Broncos promote OT Jake Rodgers off the practice squad, waive Corey Levin

The Broncos were forced to make a couple roster moves in the wake of the Ja'Wuan James injury.

The Denver Broncos are one week into the regular season and are already extremely thin at offensive tackle. After spending big bucks to sign Ja'Wuan James this past spring, the prized free-agent acquisition lasted all of 10 plays in the season-opener before going down with a knee injury. 

Enter Elijah Wilkinson. 

Wilkinson stepped in for James and mostly struggled vs. Oakland. That was a trial by fire for him, because even though he has seven career starts, they've all come at right guard. 

Wilkinson will get the eighth start of his career on Sunday, and his first at right tackle, with Khalil Mack and the Chicago Bears coming to Mile High. However, with the Broncos' only solid backup offensive lineman now in the starting lineup, the team literally had no other tackle on the 53-man roster. 

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The changed on Saturday, as the Broncos announced that Jake Rodgers has been promoted from the practice squad. He will serve as the swing tackle in Week 2. 

Rodgers is a second-year player who appeared in all five preseason games for the team during the preseason. He spent time with OL Coach Mike Munchak in Pittsburgh from 2017-18, following him to Denver. 

To make room for Rodgers, the Broncos waived interior O-lineman Corey Levin. Levin was claimed off waivers on the Sunday following final roster cut-downs. 

As much as Coach Munchak might like Levin, necessity demands that the Broncos add a tackle and Levin, unfortunately, drew the short straw. If he passes through waivers, there's a good chance the team will keep him in the fold and re-sign him to the practice squad. 

If necessity truly is the mother of invention, it's time for Elijah Wilkinson to create a name for himself in the NFL. He draws a stiff test in his first start but in the NFL, the trials always come by fire. 

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.