Report: Broncos Promote OLB Dondrea Tillman to Active Roster

The elevation comes as starter Baron Browning nurses a foot injury.

Pittsburgh Maulers Troy Willaims (11) throws downfield before being tackled by Birmingham Stallions Dondrea Tillman (99) during the second half of the USFL Championship game Saturday evening at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, OH. / Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Make that three moves within the Denver Broncos' edge-rushing corps.

After signing outside linebacker Andrew Farmer to the practice squad and releasing OLB Ronnie Perkins from injured reserve Tuesday, the Broncos on Wednesday promoted OLB Dondrea Tillman to the active roster, per media reports.

To create room for Tillman, the team must execute a corresponding transaction, which could be placing right tackle Mike McGlinchey on IR. McGlinchey sustained a "significant" MCL sprain in last week's loss to Pittsburgh and is expected to miss roughly a month.

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Tillman put pen to paper with Denver in June — inking a three-year, $2.83 million deal — following a standout career with the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League, for whom the 6-foot-3, 270-pound defender logged 51 solo tackles and 8.5 sacks while helping lead the upstart franchise to a troika of UFL titles in as many seasons.

Tillman played collegiate ball at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania, registering 28 sacks, two interceptions, and a pair of defensive touchdowns across 48 career games. He went unselected in the 2021 NFL draft.

If active, Tillman should serve as backup defensive and special teams depth for Denver's Week 3 road contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

His elevation is a foreboding sign for Broncos starting OLB Baron Browning, who picked up a foot injury versus Pittsburgh. Browning left the contest early and underwent an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the issue.

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