HEADLINES

Denver Broncos News & Rumors

Broncos To Cut LB Jonas Griffith

August 27th, 2024 at 1:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jonas Griffith has gone from competing for a starting inside linebacker job to being cut. The Broncos are going with another option alongside Alex Singleton and are waiving Griffith, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.

Despite Griffith having missed the past 1 1/2 seasons and not being a Sean Payton-era addition, the team extended the young linebacker early this offseason. A starter for the Broncos back in 2022, Griffith is now on the waiver wire.

Cody Barton has won the Broncos’ ILB job alongside Griffith. Denver had signed the former Seattle and Washington starter in free agency but had pitted him against Griffith entering training camp. The Broncos gave Barton a one-year, $2.5MM deal that came nearly fully guaranteed; Griffith signed for one year and $985K.

The Broncos moved on from multiyear starter Josey Jewell this offseason; the seventh-year veteran rejoined one-and-done Denver DC Ejiro Evero in Carolina. The team, amid a rather historic cap crunch thanks to the Russell Wilson development, saved some money by bringing in Barton. Griffith will now look for a gig elsewhere, but he is riding no momentum.

Griffith started eight games under Evero in 2022 but missed the team’s final eight contests with a foot injury. The former UDFA then missed all of 2023 with an ACL tear. Griffth, 27, enjoyed a chance to regain a starting role for the Broncos. It is unlikely he will have that opportunity elsewhere, though injuries depleting teams’ LB corps could help his cause down the road.

 

Broncos CB Damarri Mathis Generating Trade Interest

August 26th, 2024 at 6:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Broncos veterans are coming up in trades talks, as Sean Payton is set to move on from Tim Patrick and Samaje Perine. Another position group has attracted some interest as well.

The team went through a cornerback competition in training camp — to see who would start on the boundary opposite Patrick Surtain. This battle would not have been necessary had Damarri Mathis, who started for most of 2022 in place of an injured Ronald Darby, held onto the job last season. But Vance Joseph benched the 2022 fourth-rounder, leading to a competition forming this offseason.

Denver, which did not re-sign primary 2023 CB2 starter Fabian Moreau, has nevertheless received trade calls on Mathis, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. It does not look like the third-year corner is going anywhere, however. The Broncos are planning to keep the Pittsburgh alum, per Fowler, with an injury intervening as well. Mathis sustained a high ankle sprain against the Cardinals on Sunday, 9News’ Mike Klis adds.

Mathis was set to make Denver’s 53-man roster, Klis adds, though this would have come as a backup. Riley Moss has primarily worked as the Broncos’ starter as of late; the 2023 third-rounder had been viewed as the frontrunner going into camp. Denver also signed ex-Bills and Steelers starter Levi Wallace as veteran insurance. He is expected to make the 53-man roster, with fifth-round rookie Kris Abrams-Draine also set to earn a spot.

The Broncos had Darby in place as their primary Surtain complementary piece in 2022, but a season-ending injury led to Mathis making 11 starts that season. After Mathis had held his own under Ejiro Evero in 2022, Denver benched Mathis six games into last season. Pro Football Focus rated the 5-foot-11 defender as the league’s second-worst CB regular in 2023, though teams still appeared curious about his potential. Two years remain on Mathis’ rookie deal.

As of now, the Broncos are likely to roll out a Surtain-Moss-Ja’Quan McMillian trio at corner. It remains to be seen if the team will carry Mathis onto its 53-man roster or use one of its two early IR-return slots. If the Broncos place Mathis on IR before finalizing their 53-man roster, they would lose one of their eight IR activations before the season starts.

WR Phillip Dorsett, DL Angelo Blackson Among Broncos’ Early Cuts

August 26th, 2024 at 5:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos began moving down toward the 53-man limit. Teams need to reduce rosters to the regular-season limit by 3pm CT on Tuesday. Denver has higher-profile moves in the works, aiming to trade Tim Patrick and Samaje Perine, but multiple other vested veterans are part of this initial cut contingent.

Released:

Waived:

A former first-round pick, Dorsett never looked like a 53-man candidate on a Broncos team that has made a few moves at wide receiver this offseason — to the point Patrick is no longer in its plans. This marks the second time this year the Broncos released Dorsett; they cut him in mid-May only to re-sign him days later. Dorsett, 31, joined the Broncos on a practice squad deal just after teams finalized their initial 53-man rosters last August. He played in two games and caught one pass in 2023. The Broncos were Dorsett’s seventh NFL team.

