and later received a three-year extension worth up to $14.5 million. The Bills released him this past offseason, opening the door for his arrival in Denver.
The Broncos first brought Rapp in during late August, only to release him less than a week later so he could address a personal matter.
Head coach Sean Payton publicly left the door open for a return, and Rapp eventually landed on the practice squad.
From there, he worked his way onto the active roster, appearing in three games this season and recording 14 tackles without an interception.
Those snaps largely came while starting safety Talanoa Hufanga dealt with an ankle injury, giving the Broncos valuable depth at a position that has been tested.
Friday’s release appears tied to roster management rather than performance. Wide receiver Pat Bryant is expected to return from injured reserve, requiring an opening on the 53-man roster.
Reports indicate the Broncos view the transaction as procedural and intend to re-sign Rapp to the practice squad, possibly as soon as Saturday. Because he has already been elevated multiple times, he remains eligible for one more call-up to the game-day roster this season if needed.
With Hufanga potentially available against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday and other safeties such as Devon Key, JL Skinner and Tycen Anderson healthy, Denver’s secondary should have sufficient numbers in the short term.
Brandon Jones remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Rapp’s combination of experience, tackling ability and versatility made him a useful piece when called upon, and his availability on the practice squad would preserve that flexibility heading into the second half of the season.
For a player who has bounced between practice squad and active roster since late summer, the latest cut does not necessarily mark the end of his time in Denver.
Instead, it reflects the constant roster shuffling that defines the NFL regular season, where injuries, activations and depth needs force teams to make calculated moves with veterans like Rapp.
