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Denver Broncos News & Rumors

Broncos Promote Reed Burckhardt To Assistant GM

May 16th, 2025 at 12:21pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Broncos’ front office has seen a few notable departures this offseason. That includes Darren Mougey taking over as the Jets’ new general manager, a move which ended his tenure in Denver.

The Broncos are going internal to replace Mougey as their assistant GM. Reed Burckhardt is being promoted to that role, as first reported by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. The move is now official, per a team announcement. Burckhardt’s most recent title was director of player personnel.

Burckhardt spent 13 years with the Vikings prior to his arrival in the Mile High City. When he joined the Broncos in 2022, he represented a familiar face to general manager George Paton based on their shared time in Minnesota. At that point, Mougey had just been promoted to AGM, and Burckhardt took over his former role leading the player personnel department.

As a result, it comes as no surprise Paton has tapped Burckhardt for a promotion to Mougey’s old gig. Continuity will be in place in the front office for 2025, a year in which the Broncos will aim to build off their playoff run from last season. The Vikings aimed to keep Burckhardt when he left for Denver, an illustration of the fact he is held in high regard. Expectations will no doubt reflect that as he takes on a new gig.

In addition to losing Mougey, the Broncos have also seen Mark Thewes and Brian Stark make an intra-divisional move to the Raiders this offseason. The latter became Vegas’ new assistant general manager shortly after the draft as part of the various front office alterations which take part around the league during this part of the offseason. As Denver looks to replace Thewes and Stark, Paton will have a familiar face operating as his top lieutenant moving forward.

Broncos Add Camren Williams To Front Office; Kareem Jackson In Play For Staff Role

May 14th, 2025 at 8:38am CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason has produced a few notable exits from the Broncos’ staff. In addition to the team losing two coaches (John Morton, Declan Doyle) to NFC North OC positions, it has seen some departures — most notably assistant GM Darren Mougey‘s — key changes in the front office.

In addition to Mougey — the new Jets GM — the Raiders poached Brian Stark and Mark Thewes from the Broncos’ executive ranks (Stark is Las Vegas’ new assistant GM). David Shaw, who had worked in a front office role in 2024, is back on the sideline as a Lions assistant as well. As the Broncos make a post-draft attempt to restock their staff, they added a Patriots exec as one of their replacements.

Camren Williams is joining the Broncos, according to MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels. He will serve as the team’s co-director of player personnel, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This represents a high-ranking move for Denver, as Williams had previously served as New England’s college scouting director. Williams had been with the Patriots since 2016.

The Pats had installed Williams — an Easton, Mass., native — as their college scouting director in 2022, after Dave Ziegler had joined Nick Caserio among the GM ranks. Working alongside the likes of Caserio, Ziegler, Eliot Wolf and Monti Ossenfort under Bill Belichick, Williams helped the Pats move into their post-Belichick era last year.

Playing a key role in the Patriots’ Drake Maye selection, Williams also had ties to Mike Vrabel. The latter recruited Williams — a former Ohio State linebacker — when he was on the Buckeyes’ staff. Camren Williams’ father, Brent, also played seven seasons for the Pats in the 1980s and ’90s. After going through a draft with Vrabel, Williams took part in a recent Broncos interview (per Schefter) — one that will lead to a separation early in Vrabel’s return to Foxborough. Williams will join Reed Burkhardt as staffers with player personnel director titles in Denver.

Beyond Williams, the Broncos’ rookie minicamp featured an interesting presence working alongside GM George Paton. Kareem Jackson was operating with Paton’s personnel staff at the weekend event, 9News’ Mike Klis notes. Jackson, 37, but saw action in just two games — for the Bills — last season. Although a suspension-marred season defined Jackson’s final year in Denver, the veteran safety was a regular starter for five seasons with the team.

The longtime Justin Simmons sidekick signed four Broncos contracts and started 69 games with the team, completing a conversion from cornerback to safety in that time. Jackson making inroads on the scouting side, and not as a coach, would be interesting as well. Paton was not yet in Denver when the Broncos initially signed Jackson in 2019, but he authorized three one-year contracts to keep the veteran DB on the roster. This included an immediate return, via pay cut, after a release in Paton’s first offseason as Broncos GM.

