Broncos add UFL pass rusher Ron Stone Jr., waive Hakeem Butler in corresponding move
Denver signed the former Columbus Aviators edge standout to its outside linebacker room and let the big-bodied receiver go as rosters shrink.
The Broncos reached into the UFL again for pass-rush help, signing outside linebacker Ron Stone Jr. ahead of Sunday's cutdown to 53 players. Denver also worked out another UFL defender, Tony Anyanwu, before settling on Stone.
Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel): The #Broncos are making an intriguing add to their OLB room, signing former UFL standout Ron Stone Jr., sources say. Played at Washington State, UDFA in 2024 and then the past two seasons in the UFL.
Stone, 26, went undrafted out of Washington State in 2024 and has spent the past two springs in the UFL, most recently notching 5.5 sacks and five tackles for loss for the Columbus Aviators. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph liked what he saw on tape and in person, saying the new edge will get a long look in Friday's preseason finale.
Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel): #Broncos waived WR Hakeem Butler in a corresponding move, per source.
In a corresponding move, Denver waived receiver Hakeem Butler, who like Stone played in the UFL this spring. Butler's release ends his bid to reclaim an NFL roster spot with the club that drafted him in the fourth round back in 2019.
The signing continues a pattern for a Broncos front office that has repeatedly mined the spring leagues for depth as injuries mount across the roster. Stone gets his audition Friday; whether he survives Sunday's cuts may depend entirely on what he shows against the Saints' backups.