Report: Broncos cut safety Taylor Rapp after only six days on the roster

The Taylor Rapp era with the Denver Broncos was a quick one.

The veteran safety is being released after only six days on the roster, according to NFL Network and ESPN’s Ian Rapoport. It’s part of a couple roster moves that Rapoport broke on Wednesday afternoon while the Broncos were practicing.

There was no immediate reason given for Rapp’s release, although head coach Sean Payton is slated to meet with the media soon. He practiced just once in Denver this past Monday.

Rapp is only 28-years-old and had played significant starting snaps at safety for both the Rams and Bills. He won Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles before moving on to Buffalo.

Rapp spent each of the last three seasons with the Bills, but only played six games in 2025 due to a knee injury before being cut in the spring.

Clearly, once the Broncos got Taylor Rapp in the building, something wasn’t right. It’s almost assuredly health related, because Payton praised him on Monday.

“It wasn’t like us pounding the table, ‘we need a safety.’ It was, ‘hey, this player’s available,’ and ‘let’s work him out and sign him if possible.’ So I’m glad he’s here. We’ve had experience playing against him. He has real good football instincts and awareness that serves you well at that position. So I think it was more availability than necessity, if that makes sense,” Payton said fewer than 48 hours ago. 

Regardless, things didn’t work out and the Taylor Rapp era with the Broncos will be remembered as a brief one.

It’s also good news for backup safeties JL Skinner and Devon Key, slotted in on the depth chart behind starters Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga.