HEADLINES

Denver Broncos News & Rumors

Broncos LB Drew Sanders Suffered Torn Achilles

May 20th, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Ben Levine

One of the Broncos’ rising defenders will miss a significant chunk of the 2024 campaign. According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, linebacker Drew Sanders suffered a torn Achilles.

The injury occurred back in April during Denver’s offseason program. Sanders later underwent surgery that was deemed successful. Wilson notes that there’s some hope that Sanders could return late in the 2024 campaign, but there’s also a chance the defender misses his entire sophomore season.

The Arkansas product was selected in the third round of last year’s draft and got into all 17 games as a rookie. While the Broncos initially had him lined up at inside linebacker, Sanders ended up transitioning to the edge towards the end of the season. He finished the campaign with 24 tackles while garnering four starts.

Towards the end of last season, Sanders was soaking up leftover snaps behind Jonathon Cooper and Baron Browning, and that was likely going to be the arrangement heading into 2024. The team does still have 2022 second-round pick Nik Bonitto hanging around, and Wilson notes that Sanders’ injury may have influenced the team’s decision to select outside linebacker Jonah Elliss in the third round. The Utah product was ultimately the team’s second pick, behind first-round quarterback Bo Nix.

Latest On Broncos’ QB Competition

May 19th, 2024 at 10:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos added their preferred Russell Wilson successor in the first round of the 2024 draft. Bo Nix is positioned to see plenty of time at the helm of Denver’s offense over the course of his rookie contract, but that may not mean he sees the field right away this year.

The decision to move on from Wilson (along with more recent one to waive Ben DiNucci) has left Denver with three signal-callers. Nix is joined by offseason trade acquisition Zach Wilson and returnee Jarrett Stidham. The latter is the only one with experience working under head coach Sean Payton.

A report from earlier this month confirmed, to no surprise, that Stidham is expected to open OTAs with the Broncos’ first-team offense. The 27-year-old started two games last year after Wilson’s benching, and he will have the opportunity to earn the Week 1 starting gig depending on how Nix and Wilson are evaluated over the course of the summer. Payton recently confirmed those two passers will receive plenty of looks as well, though.

“We’ll figure it out,” the former Saints Super Bowl winner said during minicamp about a QB rotation once training camp begins in July (via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold). “With young guys, the reps are important. But we’ll have a rotation, and we’ll go from there.”

Wilson struggled mightily during his time with the Jets. The 2021 second overall pick was slated for backup duties in 2023, but Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear thrust him back into starting action. Wilson did not progress compared to his previous campaigns, and New York dealt him to Denver as part of a Day 3 pick swap. One year remains on his rookie contract, with the Broncos footing half of the bill per the terms of the trade.

Of course, most of the attention at Broncos’ camp will be aimed at Nix. The Auburn and Oregon product made a record-breaking 61 starts during his time in college, and he is likely much closer to his NFL ceiling than many of the five other passers selected within the draft’s opening 12 picks. Payton and Co. were frequently connected to Nix in the pre-draft process, and the Broncos had him ranked as their third-best QB prospect.

Given the team’s struggles in finding a true Peyton Manning replacement, the Broncos will be satisfied with any of their in-house options taking charge in the upcoming quarterback competition over the short term. It will be interesting to see how Nix stacks up against Stidham and Wilson, and how quickly he is handed the reins depending on their respective performances.

Extension Candidate: Quinn Meinerz

May 16th, 2024 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Broncos GM George Paton has gone from a respected hire, succeeding John Elway in 2021, to the exec that greenlit three of this decade’s most criticized moves. But prior to the Nathaniel Hackett hire and the Russell Wilson trade and extension calls that set the franchise back, the Paton-fronted 2021 draft gave the Broncos an array of talent that remains in key roles on Sean Payton‘s second Denver roster.

The Broncos received steady criticism for passing on Justin Fields to start that draft, but their Patrick Surtain move has aged well. The All-Pro cornerback will be on track for a mega-extension, and after trade rumors during this year’s draft proved unfounded, extension talks are expected to begin soon. Denver also added starting running back Javonte Williams in Round 2; this will be a big year for the hard-charging RB, as he struggled for much of last season upon returning from ACL and LCL tears. Third-rounder Baron Browning and seventh-rounder Jonathon Cooper have started regularly at outside linebacker, and the team may turn to fifth-rounder Caden Sterns — a Week 1 starter last season before suffering an injury — as a first-stringer post-Justin Simmons.

