Sean Payton Explains Why Broncos Kept Rookie OT Frank Crum

This definitely raised some eyebrows around Broncos Country.

May 23, 2024; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos tackle Frank Crum (73) during organized team activities at Centura Health Training Center. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

With the start of the season a week away, the Denver Broncos' initial 53-man roster has been set.
While many of the known players made the roster as expected, there were several surprises.

Some of the surprises included the jettison of veteran wideout Tim Patrick and linebacker Jonas Griffith and the addition of undrafted rookies, running back Blake Watson and linebacker Levelle Bailey. Bailey was waived on Thursday after initially making the cut, and re-signed to the practice squad on Friday.

One of the most notable roster surprises was undrafted rookie offensive tackle Frank Crum making the cut.  And it came with a fair amount of criticism from the fan base. Although the preseason tape provides evidence of the poor play, Broncos head coach Sean Payton seems to think otherwise.

“His tape has been really good," Payton said on Wednesday. "We all saw two or three sacks, but it's interesting when you sit up in that room and you just watch every snap from training camp and then the game, which we do... Certainly, he was a guy that we had to really battle in free agency on, but man his size and upside—he wasn't one that we were considering. We felt like he made this team. Then all week, we go through the process of who do we think can make it through waivers and it's not a science.”

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Crum is one of the Broncos' highest-paid undrafted rookie free agents and has impressive measurables:

• Height: 6-foot-7

• Weight: 315 lbs

• Arm Length: 33 7/8 inches

• Hand Size: 10 ½ inches

• 40-Yard Dash: 4.94 seconds

During the preseason, Crum was very underwhelming. The highlights of his preseason play included allowing three sacks. 

Despite his performance, there is tremendous potential with Crum. He is very athletic and quick. The size is beneficial as it can be used to block opposing defensive linemen and clear gaps for the running backs.

However, the biggest issue is failing to hold up in pass protection. There were several times that his technique was unrefined. This caused him to be off-balance and led to issues with timing. As a result, there was constant pressure in the pocket for the quarterback.

The Takeaway

This move suggests that Crum is further along than expected. It is very encouraging to see that the Broncos are willing to take a chance on =Crum and have him develop. If he can improve as a pass-blocker, then he may solidify himself as the swing tackle for the Denver Broncos in the foreseeable future. 

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