Broncos Sign 13 UDFAs

May 13th, 2025 at 3:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos are heading to OTAs with 13 UDFAs as part of their rookie class. Here is that contingent:

Denver gave Truss a $150K guarantee, per 9News’ Mike Klis. Generally, multiyear starters during this Georgia period have required draft investments to add. The Broncos, however, brought in Truss — a 2023 second-team All-SEC guard who started three seasons for the Bulldogs, before earning a Combine invite — as a UDFA.

Both the guards in this group checked in as the highest-rated prospects (per ESPN’s Scouts Inc.), with Truss 224th and Webb 220th. Webb earned first-team All-Conference USA acclaim in 2024 and a second-team all-league honor in ’23. The Broncos have locked-in starters at guard (Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz) but feature some questions behind them. Truss will compete with Webb, Calvin Throckmorton, 2024 draftee Nick Gargiulo and others for backup jobs.

Brown received $160K guaranteed to sign on, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. The honorable mention All-Big 12 performer will join a Broncos team that has some questions at linebacker. Denver has backstopped two starters coming off significant injuries — Dre Greenlaw, Alex Singleton — with only Justin Strnad and Drew Sanders, the latter having toggled between OLB and ILB roles. Sanders has settled at ILB heading into Denver’s on-field offseason work. Brown and Reid will attempt to make the roster or at least the 16-man practice squad.

One of two Mizzou products coming to Denver (where ex-Tigers Tyler Badie and Kris Abrams-Draine reside) in this rookie crop, Walker received a guarantee in the $160K range as well, the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson notes. Walker was quite productive for the SEC team last season, finishing as a second-team all-conference performer after racking up 9.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. The Broncos drafted Alabama’s Que Robinson to join Jonah Elliss and starters Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper. Walker will compete with Robinson, Ellis and UFL import Dondrea Tillman (five 2024 sacks) for a backup job.

Newton is Toledo’s all-time leader in TD receptions, with 32. Having played in parts of six seasons with the Rockets certainly helps there, but Newton is coming off a 1,048-yard, 11-TD season. Newton cleared 800 receiving yards in each of his final three college slates, earning All-MAC acclaim for each.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/25

May 12th, 2025 at 9:56pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

  • Signed: CB Jeremiah Walker
  • Placed on Exempt/International Player list: P Tory Taylor

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: LB Jordan Turner, WR Kyrese White, LS Zach Triner, TE Cole Fotheringham
  • Waived: CB Kendall Bohler, LB K.J. Cloyd, NT Christian Dowell, TE Thomas Yassmin
  • Placed on Exempt/International Player list: P Jeremy Crawshaw

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: QB Taylor Elgersma
  • Released: OL Marquis Hayes

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: C Mose Vavao
  • Waived: DT Joe Evans

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: WR Dalevon Campbell, LB Kana’i Mauga
  • Waived: OL Bucky Williams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Signed: DT Isaiah Iton, G Mehki Butler, DT Wilfried Pene
  • Waived: OT Cole Birdow

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

  • Signed: CB T.J. Moore
  • Waived: DB R.J. Delancey, DB Tommy McCormick

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

  • Signed: TE Drake Dabney,WR TJ Sheffield
  • Waived: CB Virgil Lemons, S Jerrin Thompson

Hoyland converted 79.3% of his field goal attempts for the Wyoming Cowboys across the last five years. He was ultra-consistent on extra points with 147 makes on 148 tries. Hoyland will compete with sixth-round pick Tyler Loop for the Ravens’ kicking job after the team released Justin Tucker.

Sheffield brings some much-needed experience to the Dolphins’ cornerback room, though he hasn’t started since 2020. He could provide crucial veteran depth in Miami, especially if Jalen Ramsey is traded.