While that Surtain-fronted haul will be heard from in Denver this season, the group also housed a Division III prospect who has turned into one of the NFL’s better players at his position. The Broncos chose Quinn Meinerz near the end of Round 3 (No. 98) out of Wisconsin-Whitewater. That pick has proven critical for the team, as offensive success stories have been hard to find for the Broncos in recent years.

Meinerz, 25, initially captured attention for mid-’80s Rocky Balboa-style workouts, following a COVID-19-nixed senior season at the D-III level, and practice jerseys exposing his midriff area. But the small-school prospect quickly showed he was capable of quality NFL play. Since taking over for an injured Graham Glasgow midway through the 2021 season, Meinerz has been the Broncos’ most consistent O-lineman. The now-extension-eligible blocker has settled in at right guard over the past two seasons.

As the Broncos cratered to last place in scoring offense during the ill-fated Hackett-Wilson season, Meinerz played well in 13 starts. Pro Football Focus graded Meinerz as a top-five guard in 2022. Last year, PFF slotted Meinerz third among guards. Known more for his run-blocking power, Meinerz has set himself up for a big contract year — should the Broncos not come to an extension agreement before that point.

Denver does not have considerable recent experience with extensions for interior O-linemen. The team has opted to fill its guard needs in free agency for many years, signing the likes of Louis Vasquez (2013), Ronald Leary (2017), Glasgow (2020) and Ben Powers (2023) to big-ticket deals. This span also included a training camp Evan Mathis addition (2015). While the team has seen some decent play from draftees at center and guard in this span (Matt Paradis, Connor McGovern, Dalton Risner, Lloyd Cushenberry), extensions have not emerged. Paradis, Risner, Cushenberry, McGovern and Billy Turner each departed after solid contract years.

With Meinerz joining Surtain as the team’s top extension candidates from Paton’s first draft, it will be interesting to see how the Broncos proceed. Meinerz’s rookie contract has been valuable to the team in recent years, particularly in 2023. As Payton brought in Powers (four years, $52MM) and right tackle Mike McGlinchey (five years, $87.5MM) to pair with the Elway-era Garett Bolles extension (four years, $68MM), the rookie deals for Cushenberry and Meinerz became important.

Payton has been no stranger to O-line extensions. The Saints fortified these spots for years, most recently extending the likes of Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk on the Super Bowl-winning HC’s watch. They also re-signed Pro Bowl guard Andrus Peat. While Bo Nix‘s development has obviously become the central Broncos storyline in 2024, how the team handles its O-line contracts will be worth monitoring as well.

Bolles’ deal expires after this season, and the seven-year left tackle has expressed interest in a third contract. The 2017 first-rounder, however, will turn 32 later this month. Seeing about a younger LT upgrade and allocating money to keep Meinerz in the fold would be a viable path. Wilson’s astonishing dead money figure has settled in at $84MM when the QB’s Steelers offset is factored in, though the team is absorbing the lion’s share of the hit in 2024.

That contract will be on the Broncos’ books through 2025. The team may not want four veteran O-line deals — even around Nix’s rookie contract — on the payroll, creating a potential Bolles-or-Meinerz call. A longer-term Meinerz extension would, however, stand to align with Nix’s deal.

Guard salaries have ballooned past $20MM per year over the past two offseasons. Four guards are in the $20MM-AAV club. Meinerz not having a Pro Bowl or All-Pro nod on his resume may exclude him from that price range, but six more guards are tied to deals north of $15MM per year. Cushenberry also used a contract-year surge to command the second-highest guarantee at signing ($26MM) among centers. Meinerz staying on course will position him as one of next year’s top free agents, as guard franchise tags — since O-linemen are grouped together under the tag formula — are rare.

