Broncos Elevate Two for Raiders Game, Including Rookie 7th-Rounder

The Denver Broncos announced a pair of roster moves on Saturday ahead of the team's Week 12 tilt at the Las Vegas Raiders, elevating linebacker Zach Cunningham and rookie interior offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo from the practice squad.

This marks the third straight elevation for Cunningham, which means the Broncos will have to sign him to the active roster if they want to ensure he sticks around. He finally saw some action last week vs. the Atlanta Falcons, garnering 11 snaps on defense, of which he totaled three tackles (one solo).

That's excellent production relative to Cunningham's sample size. The Broncos will have a tough decision to make on Monday but in the wake of losing Alex Singleton for the season, I'm not sure they can afford to let an experienced linebacker like Cunningham walk, especially with how he produced vs. the Falcons, and considering the team's playoff relevance heading down the stretch.

For his career, Cunningham has totaled 690 tackles (437 solo), 6.5 sacks, one interception (which he returned for a touchdown), 23 passes defensed, five forced fumbles, and four fumble recoveries. In tandem with Kwon Alexander's arrival, Cunningham gives the Broncos a nice veteran fail-safe at linebacker.

When Alexander's practice-squad elevations were maxed out, the Broncos signed him to the active roster. Only time will tell if the team follows suit with Cunningham. All he can do is maximize the snaps he gets in Vegas and control the controllables.

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

As for Gargiulo, Week 12 will mark his NFL regular-season debut. Drafted in the seventh round out of South Carolina this past spring, he has spent the entirety of the season competing on the practice squad.

At 6-foot-5 and 327 pounds, Gargiulo brings good size to the Broncos' interior. This move could be preemptive due to Ben Powers' shoulder injury. Powers missed some practice time earlier this week, but the Broncos' starting left guard was listed as a full go on the final injury report for Week 12.