Elgersma was the starting quarterback at Wilfried Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, for the last three years. In 2024, he won the Hec Crighton Trophy – the Canadian equivalent to the Heisman – and earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl, the first-ever for a Canadian QB. Elgersma was drafted in the second round of the 2025 CFL Draft by the Winnepeg Blue Bombers, but a successful tryout with the Packers will give him a chance at making an NFL roster.

Broncos To Release P Matt Haack

May 9th, 2025 at 4:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

No punting competition appears on tap in Denver. If one does eventually form this offseason, it does not appear it will involve Matt Haack. The Broncos released the veteran punter Friday, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson.

This move comes shortly after the Broncos drafted Florida punter Jeremy Crawshaw in the sixth round. Crawshaw is now the only punter on Denver’s roster. A journeyman specialist, Haack had joined the team as a free agent before the draft.

Teams who select a punter in a draft generally plan for that player to land the job. The Broncos, as of now, do not look to be making any secret of their plans to install Crawshaw as their punter in 2025 and beyond. Crawshaw’s rookie contract will run through 2028. Haack’s job status certainly changed near the end of the draft, as he would have at least been in line to compete for the gig had Denver not been the first team to draft a punter this year.

Denver made two interesting picks to close the draft, trading down to draft Crawshaw at No. 216 and then using its final choice (No. 241) on seldom-used Utah tight end Caleb Lohner, a converted basketball player. Lohner figures to be competing for a roster spot, while Crawshaw will not. The Broncos have drafted two punters over the past decade, adding Riley Dixon in the 2016 seventh round. Dixon returned to Denver in 2023, but as recent Saints interim HC Darren Rizzi takes the reins as Broncos special teams coordinator, Crawshaw will replace him.

Haack, 30, has punted for five teams over the past four seasons. The former multiyear Dolphins option punted for the Bills, Colts, Browns and Giants from 2021-24. He punted in only five games over the past two seasons, serving as a fill-in option for the past three; the Colts had added Haack as a late-summer replacement for the injured Rigoberto Sanchez.

The Broncos also cut long snapper Zach Triner, Tomasson notes. Triner came in as a temporary option while regular snapper Mitchell Fraboni recovered from back surgery. Fraboni, who became the Denver deep snapper in 2022, was expected to be ready for training camp. It is possible Triner returns, per Tomasson, as the Broncos needed to clear two roster spots by this weekend’s rookie minicamp. Triner spent five-plus seasons in Tampa before a 2024 Miami cameo.

QB Desmond Ridder Will Not Try Out For Broncos

May 8th, 2025 at 4:58pm CST by Ben Levine

MAY 8: Ridder’s tryout will not take place after all. Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post reports the veteran will not actually be in Denver during the team’s rookie minicamp. Ridder will no doubt still have plenty of other opportunities to compete for a roster spot this offseason, though.

MAY 6: Desmond Ridder continues to look for his next gig, and he may find that opportunity in Denver. According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, the veteran quarterback will participate at Broncos rookie minicamp as a veteran tryout player.

Ridder got into six games for the Raiders in 2024, but the team didn’t place a tender on him after the season, making him an unrestricted free agent. A number of backup-quality QBs have since signed new contracts, leaving Ridder as one of the few experienced options left on the market. Outside of Aaron Rodgers, the rest of the current free agent options include Carson Wentz, Teddy Bridgewater, and Tyler Huntley.

Ridder got one start for the Raiders last season, completing 23 of his 39 pass attempts for 208 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in a loss to the Falcons. He had a handful of additional relief appearances, and he ultimately finished the season with 85 pass attempts.

The former third-round pick got an extended look as a starter in 2023, when he went 6-7 with the Falcons. He tossed 12 touchdowns vs. 12 interceptions that year, and he added another five touchdowns on the ground. He was traded to the Cardinals after the season and spent the first month of the 2024 campaign on Arizona’s practice squad.

The top of Denver’s depth chart is settled with Bo Nix as the starter and Jarrett Stidham as the QB2. If Ridder does catch on with the Broncos, he would likely compete with Sam Ehlinger for the QB3 role or the first shot at a practice squad gig.

