Rapp and Fresch Are Up. That's What the Secondary Has Come To.

Denver elevated Taylor Rapp and Sam Fresch Jr. from the practice squad Saturday, which tells you most of what you need to know about where the secondary stands heading into Week 7. Rapp is a veteran safety who has been a practice-squad fixture; Fresch is primarily a return specialist who also plays corner. These are the pieces the Broncos are working with behind Brandon Jones.

Pat Surtain II is listed as questionable for the Cardinals game, which has been the background hum of this secondary all season — one name always hovering near the injury report, the depth chart reshuffling accordingly. I've been writing versions of this note for weeks now. The difference is that the options keep getting thinner. Rapp is third on the DB depth chart and has logged a fraction of the production Jones has this year. Fresch is listed first at CB but hasn't registered meaningful defensive snaps.

The Broncos are 4-2 and still in the playoff picture, which is a credit to how hard this defense has worked to hold things together. But the margin keeps narrowing. Arizona isn't Kansas City, and Denver should be able to manage the game — but "should be able to manage" is doing a lot of work when your secondary depth is being solved by practice-squad elevations two days before kickoff.