With Browning and Cooper also due for free agency in 2025, the Broncos ($38MM in 2025 cap space, as of mid-May) will have some decisions to make over the next 10 months. Meinerz’s earnings floor stands to be higher by comparison, and the team’s issues developing offensive talent in recent years would seemingly point to an extension being considered. The Broncos hold exclusive negotiating rights with their 2021 draftees — though, Surtain is signed through 2025 via the fifth-year option — until March of next year.

Broncos Unlikely To Bring Back S Justin Simmons

May 16th, 2024 at 9:43am CST by Adam La Rose

A number of veteran safeties were let go in the lead-in to free agency, and many remain unsigned well after the draft. That includes Justin Simmons, who saw his eight-year Broncos tenure come to an end in March.

Denver’s decision to cut bait created $14.5MM in cap savings for 2024, the final year of Simmons’ deal. The 30-year-old’s future with the team was in question before his release, given the nature of his contract. Rather than pursuing an extension to lower his cap hit, though, the Broncos made Simmons one of the most high-profile players to be let go this offseason.

The two-time Pro Bowler has not been connected to any new teams during his ongoing free agent spell. It would come as a surprise if he were to reunite with the Broncos, however. Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post writes that it appears “very unlikely” a new deal keeping Simmons in the Mile High City will be worked out. As Gabriel notes, the Broncos have not acted in a way which suggests they are open to exploring a way to renew this relationship.

Not long after Simmons was let go, fellow safety P.J. Locke was retained on a two-year deal. The latter took on starting duties when Kareem Jackson missed time through suspension in 2023, and his play earned him a new investment from the team. Denver also has Caden Sterns as well as Delarrin Turner-Yell and JL Skinner in place as returnees on the backend.

In free agency, the Broncos moved quickly in adding Brandon Jones. The former Dolphin secured $20MM on a three-year pact, and he will be counted on to replace Simmons’ production moving forward. Jones, 26, has amassed three interceptions and nine pass deflections in his four-year career. Those figures fall well short of what Simmons has accomplished (30 interceptions, 64 pass breakups), but Jones will have significant opportunities to make an impact on his new team.

Denver did not select a safety during the draft, leaving Jones and Locke as starters for the 2024 campaign. While a Simmons reunion cannot be entirely ruled out until his next contract is in place, signs point toward him playing on a new team for the first time in his career in 2024. He could represent the first of many safety dominoes in the waning stages of free agency around the league.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/15/24

May 15th, 2024 at 8:16pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s minor NFL moves:

Atlanta Falcons:

Denver Broncos

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Signed: Ty Summers
  • Waived with injury designation: WR Wayne Ruby

Minnesota Vikings

Lynch sat on the free agent market for quite some time, but his patience pays off. He’ll return to Minnesota for his fourth season with the team. He’s started three games for the Vikings in 28 game appearances over the last two years.

Allen, a part of Denver’s 13-man undrafted free agent class, sees a short tenure with the Broncos come to an end. Once again, he’ll be free to sign with anyone else in the NFL who may have interest.

Broncos To Sign P Trenton Gill

May 15th, 2024 at 1:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

While no one claimed Trenton Gill‘s rookie contract following his Bears exit, the two-year Chicago punter will have another chance elsewhere. The Broncos are signing Gill, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

Waived shortly after the Bears used a fourth-round pick on Iowa punter Tory Taylor, Gill will head to Denver after two years as Chicago’s punter. It appears he will compete with incumbent Riley Dixon for the Broncos’ punting gig.

The Bears placing fourth-round-level importance on upgrading at punter provided a clear sign Gill would not have a chance to keep his job in Chicago; the cut came days after the draft choice occurred. Gill, 25, served as the Bears’ punter over the past two seasons; he arrived in Illinois as a seventh-round pick out of NC State.

Dixon initially arrived in Denver as a seventh-rounder back in 2016, but the team traded him to the Giants to accommodate a Marquette King signing. The latter move did not pan out in Denver, with King lasting only four games with the 2018 team. The Broncos have cycled through punters in the years since, with Dixon coming back — via a two-year, $3.5MM deal — during Sean Payton‘s first offseason with the team. No guaranteed money remains on Dixon’s deal.