Blackson, 31, has been a D-line contributor for nine seasons. With 42 starts on his resume, Blackson has played for five NFL teams (Titans, Texans, Cardinals, Bears, Jaguars). He joined the Jaguars late last summer and played 11 games as a backup. Since signing Blackson in April, the Broncos received word of Eyioma Uwazurike‘s reinstatement from a gambling suspension. The team also traded for John Franklin-Myers since signing Blackson, who would stand to generate some interest as a late-summer free agent.

Broncos To Move On From WR Tim Patrick

August 26th, 2024 at 4:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

In addition to running back Samaje Perine, Tim Patrick is no longer in the Broncos’ offensive plans. The veteran receiver will be released if no trade agreement can be worked out, Mike Klis of 9News reports.

Denver is looking to find a trade partner for Patrick, which comes as little surprise. He had struggled with season-ending injuries over the past two summers, however, a factor which should limit interest showed by outside teams. The Broncos’ depth at wideout will lead to Patrick finding a new home in any case.

Patrick, 30, missed the Broncos’ entire Russell Wilson era. He suffered a torn ACL during training camp in 2022 and went down with an Achilles tear last summer. The resilient veteran returned, however, and took a substantial pay cut to stay in Denver. The Broncos used him frequently in their second preseason game, showcasing the recovered pass catcher. Patrick worked as a Bo Nix underneath target against the Packers and scored a touchdown. But the team has made some moves since Patrick was last healthy entering a season.

Part of the Broncos’ Courtland Sutton– and Jerry Jeudy-fronted receiving corps for years, Patrick eclipsed 700 receiving yards by working as a reliable option in an injury-prone position group. Patrick ironically became the most injury-prone of this contingent, and Payton has since traded Jeudy and added other auxiliary options. The Broncos traded up for Marvin Mims in last year’s second round, and they signed Josh Reynolds (two years, $9MM) this offseason. Denver also used fourth- and seventh-round picks on receivers in this draft. Troy Franklin, a Nix college teammate, fell to Round 4; seventh-rounder Devaughn Vele also impressed during camp.

Patrick did well to sign an extension (three years, $30MM) before his injury trouble began. The longest-tenured member of the Broncos’ skill-position corps, Patrick arrived as a practice squad performer during John Elway‘s GM tenure and signed the extension during George Paton‘s first GM year. Paton remains, but Sean Payton effectively calls the shots now in Denver. Only Sutton remains as a Denver receiver acquired before the HC’s arrival.

It would cost the Broncos $6.1MM in dead money — spread over two years — to trade Patrick. The team will only save $1.1MM by making the move. This ratio, and Patrick’s potential to help Nix, illustrates the team’s current optimism surrounding its young receiving corps. It will be interesting to see if a team bites on the veteran following his two missed seasons. An acquiring team would only be tied to a $1.1MM base salary.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Broncos, RB Samaje Perine To Part Ways; Team Engaged In Trade Talks

August 26th, 2024 at 3:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Samaje Perine will not return to the Broncos. The team added multiple backs this offseason, and its primary passing-down option from 2023 is no longer part of the plan.

While it may come down to Denver releasing Perine, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports the team is engaged in talks around a trade. It looks like the Broncos will try to collect an asset for the veteran back, who made notable contributions as an outlet option behind Javonte Williams last season.

Denver gave Perine a two-year, $7.5MM deal in 2023, and the former Bengals backup played behind Williams while operating as a key Russell Wilson target. But the team drafted Audric Estime in Round 5 this year. UDFA Blake Watson also drew attention this summer. Estime, Williams and 2023 UDFA standout Jaleel McLaughlin are almost definitely Denver’s top three backs, with Watson a potential practice squad option. With Sean Payton indicating the team is keeping its three quarterbacks, at least one extra cut is coming somewhere.

The Bengals have come up as a rumored trade suitor at multiple junctures this year. The team moved on from Joe Mixon, whom Perine backed up for three-plus seasons, and has Chase Brown and UFA addition Zack Moss atop its depth chart. Perine would stand to fall back in as a passing-down option, if Cincinnati is indeed interested in reacquiring him.

Perine will turn 29 next month, but his lighter career workload (605 touches) has kept him a viable option. He should land somewhere soon. The former Washington draftee totaled a career-high 455 receiving yards last season, which featured some key late-game work as a low-wattage Broncos offense strung together multiple game-winning drives during a five-game win streak. But Perine entered camp competing for a job. Williams fared better this summer and is locked into a gig in his contract year.

The Broncos have until 3pm CT Tuesday to move Perine, who is a vested veteran and would bypass the waiver process. The Bengals could opt to wait on that rather than part with an asset, but it would depend on if any other suitors are out there.

