HEADLINES

Denver Broncos News & Rumors

AFC Free Agency Rumors: Pats, Ogbah, Texans, Broncos

April 15th, 2022 at 7:36pm CST by Ely Allen

After an anomalous offseason that saw the Patriots rank fourth in the NFL in total spending, New England fans have seen a bit of a return to the norm in 2022 with the team currently ranking 21st. Whereas last year saw the Patriots sign Matt Judon, Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, and Jalen Mills, this offseason for New England has mainly consisted of a few re-signings, a few trades, and fewer additions of players like Terrance Mitchell, Ty Montgomery, Malcolm Butler, and Jabrill Peppers.

According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, next year could see the Patriots return to a higher priced offseason. Attractive names on the market, along with guarantees from last year’s signings coming off the books, could lead to New England pursuing the strategy of surrounding a young quarterback on their rookie deal with tons of talent.

Here are a few more free agency rumors from around the AFC, starting with a note from Dade County:

  • Emmanuel Ogbah‘s new dream deal to stay in Miami was dangerously close to not happening, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Ogbah signed an enticing four-year, $65MM deal with $32MM guaranteed in mid-March. While the Dolphins always planned on pursuing Ogbah, the offer they originally had in mind wasn’t quite that lofty. Rumors claim that another team was looking to offer Ogbah a deal close to the contract he ended up with in Miami. The Dolphins upped their offer moments before the start of free agency and were able to keep Ogbah in his home of the past two seasons.
  • In a press conference with new Texans head coach Lovie Smith, a question was raised about the team’s cornerbacks room. Smith’s reply was that the play from last year’s group was not good enough. If players were brought back from last year, Smith claims that the team has faith in them to play a role, but that the team is definitely looking to improve their cornerback room. If the team is looking to free agency to do so, there are still some veteran names available on the market such as Joe Haden, Kyle Fuller, and Chris Harris.
  • According to Mike Sando of The Athletic, while the Broncos obviously improved their quarterback room with the addition of Russell Wilson, an executive in the NFL claims that the move should still be considered a miss as the team obviously would’ve preferred Aaron Rodgers. It’s no secret that most teams in the NFL would prefer Rodgers over Wilson and Wilson clearly improves the Broncos’ offense as the best back up plan after missing on Rodgers. Yet the quoted executive seems to believe that the Broncos deserve a little less credit for the move, since it’s essentially the result of missing on Rodgers.

Latest On Bradley Chubb

April 15th, 2022 at 10:56am CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos have had a busy offseason so far, but they face an important decision in the near future. Edge rusher Bradley Chubb is set to play on his fifth-year option this season, which will likely play a large role in determining his future. As noted by Nick Kosmider of the Athletic, the 25-year-old isn’t concerned with his contract status. 

“I know I didn’t put my best foot forward last year on the field” he said. “My goal is to play 17 games and win as many as possible. That [contract] stuff is gonna come… my thing is tunnel vision, looking forward and just trying to help this team win.”

The fifth-overall pick in the 2018 draft, Chubb had a promising start to his NFL career. He posted 12 sacks – the most in franchise history for a rookie – during his inaugural campaign. That remains the only year in which he was available for every game in a season, however, as injuries have prevented him from following-up on that initial success.

Chubb underwent a second ankle surgery during the past season, after an offseason procedure wasn’t sufficient to correct the issue. As a result, he was limited to seven games. The lack of production during that span (he was held without a sack) adds to the uncertainty surrounding the 2022 campaign. The NC State product has alternated between effective and injury-riddled years so far.

Chubb will have plenty of opportunities to return to form. He is projected to not only enter the coming season healthier than any of the past three, but with his starting spot assured. He will join with free agent signee Randy Gregory as the team’s top pass rushers, as the Broncos move forward in the post-Von Miller era. A productive campaign could earn him a sizeable long-term deal, or at least a highly-valued franchise tag. More injury troubles, on the other hand, would leave his future much murkier; Chubb’s play will thus be a key storyline to watch.

Draft Rumors: Williams, Colts, Cardinals, Texans, Broncos

April 14th, 2022 at 5:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

After breaking out in his lone Alabama season, Jameson Williams encountered a significant hurdle to close his junior year. The ACL tear Williams suffered in the national championship game damaged his pre-draft stock, but it appears to be rebounding. Williams is now expected to be taken in the top 10, Chris Mortensen of ESPN said recently (h/t Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP.com; Twitter link). ESPN ranks Williams as its No. 4 wideout prospect, at No. 19 overall, behind ex-Ohio State teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave and USC’s Drake London. When available in 2021, the slender Crimson Tide wideout showed game-breaking speed in a monster statistical season. The 6-foot-1 transfer get totaled 1,572 yards (19.9 per catch) and 15 touchdowns. That total surpasses other first-round Tide wideout draftees like Julio Jones, Jerry Jeudy and Jaylen Waddle‘s final-season production at the SEC powerhouse. ACL tears are obviously not the deterrents they once were, and teams eyeing Williams through a long-range lens would make sense.