Gill averaged 46.1 yards per punt last season. Despite punting in Denver’s thin air, Dixon averaged 46.3 per boot. Gill averaged 46 even per punt in 2022, while Dixon fared better with the Rams (career-high 48.4). Both Dixon and Gill finished outside the top 20 in this category last season. Dixon, 30, finished last season having placed 34.2% of his punts inside the 20; Gill closed his second Bears slate at 26.9%.

Should Gill beat out Dixon, the Broncos will have used four punters in the past four seasons. The team deployed four between its 2018 Dixon trade and his 2023 return.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/14/24

May 14th, 2024 at 9:14pm CST by Ben Levine

Teams continue to sign their draft picks to rookie contracts. We’ve collected today’s miscellaneous signings below:

Chicago Bears

  • OT Kiran Amegadjie (third round, Yale)

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

Minnesota Vikings

  • OT Walter Rouse (sixth round, Oklahoma)

New York Giants

  • CB Dru Phillips (third round, Kentucky)

Seattle Seahawks

AFC West Notes: Chargers, Broncos, Kelce

May 14th, 2024 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jim Harbaugh talked up ex-Michigan pupil J.J. McCarthy extensively before the draft — potentially leading to the unexpected Justin Herbert trade inquiries — but the latter’s prospect status affected the Chargers‘ plans. Drake Maye going off the board at No. 3 stonewalled Chargers hopes of trading down from No. 5 overall, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. Maye prompted the Giants and Vikings to propose the Patriots deals involving 2025 first-rounders. The Vikings spoke with the Chargers, but it is clear McCarthy did not drive interest the way Maye did. A trade from No. 11 to No. 5 would have cost the Vikings, who memorably interviewed Harbaugh in 2022, a future first-rounder. No major interest in the pick led to the Bolts staying at 5 and choosing Joe Alt, who is set to begin work at right tackle in Los Angeles.

Here is the latest from the AFC West:

  • Staying with the Chargers, they will have both their Ravens RB imports at full strength during the offseason program. Following his second major injury — an Achilles tear sustained in Week 1 — J.K. Dobbins deemed himself “100%.” “I’m 100% now,” Dobbins said, via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. “It was like a walk in the park, it was like a sprained ankle. It was very easy, because I had the knee [injury] — the knee was pretty hard. The Achilles was, I would say, easy, just because that’s my mentality. Got the injury-prone [label] out there, but I think that the storm is over with. I think that I’m going to take off now. There will be no setbacks.” The past injuries limited Dobbins in free agency; he signed a one-year, $1.6MM deal that comes with just $50K guaranteed. Gus Edwards landed a two-year, $6.5MM pact to rejoin Greg Roman in L.A.
  • After Sean Payton — upon the Broncos trading Jerry Jeudy — made it clear he wants an expanded Marvin Mims role on offense, ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold notes the second-year Denver HC drove the effort to draft Troy Franklin near the top of the fourth round. Payton texted Broncos GM George Paton before the fourth round about wanting to move up toward the top of the board to draft Franklin, whom the Broncos had Franklin graded much higher than his ultimate draft slot (No. 102). The Broncos traded Nos. 121, 136 and 207 to move up (via the Seahawks) for Bo Nix‘s top Ducks target. The Broncos still roster Courtland Sutton, though teams have called about a trade for the somewhat disgruntled wideout, but the team has now added a host of WRs — Mims, Franklin and Josh Reynolds chief among them — under Payton. Sutton and Tim Patrick remain from the John Elway GM era.
  • Broncos third-round pick Jonah Elliss underwent shoulder surgery late last year, but the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson notes the Utah alum has been cleared. Denver returns its top three edge rushers from last season (Nik Bonitto, Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper), but Browning and Cooper are in contract years. Jonah Elliss, the latest son of ex-Bronco DT Luther Elliss to enter the NFL, will likely mix in as a rotational OLB to start his pro career.
  • The Chiefs signed off on a straight-up raise for Travis Kelce, as no new years are included in the superstar tight end’s latest deal. The future Hall of Famer remains signed through 2025, and SI.com’s Albert Breer notes no void years were added for cap purposes. The re-up increased Kelce’s 2024 cap number from $15.6MM to $19.6MM, per OverTheCap. Kelce’s 2025 cap number checks in at $19.8MM; the bulk of the 34-year-old pass catcher’s 2025 salary will become guaranteed on day 3 of the 2025 league year.
  • The Paton-Payton duo made a recent staff addition as well. Joey DiCresce will move from intern to full-time football data scientist with the Broncos, ESPN.com’s Seth Walder tweets.