Broncos To Waive P Trenton Gill

August 26th, 2024 at 2:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Trenton Gill impressed in the Broncos’ punter-friendly confines, but he did not do enough to win the team’s punting competition. Riley Dixon has prevailed, which will lead to a roster move.

Denver is waiving Gill, according to 9News’ Mike Klis. The Broncos become the second team this year to cut Gill. The Bears did so after drafting Tory Taylor in the fourth round.

The Bears’ punter from 2022-23, Gill fared well during the preseason. He led the NFL with a 53.6-yard preseason average, but the Broncos will hold onto Dixon’s two-year contract. Dixon did not have any guarantees remaining on his deal; it would have cost the Broncos only $300K to release the more experienced option.

Dixon, who turned 31 on Saturday, was part of the Broncos’ 2016 draft class but was eventually traded to the Giants to clear a spot for Marquette King. The King deal did not lead to a long-term partnership, and the Broncos could not settle on a punter in the years that followed. Dixon punted for the Giants for four years and then served as the Rams’ punter in 2022, eventually coming back to Denver during Sean Payton‘s first season at the helm.

Gill averaged more than 46 yards per punt in each of his two Bears seasons; Dixon came in at 46.3 last season. Gill placed 26.3% of his punts inside the 20-yard line last year, while Dixon’s inside-the-20 number checked in at 34.2%. Gill is not yet a vested veteran, so a team considering a punter move could look to the former Chicago seventh-round pick via waivers.

Broncos Considering Keeping Three QBs

August 25th, 2024 at 7:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 25: When speaking to the media after Denver’s preseason finale – a game in which Stidham and Wilson both played – Payton confirmed (via Renck) that finances will not be a factor discouraging the team from keeping both in place in addition to Nix. A number of teams around the NFL will likely show at least some interest in adding a signal-caller over the next few days, but they may not have the opportunity to obtain one of the Broncos’ passers if Payton’s willingness to hold onto all three holds true.

AUGUST 24: Bo Nix is the Broncos’ starter, a development his draft status and college experience long signaled. This leaves the team’s veteran arms either competing for one roster spot or set to determine which passer is Nix’s immediate backup.

Sean Payton kept only two QBs on the active roster for most of last season, and the Saints regularly rostered only two passers during Drew Brees‘ tenure. With more uncertainty in Payton’s current QB room, however, an exception may need to be made.

The Broncos are not against carrying three passers on the 53-man roster, with Payton indicting (via the Denver Post’s Troy Renck) this is under consideration. While an offseason rule change allows an unlimited number of practice squad elevations for an emergency third quarterback, the Broncos would run the risk of losing one of their backups if they made a cut by Tuesday’s 3pm CT deadline.

The second-year Denver HC might be posturing to potentially drive a trade, but the Broncos’ backup options have disparate profiles. With Nix going into his first season, the team keeping Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson would make sense. The former brings experience in Payton’s system, having signed a two-year deal worth $10MM in the HC’s first Denver free agency period, with the latter supplying higher upside — albeit with a low floor Jets fans observed for the past three seasons.

Last year’s spree of quarterback injuries leaguewide also could give the Broncos a potential trade chip, as the team carrying all three could precede calls. While Wilson expectedly generated minimal trade interest this offseason, needs arise based on injuries. Stidham is more experienced and would conceivably appeal as a backup option elsewhere — especially in the event a starter goes down. The Texans took calls on both their C.J. Stroud backups — Davis Mills, Case Keenum — before last year’s deadline.

Stidham, 28, preceded Nix as Auburn’s starter and would make more sense as an immediate backup. He spent last season as Russell Wilson‘s QB2, before once again being inserted into a starting lineup largely due to a starter’s contract issue, and is going into his sixth year. Stidham started the Broncos’ first preseason game and entered camp in the QB1 role. Wilson certainly has more starting experience, but his Jets starter arc does not exactly work in his favor. Bringing more upside as a passer, Wilson was still benched three times as a Jet. He also has been Denver’s third-stringer for weeks, never making a serious challenge — despite some recent Payton praise — for the starting job.

It would cost nearly the same amount of dead money to jettison either vet. The Broncos would incur $2MM in dead money by releasing Stidham; they would take on $2.76MM in dead cap by waiving Wilson. The 25-year-old arm not being a vested vet stands to play into Denver’s decision, as there is a chance Wilson is claimed if waived. Though, that is far from a certainty. With only $1MM of Stidham’s base salary guaranteed, the team could also save $5MM by cutting him. No cap savings would come from a Wilson cut.

