Broncos promote Prentice after three elevations and bring Humphrey back

Denver promoted fullback Adam Prentice to its 53-man roster Saturday after using his three available practice-squad elevations. The Broncos also brought receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey back to the practice squad a day after releasing him from the active roster.

Prentice can now play against San Francisco without another temporary elevation. Denver's announcement said he had appeared in each of its first three games, playing 10 percent of the offensive snaps and 67 percent of the special-teams snaps. The move secures a roster place for a player whose largest assignment has come on special teams.

The sequence was planned. Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette reported that Prentice had arranged before the season to spend the first three games on the practice squad, take the three elevations and then join the 53-man roster. Prentice told the newspaper Friday that he had signed his contract. He said the arrangement did not change his per-game pay.

Humphrey's return preserves another receiving option in the reserve group. He has appeared in one game this season. His release Friday created the roster opening for Prentice; Saturday's practice-squad signing keeps him with Denver while that active spot changes hands.

Denver also chose not to elevate a player for Sunday's game, Tomasson reported. That leaves its outside-linebacker group short-handed with Jonathon Cooper on the commissioner's exempt list and Dondrea Tillman ruled out with a hamstring injury. Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss and Que Robinson remain the available outside linebackers identified in that report.

For a front office, Saturday's moves show two different uses of the reserve roster. Prentice's recurring game-day assignment has reached the point where it needs a permanent active spot. Humphrey remains available through the practice squad. Neither transaction establishes a larger offensive role or a new injury return date.