Broncos Re-Sign WR Phillip Dorsett

May 13th, 2024 at 9:17pm CST by Ben Levine

Phillip Dorsett is returning to Denver. After spending the majority of the 2023 campaign on the Broncos practice squad, the veteran wide receiver is re-signing with the team, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver.

[RELATED: Latest On Broncos, WR Courtland Sutton]

The former first-round pick earned bust status during his time with the Colts, but he’s still managed to hang around the NFL for almost a decade. His best season came back in 2016 when he topped 500 receiving yards in Indy. He also didn’t look helpless during his three-year run in New England, including a 2019 season where he finished with 397 receiving yards and five touchdowns (he also had a pair of touchdowns during the Patriots’ 2018 Super Bowl run).

Since hitting free agency in 2020, the receiver has bounced around the NFL, spending time with the Seahawks (two stints), Jaguars, Texans, Raiders, and Broncos. He got into 15 games with Houston as recently as 2022, although he only got into a pair of contesets for Denver last season.

Of course, the team’s receiver depth will look different in 2024. Jerry Jeudy has already been shipped out, and Courtland Sutton is away from the team as he seeks a new deal (although the receiver has not requested a trade). The team did bring in free agent Josh Reynolds and selected Troy Franklin in the fourth round, adding the duo to a group of holdovers that also includes Marvin Mims Jr. and Tim Patrick. Dorsett will likely be competing for one of the final spots on the depth chart, although there’s a chance he goes back to his familiar practice squad role.

The Broncos have also signed undrafted cornerback Quinton Newsome and waived undrafted receiver Lincoln Victor and undrafted punter Nik Constantinou. Newsome emerged as one of Nebraska’s best defenders over the past few years. The defensive back finished his college career with 147 tackles, 17 passes defended, and one interception. He also was a standout special teams player, perhaps hinting at his potential role in Denver.

Latest On Broncos, WR Courtland Sutton

May 13th, 2024 at 3:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The next phase of the Broncos’ offseason program is beginning on Monday, but Courtland Sutton remains absent from the team. The veteran wideout is seeking a new deal, though nothing is imminent on that front.

Sutton is due $13.5MM total in 2024 ($2MM of which has already been paid out). One year remains on his current pact beyond that, but none of his scheduled compensation for 2025 ($14MM) is guaranteed. The 28-year-old is angling for adjustments to the contract providing more assurances but with all practice time being voluntary at this point in the offseason, there is little incentive for team or player to budge from their current stance.

Mike Klis of 9News notes that communication between Sutton’s camp and the Broncos has been “respectful” up to this point. That is a positive sign, especially when coupled with the fact that a trade sending the former second-rounder out of the Mile High City is increasingly unlikely. Denver received interest in the lead-in to the draft, but no deal took place during the event. That comes as little surprise considering the team’s desire to retain Sutton moving forward.

As Klis confirms, the SMU product has not requested a trade despite the ongoing dispute with the Broncos. Sutton has been in Denver throughout his six-year career, and he has been the focal point of the team’s passing game when healthy. In three seasons since his ACL tear in 2020, he has received 297 targets while the Broncos have dealt with injuries amongst other pass-catchers. Last year, he posted career highs in touchdowns (10) and catch percentage (65.6%).

The decision to trade Jerry Jeudy to the Browns was followed up by the signing of Josh Reynolds. The latter will be joined by rookies Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele as newcomers in Denver’s 2024 receiver room. Even with those arrivals and the return of Tim Patrick, though, Sutton will be counted on as the top receiving option for the Broncos’ starting quarterback.

That role will likely be held by first-rounder Bo Nix, who is now missing out on time to develop chemistry with Sutton during spring workouts. That situation would of course become more dire if it were to continue into training camp (when mandatory fines for missed practices or a hold-in could come into play in Sutton’s case). This situation is not currently positioned to result in a parting of ways, but it nevertheless remains worth monitoring as the offseason unfolds.

Load More Posts