The Broncos will hope this does not matter much, preparing to give the keys to their first-round pick ahead of what the team hopes is a lengthy starter tenure. The team has seen its recent starters — from Russell Wilson to Teddy Bridgewater to Drew Lock to Joe Flacco — suffer injuries requiring relief work, making the Stidham-and/or-Wilson call rather important.

Dax Hill Wins Starting CB Job; Bengals Likely To Make RB Addition

August 24th, 2024 at 11:10am CST by Sam Robinson

This year’s Bengals training camp pitted two former Michigan teammates against each other for a starting job. Despite Dax Hill changing positions this offseason, he won the matchup.

The Bengals moved Hill from safety to cornerback, and a competition with DJ Turner formed. Although Turner started 12 games as a rookie, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. notes it will be Hill who opens the season as Cincinnati’s starting outside corner opposite Cam Taylor-Britt (subscription required).

Moved to corner to start the offseason program, Hill fared well at a position he also saw time at while with the Wolverines. The 2022 first-round pick and Turner, a 2023 second-rounder, each saw time in Jim Harbaugh‘s secondaries from 2019-21. Hill has been moved around at the pro level as well, playing both safety and in the slot. He appears to have found a home — for the time being, at least — on the perimeter.

After starting just two games as a rookie, the former No. 31 overall pick worked as a 17-game starter in 2023. This produced 110 tackles but poor coverage metrics; Pro Football Focus rated Hill as the sixth-worst safety regular last season. The Bengals also changed up their safety equation this offseason, bringing back Vonn Bell and signing ex-Raven Geno Stone.

Lou Anarumo‘s secondary will feature experience on the backend and youth on the boundary, with Taylor-Britt only going into his third season. Chidobe Awuzie left in free agency, but rather than Turner stepping in, a somewhat unexpected conclusion took shape. Turner will step into the team’s top backup role. Mike Hilton remains on the roster as a veteran presence, supplying considerable seasoning in the slot.

Additionally, Dehner continues to name Samaje Perine as a reunion candidate. The prospect of the Bengals bringing back their former backup/passing-down back surfaced this offseason, and Perine is not a lock to make the Broncos’ 53-man roster. Perine would pass straight to free agency if released, as a vested veteran, but the Bengals could also ensure they end up with the ex-Joe Mixon backup by trading for him.

Perine is tied to a $2.83MM salary this season, and he played a key role as a Russell Wilson outlet option during the Broncos’ five-game win streak last year. But Denver may end up keeping only three backs. Javonte Williams, who may well have been battling Perine for a roster spot, has solidified himself as Denver’s starter. The team has shifty rotational piece Jaleel McLaughlin and fifth-round rookie Audric Estime in line to make the initial 53 as well.

Cincy traded Mixon to Houston for a seventh-round pick and added Zack Moss as a lower-cost replacement. The team will carry 2023 fifth-rounder Chase Brown, with Trayveon Williams still in place as a third-stringer. The Bengals, however, lost fourth-year RB Chris Evans to a season-ending patellar tendon tear recently. Brown should be expected to start over Moss, per Dehner, despite the team giving the recent Colts spot starter a two-year, $8MM deal.

Even if Perine does not make it back to Ohio, Dehner names running back as the position the Bengals will most likely try to upgrade in the coming days. Teams have until 3pm CT Tuesday to set their initial 53-man rosters.

OL Notes: Broncos, Wattenberg, Raiders, Cowboys, Beebe, Patriots, Giants, Neal

August 22nd, 2024 at 8:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The center position sticks out on Denver’s offensive line. Four eight-figure-per-year contracts populate the Broncos‘ front, giving Bo Nix a solid batch of blockers as he begins his career. But the team did not bring in a starter-caliber player to replace Lloyd Cushenberry, who signed a big-ticket deal with the Titans. A matchup of recent Day 3 picks in training camp is close to being resolved. Luke Wattenberg has started Denver’s two preseason games, and the coaching staff views the 2022 fifth-rounder as having made great strides ahead of his third season. Wattenberg should be considered the favorite to start over 2023 seventh-rounder Alex Forsyth (despite the latter having been Nix’s 2022 center at Oregon), per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.

A Washington alum already going into his age-27 season, Wattenberg has two seasons left on his rookie contract. He has played 128 career snaps. This will be an adjustment for the Broncos, who used Cushenberry as a starter for four seasons. But Wattenberg’s fifth-round contract will mesh well on a line with Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Mike McGlinchey and now Quinn Meinerz on pricey deals.

