ENGLEWOOD — The Broncos said goodbye to Taylor Rapp but hope to eventually say hello to him again.

The veteran safety who was signed by the Broncos last Thursday was released Wednesday. Head coach Sean Payton said Rapp, who went through just one practice with the team, has some personal issues and could be re-signed at a later time.

Denver on Wednesday also waived rookie wide receiver Kyre Duplessis. And with the two roster openings, they signed tackle Foster Sarell and defensive tackle Israel Antwine.

“Taylor Rapp came in, spent some time with him,” Payton said. “He needs a little time at home. … There’s a better than good chance (of him re-signing). I know he felt (good) being here and so I think sooner than later, that’s going to happen. But this obviously took precedence.”

After being undrafted out of Stanford in 2021, the 6-foot-6, 322-pound Sarell spent time with Baltimore, the New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers and Washington. Over the last four seasons, he got into 41 games with four starts with the Chargers.

With the Broncos having injuries to offensive linemen Alex Forsyth and Frank Crum, Sarell could help the Broncos in Friday’s preseason finale against Minnesota at Empower Field and perhaps after that.

“I think (Sarell is) another one that can help with reps and experience, enough to where he’s just not showing up,” Payton said.

The 6-3, 327-pound Antwine played at Colorado in 2018 before transferring to Oklahoma State and being undrafted in 2022. He spent time in 2022 on Jacksonville’s practice squad and then played with Montreal in the Canadian Football League in 2023, with the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League in 2024 and with Houston of the United Football League the past two springs.

Duplessis, an undrafted rookie from Delaware, was signed Aug. 7 by the Broncos. He played in Denver’s first two preseason games but didn’t have a target.

Rapp played for the Los Angeles Rams from 2019-22 and the Buffalo Bills from 2023-25 mostly as a starter. He started for the Rams during their 2021 Super Bowl-winning season.

Rapp was lost for the season with a knee injury suffered in Week 6 of 2025, and the Bills released him in March. He signed a nonguaranteed one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Broncos last Thursday.

Rapp went through his first Denver practice Monday. Afterward, Payton said it wasn’t a case of the Broncos needing a safety but that “it was more availability” of an experienced veteran such as Rapp.

Rapp did not practice Tuesday.

“Good,” Payton said of how Rapp looked in Monday’s workout. “It was early. But here’s what we know. We’ve played against him. He’s smart, which is a great to have as a safety. He’s a good tackler. He can play down over the slot. He’s got versatility. And this (situation) came up and it was something that obviously needed to be addressed.”

NFL monitoring Cooper case

An NFL spokesman said Wednesday the league is continuing to monitor the case involving Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who is facing a felony charge for domestic violence and two misdemeanors for an alleged incident in June in Douglas County. Cooper has a hearing scheduled for Monday.

“We have been following all developments in the matter which remains under review,” Brian McCarthy told The Denver Gazette.

Cooper could be subject to NFL discipline due to the personal conduct policy regardless of the legal outcome of his case. 

Briefly

Not practicing and working on a side field for the Broncos on Wednesday were Forsyth, cornerback Riley Moss, linebacker Drew Sanders and tight end Caleb Lohner. Crum also did not practice and was not on the field. … Payton lauded the toughness of guard Ben Powers, who played the last five games of 2025 with a Lisfranc foot injury that wasn’t diagnosed until after the season. “There’s a unique part to the offensive and defensive lines where they play for each other and they don’t want to let each other down,” said Payton, adding Powers has a “special” trait to him. … During a period when Payton was the Giants’ quarterbacks coach in 1999 and offensive coordinator from 2000-01, he had star guard Ron Stone Sr. on the team. Now he’s coaching his son, outside linebacker Ron Stone Jr. “You begin to feel a little old,” Payton said of that scenario.