The Denver Broncos wrapped up their rookie minicamp this past weekend with a massive turnout—60 players in total hit the field, including 33 rookies and four veterans all hoping to earn a spot. But when the dust settled, only two of those 37 tryout hopefuls walked away with a contract.

Head coach Sean Payton didn't mince words about the competitive nature of the process. "Our numbers—relative to guys making rosters as free agents, as tryouts—is really, really strong," he said Saturday. He emphasized that once players are in the building, their path there fades into the background. "The moment you're here, how you got here was the step, the science of procuring the best room possible. But once you're here, how you got here is really not important."

The two players who made the cut? Rookie cornerback Paul Manning out of Henderson State and veteran wide receiver Mike Woods. Manning brings raw potential to the secondary, while Woods adds experience to a receiving corps looking to gel this summer. The other 33 rookies—including quarterback E.J. Warner—and three veterans, such as signal-caller Nathan Peterman, didn't land deals this time around.

With these signings, Denver's offseason roster now sits at 91 players, just ahead of organized team activities (OTAs) kicking off in June. But don't count out the ones who got away just yet. The Broncos have a history of circling back to tryout players who impressed, and Woods himself is a prime example—he first worked out for the team last September before finally signing this May. For those 35 who didn't make the cut, the door isn't fully closed.