Here is the latest from the O-line ranks:

  • The Patriots will of course look into additions on the waiver wire, when hundreds of cut players will be available come Wednesday, but de facto GM Eliot Wolf said (via MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian) the team is content with its current mix up front. In addition to being without left guard Cole Strange, the Pats have not named their starting tackles. It appears to be trending toward 2023 late-August trade pickup Vederian Lowe at LT and street FA addition Chukwuma Okorafor at RT, the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed writes. Jerod Mayo both said he had wanted an O-line settled before the third preseason game and that Drake Maye‘s short outing in the preseason opener came from an uneasiness about the front five. This does not paint a picture of stability entering the season, which would make it rather interesting if Mayo and Wolf opted to open the year with Maye starting.
  • Cooper Beebe had been mentioned as a strong candidate to replace Tyler Biadasz as the Cowboys‘ center, but Brock Hoffman — a 2022 UDFA who started two games last season — had worked exclusively in that spot during most of training camp. Beebe, however, has received first-team work recently, Saad Youself of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Since that insertion, Beebe looks to be moving toward landing the gig. The third-round rookie appears the more likely starter, Yousef adds, with Hoffman — despite his weeks-long run with the first unit — seemingly ticketed for a backup role.
  • After a shoulder injury kept Jackson Powers-Johnson out of OTAs, and a concussion sustained at minicamp sidelined the second-round pick for months. Powers-Johnson only returned to Raiders practice recently. The team had hoped the Oregon center would win its LG job from the jump, but the time off will likely delay his start to the season. Antonio Pierce said (via The Athletic’s Tashan Reed) Powers-Johnson is unlikely for Week 1. Free agent signing Cody Whitehair has worked as Las Vegas’ starting LG and is poised to keep that role to open the season. The Bears demoted the longtime starter midway through last season, making his Raiders fit — with ex-Bears OC Luke Getsy calling the shots — interesting. But the 32-year-old blocker looks like a Week 1 starter.
  • Last year’s Raiders RG starter, Greg Van Roten is reprising his right-side tandem with Jermaine Eluemunor in New York. If Giants center John Michael Schmitz misses time, however, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan expects the recently added guard to slide to center. Free agent pickup Aaron Stinnie would replace Van Roten, 34, at guard in this scenario.
  • Duggan drops another concerning nugget about Evan Neal‘s status as well, indicating the displaced RT starter is not a lock to be active on gamedays due to only taking reps at right tackle since coming back from ankle surgery. Joshua Ezeudu, who has worked at both left and right tackle spots during camp, would be the Giants’ swing tackle if Neal’s transition from top-10 pick to healthy scratch actually happens.

Randy Gregory Expected To Retire

August 22nd, 2024 at 3:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of his Buccaneers release officially taking place on Thursday, Randy Gregory‘s NFL career may well be over. The veteran edge rusher is expected to retire, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes.

Gregory joined the Bucs in April after his brief stint with the 49ers to close out the 2023 campaign. He was dealt to San Francisco following the end of his highly underwhelming Broncos tenure. A five-year, $69.5MM Denver contract signed in 2022 only resulted in three sacks across 10 games played. The Tampa Bay deal represented an opportunity for a fresh start, but it did not work out.

The former second-rounder signed for $3MM, and his Buccaneers pact included a $1.3MM roster bonus. Since Gregory never reported to the team, though, Tampa Bay was in position to collect that payment. The bonus has indeed been paid back, per Greg Auman of Fox Sports. Between never keeping that money and the $50K in daily fines he accumulated, the Nebraska product’s financial situation was notably worsened during his (essentially) non-existent Tampa Bay tenure.

In June, it was learned Gregory filed a lawsuit against the Broncos and the NFL after being fined more than $500K for the use of a prescription medication containing THC. No developments on that front have taken place in recent months, but today’s news points to Gregory’s ability to add to his career earnings coming to an end. The cause for his ongoing absence remains unknown.

Entering the NFL as a Cowboys second-rounder, Gregory’s most productive season came with Dallas in 2018 (six sacks). The early portion of his career was marred by suspensions, though, and four substance abuse bans left him sidelined for the 2017 and ’19 campaigns. A deal seemed to be in place to remain with the Cowboys in 2022, but that agreement was soon replaced the Broncos one which included the same terms.

If Gregory, 31, does indeed hang up his cleats he will depart the league with 78 combined regular and postseason games to his name. His career earnings check in at roughly $33MM. It would come as a surprise if teams showed interest in him as a free agent given the nature of his Buccaneers exit.

Load More Posts