Sean Fresch Jr. is back with the Denver Broncos.

When the Broncos thought they were acquiring Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley via trade, they waived Fresch to make room on the 53-man roster. Then Henley failed his physical, and the trade fell through, which leaves a roster spot currently open.

Meanwhile, Fresch passed through waivers unclaimed, so the Broncos quickly re-signed him to the practice squad, where he's spent all but one game this season competing. He's appeared in four games this season — making his NFL debut in Week 5 against the Chargers — and was actually promoted to the Broncos' 53-man roster ahead of Week 9's game against the Carolina Panthers.

Out of the gate, the 5-foot-9, 181-pound defensive back returned the opening kickoff in Carolina 41 yards to set Bo Nix and the Broncos' offense up with great field position. Fresch would finish the day with 62 return yards on two attempts, averaging 31 yards each.

Counting the three previous games Fresch appeared in as a practice-squad elevation, he's totaled six kick returns for 153 yards (25.5 avg). He has also made three solo tackles on special teams, covering punts and kicks.

Fresch's Path to Denver

Fresh originally went undrafted out of Rice last year. No team offered him a contract as a priority free agent after the draft, but the Kansas City Chiefs invited him to try out at their rookie minicamp. Alas, he didn't receive an offer.

So, Fresch bided his time and eventually took his talents to the UFL, signing with the San Antonio Brahmas. When the Brahmas went under, he entered the UFL draft, where the St. Louis Battlehawks selected him in January 2026.

Fresch went on to lead the league in punt return yardage, earning All-UFL honors. The Battlehawks made it to the playoffs, but lost in the semi-finals to the Louisville Kings.

That game was on June 7. The Broncos signed Fresch on June 15, along with his Battlehawks teammate Hakeem Butler. Both former UFL stars shined early in OTAs and minicamp, but when training camp arrived, Fresch continued to ascend while Butler fell off and was eventually waived.

The Broncos knew they were getting a playmaking returner in Fresch, but they may have slept a little bit on what he brought to the table as a defensive back. He looked good in the preseason, and when the final roster cuts came, he may not have made the 53, but the Broncos quickly re-signed him to the practice squad.

The Takeaway

Fresch's 25th birthday was on Wednesday — the same day the Broncos waived him to make room for Henley — but I'm sure the discussion centered around the team's intention to keep him in the fold if he cleared waivers. And that's exactly what happened.

With Marvin Mims Jr. and Ja'Quan McMillian being in a contract year, the Broncos have some post-2026 options in case they're unable to re-sign either. Fresch could check both boxes, in terms of his upside, especially as a returner.

As a defensive back, Fresch still has much to prove, but now that he's back on the practice squad, the Broncos are going to give him the opportunity to do just that. It wouldn't be a surprise if they promoted him again to the 53-man roster before Week 11's home game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Even if they don't promote him, Fresch's three practice-squad elevations have reset, so the Broncos can use him on game day for the foreseeable future.