Tycen Anderson, the dude who became the "heart and soul" of the Cincinnati Bengals' special teams unit, just inked a deal as the Denver Broncos' first outside free agent this offseason. You'd think a guy with that kind of reputation would be a shoe-in for a roster spot, right? Well, hold up. Despite his impressive special teams resume, his place in Denver isn't a guaranteed thing, and that's a head-scratcher.
Anderson was a 5th-round pick, 166th overall, out of Toledo back in the 2022 NFL Draft. His rookie season with the Bengals got totally derailed by a hamstring injury, putting him on injured reserve and keeping him out of every game. Talk about a tough start! But the guy bounced back strong in 2023, making the team and hitting the field in 7 games, quickly becoming a key special teams contributor. He kept that momentum rolling in 2024, playing in a solid 75% of the Bengals' special teams snaps. Then came 2025, where he ramped it up even further, appearing in all 17 games and dominating 83% of their special teams plays. Across his four seasons with the Bengals, this safety appeared in 41 games, stacking up 42 tackles and snagging 1 pass deflection. The dude's clearly got a knack for it.
Now, he's taking his 6-2, 210-pound frame, 4.36 40-time speed, and 37-inch vertical jump to the Mile High City for his fifth NFL season, at 27 years old. He joins a Broncos squad that already boasts an All-Pro special teamer in Devon Key, so Anderson is stepping into an already talented unit. His job is to strengthen that core and add some much-needed depth at safety on the defensive side. Last season alone, Anderson tallied 23 tackles and 1 pass deflection in 17 games. You'd think those numbers, combined with his "heart and soul" status, would make him an easy bet for a key role.
But here's the catch: it's not a slam dunk. The word around the league is Anderson's competing hard for a roster spot and a key role on special teams, with a potential defensive safety role up for grabs too. While many believe he's got a pretty good shot at making the team alongside Key, he's definitely not a lock. Sean Payton's Broncos have a history of bringing in other special teams aces, like Sam Franklin Jr. and Trent Sherfield, who either didn't make the cut or didn't stick around long. It's wild to think a player with Anderson's resume faces that kind of uncertainty. The real intrigue, though, is whether he can actually carve out a role on defense. With only 64 defensive snaps throughout his entire Bengals career, that's a big question mark.
Broncos fans need to keep a close eye on this one. How Tycen Anderson shakes out in Denver, especially with Payton's track record, is gonna be super interesting. Will his special teams prowess be enough, or does he need to show more on defense to truly stick? We'll see how it all plays out.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.