Here is the latest from the draft:

  • In what would seemingly be a meet-and-greet, as opposed to something indicating a potential draft choice, the Colts scheduled a Malik Willis visit, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). Indianapolis traded its 2022 first-round pick to Philadelphia for Carson Wentz last year and acquired Matt Ryan to be its starter for at least the next two seasons. Willis would profile as a developmental prospect behind Ryan, but the Colts not having a pick until No. 42 makes a partnership unrealistic. The Liberty prospect has visited the Falcons and Panthers, and the Steelers have been linked to the Group of 5 passing prospect as well. The Colts could acquire another potential Ryan heir apparent in Round 2, but they make more sense as a QB suitor in 2023.
  • The Texans have another veteran stable of running backs, having added Marlon Mack to a group that includes Rex Burkhead and Royce Freeman, but the rebuilding team could use younger talent here. Iowa State’s Breece Hall is viewed by some as this draft’s top back, and he visited the Texans on Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. After its two first-round picks, Houston holds the No. 37 overall selection. That would be the most logical window for Hall to become a Texan, barring a trade. The Bills, Commanders and Giants have also met with Hall.
  • Losing Chandler Jones in free agency after seeing J.J. Watt battle more major injury trouble, the Cardinals could use pass-rushing help. They met with a first-round talent recently, hosting Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis, Pelissero tweets. The 266-pound rusher did not post eye-popping stats (14 sacks in three seasons) but is viewed as a solid all-around prospect, whom NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah compares to fellow ex-Boilermaker Ryan Kerrigan.
  • Russell Wilson‘s Denver arrival ensured the Broncos do not hold a draft choice until No. 64, but they are meeting with a higher-end tackle prospect. Tulsa’s Tyler Smith visited the Broncos recently, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The Broncos signed Billy Turner and Tom Compton; one is likely to become Denver’s 10th Week 1 right tackle in 10 years. But the team has long needed a young answer at this position. Smith rates as Jeremiah’s No. 41 overall prospect but sits 58th on ESPN’s big board.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 4/11/22

April 11th, 2022 at 7:41pm CST by Ben Levine

Here’s a look at the latest tender decisions from around the NFL:

RFAs

Signed:

ERFAs

Signed:

Broncos GM On Trades, Draft, Free Agency

April 11th, 2022 at 3:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Since George Paton took over as Broncos GM last year, the team traded the previous regime’s highest-profile player and now has a new one. Both transactions came via blockbuster trades, with the capital acquired from the first helping the Broncos pull off the second.

Denver dealt Von Miller to Los Angeles for second- and third-round 2022 picks. That ended up being a win-win-win deal, with the Rams claiming a Super Bowl title, the Broncos having enough draft picks to feel comfortable parting with a big haul for Russell Wilson, and Miller’s post-trade rebound enticing the Bills to submit a strong free agency offer. The Broncos’ years-long quarterback issue hovered at the root of the Miller trade.

“I love Von, but we knew we weren’t good enough with Von to get to where we needed to go at that point,” Paton said via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue (subscription required). “I knew in the next year or two we needed to get a quarterback. We needed to break through, [be it] trading up in the draft or via trade; free agency, you’re probably not going to get your franchise guy. So we were just going to keep accumulating picks until we got a quarterback. It’s hard to win if you don’t get that guy.”

Paton successfully filled one of the NFL’s longest-standing needs by acquiring Wilson for a package that included three players, two first-round picks, two second-rounders and a fifth. The Miller trade, however, leaves the Broncos with three Day 2 picks this year. Without first-rounders this year and next, the second day of this year’s draft figures to be quite important for a Denver team that will have a franchise-quarterback salary on its books in the not-too-distant future.

Denver, which had started 11 quarterbacks since Peyton Manning‘s retirement, has not carried a notable QB salary on its books since Joe Flacco‘s in 2019. Wilson is set to count just $24MM against the Broncos’ cap this season. While an extension is fully expected to commence by the 2023 season, it is not yet certain a new deal will be in place this year.

“You build a different way,” Paton said of how the Broncos will need to construct future rosters. “You aren’t going to go on a spending splurge every free agency; you just can’t. The model doesn’t work like that. We realize — we had all of these talks about how, three years down the road, how this impacts us.

“Do we have to hit on picks? Yeah. Everyone has to hit on their picks. But the stakes are higher. You gotta hit on the sixth-rounder, the seventh-round safety or else the model doesn’t work. We embrace the challenge just as we embrace the opportunity to have a guy like Russ.”

Paton’s first Broncos draft included cornerstones like Patrick Surtain and Javonte Williams, along with rookie-year contributors in offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz (Round 3), safety Caden Sterns (Round 5), linebacker Baron Browning (Round 3) and edge rusher Jonathon Cooper (Round 7). Nathaniel Hackett has Meinerz, who became a starter after a midseason Graham Glasgow injury, installed as the team’s starting right guard. With a Wilson extension expected to be in the $50MM-per-year ballpark on the horizon, the Broncos will need more low-cost contributors in this draft.

TE Kyle Rudolph Met With Broncos

April 9th, 2022 at 9:55am CST by Ben Levine

After getting cut by the Giants in early March, Kyle Rudolph has finally appeared in the workout circuit. According to FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer (on Twitter), the veteran tight end met with the Broncos recently.

[RELATED: Giants To Release Kyle Rudolph]

The Giants inked Rudolph to a two-year, $12MM deal in March of 2021, but following a season where the tight end finished with only 26 catches for 357 yards and one touchdown, the team released him to save about $2.5MM. Following his release, Rudolph indicated that he wouldn’t be hanging up his cleats, with the 32-year-old stating that he was “looking forward to what’s next.”

The 2011 second-round pick spent the first 10 seasons of his career in Minnesota, where he hauled in 48 touchdowns in 140 games. Rudolph earned Pro Bowl nods in both 2012 and 2017, although his best offensive season came in 2016 when he finished with 83 receptions for 840 yards and seven touchdowns. Current Broncos GM George Paton was the Vikings’ director of player personnel when the tight end was drafted.

The Broncos included tight end Noah Fant in the Russell Wilson trade, leaving the organization with Albert Okwuegbunam as their top receiving tight end. The Broncos also added tight end Eric Tomlinson, although the veteran is better known for his blocking ability.

 

Broncos Re-Sign S Kareem Jackson

April 7th, 2022 at 6:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Kareem Jackson will be back in Denver next season. Ryan O’Halloran of The Denver Post reports (via Twitter) that the veteran safety is re-signing with the Broncos. The 33-year-old is inking a one-year deal worth up to $5MM, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver (on Twitter).

[RELATED: Mutual Interest Between Broncos, Kareem Jackson]

The 2010 first-round pick spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Texans before inking a three-year, $33MM deal with the Broncos in 2019. The Broncos declined his option last offseason, making him an unrestricted free agent, but he ended up reupping with the organization on a one-year, $5MM deal.

In three seasons in Denver, Jackson has started all 44 of his appearances, collecting 248 tackles, four interceptions, and 16 passes defended. He had another 16 interceptions in 132 games with the Texans.

While Broncos GM George Paton believes in 2021 fifth-round pick Caden Sterns, the organization understands that they couldn’t rely on the sophomore as they look to make a playoff run. As Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets, the Broncos believe Jackson has set a high bar on defense, and his leadership and physicality will continue to be relied on throughout the 2022 season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/5/22

April 5th, 2022 at 7:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Latest On Melvin Gordon

April 3rd, 2022 at 1:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

As one of the top remaining options at the running back position, Melvin Gordon is a name worth watching in the secondary waves of free agency. As Pro Football Network’s Mike Florio details, there has been a notable update with respect to his financial future. 

Gordon has changed agents in the middle of the offseason. Instead of Fletcher Smith and Damarius Bilbo, he will now be represented by Brian Murphy and Joe Panos from Athletes First. It had been recently reported that the Broncos were one of multiple teams interested in Gordon, so the veteran does seem to have generated a market for himself. Regardless of where he lands next, though, he is likely to earn much less than he did on his previous contract.

Florio reports that the 28-year-old’s market “is believed to be in the range of $2.5MM on a one-year deal”. That would mark a steep pay cut compared to the two-year, $16MM deal he signed in Denver two seasons ago. The former Charger was productive in his time with the Broncos, posting over 1,100 scrimmage yards and exactly 10 touchdowns in each campaign. Given those numbers, it didn’t come as a surprise that there was said to be a mutual interest between he and the team for a new contract.

However, the presence of 2021 second-round pick Javonte Williams complicates the matter. Operating in a time share with Gordon, Williams flashed the potential to take over as an undisputed No. 1 back last season. Even if Gordon does re-sign, then, it would only make sense to do so at a significantly reduced rate and with – quite likely – a smaller workload. With new representation, a new deal (from Denver or another club) could be coming sooner rather than later.

Load More Posts