Broncos LB Alex Singleton Still Aiming For Week 1 Return

May 8th, 2025 at 1:39pm CST by Adam La Rose

The timing of Alex Singleton‘s ACL tear raised questions about his ability to rehab in time for the start of the 2025 campaign. The Broncos linebacker recently made it clear he still expects to be at full strength in time for Week 1, though.

“I feel like I’m on schedule. It’s feeling really good,” Singleton said when speaking about his rehab during an interview with DNVR’s Zac Stevens. “I’m working my way in to doing things with the guys, which has been the most important thing to kind of be on that timeline with everyone else during the offseason. I’m able to do that. Full speed ahead for me.”

The 31-year-old noted he does not have a firm timetable for when he will receive full clearance. He has not encountered any setbacks to date, though, and as a result Singleton added “there should be no worries” about his ability to suit up for the start of the season in September. Training camp had previously been targeted as a return date, so this latest update comes as little surprise.

Still, it is notable Singleton remains on track to be cleared by Week 1 given his importance to Denver’s defense. The former CFLer set a new career high with 163 tackles during his debut Broncos campaign in 2022. He upped that figure to 177 the following year. Expectations will remain high for a productive first-team role this year provided the final stages of rehab go according to plan.

Singleton is on the books for one more season, and he is owed $6MM in 2025. A strong showing would help his value on another Broncos pact or one sending him elsewhere on the open market next spring. Denver lost linebacker Cody Barton in free agency, while Zach Cunningham remains unsigned. Justin Strnad was retained, however, and he will aim to provide depth behind Singleton and free agent addition Dre Greenlaw.

The latter will aim to help Denver remain among the league’s top defenses in 2025. The Broncos finished third in points allowed last year, and the new Singleton-Greenlaw tandem at the linebacker spot will be counted on to maintain that strong performance. Both of its members should be on the field for Week 1.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/7/25

May 7th, 2025 at 7:18pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Today’s 2025 NFL Draft pick signings as we begin to get into rookie minicamps. Here is another group of mid- to late-rounders who signed their four-year rookie contracts today:

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

The Broncos followed up yesterday’s signing of tight end Caleb Lohner (seventh round, Utah) with rookie contracts for two more of their 2025 draft picks.

Bryant’s 6-foot-2, 204-pound frame, jumping ability, and strong hands make him a reliable receiver at the catch point, but his below-average athleticism will limit his separation in the NFL. He posted 984 yards and 10 touchdowns in his senior year at Illinois but will face an uphill battle for playing time as a rookie in a crowded Broncos receiver room.

The Broncos used a sixth-round pick on Crenshaw after moving on from veteran Riley Dixon this offseason. Barring injury or a disastrous training camp, the former Gator will take over as Denver’s punter this season. He was the only punter selected in the 2025 draft.

The Texans surprised many by taking Smith in the third round after he was projected to be a Day 3 pick. His size may restrict him to nickel duties in the NFL, a role he filled in 2022 and 2023 for the Trojans. He played on the outside in 2024 and could still compete for a boundary role in Houston, who just extended safety/nickel defender Jalen Pitre this offseason.

Broncos Considered Trading Up For Ashton Jeanty

May 7th, 2025 at 5:27pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Broncos explored multiple trades during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, including a blockbuster move into the top-10 for Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.

Denver made no secret of their desire to add a running back during the lead-up to the draft, but the price to trade up was ultimately too high. Snagging Jeanty likely would have required the fifth overall pick considering his pre-draft links to the Raiders, who owned the next selection. Moving up 15 slots from the No. 20 pick could have cost multiple future first-rounders, which was likely a non-starter for the Broncos after losing their top picks in 2022 and 2023 to the ill-fated Russell Wilson trade.

Instead, Denver stood pat at No. 20 and selected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, who was widely seen as the best player on the board. Terry Joseph, Barron’s defensive pass game coordinator at Texas and cousin of Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, endorsed the versatile defensive back, per Fowler, giving the team even more confidence in their pick.

The Broncos were also interested in Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who went off the board one pick before they were on the clock. Had neither Egbuka nor Barron been available, the Broncos were prepared to trade back for a running back in the first round, discussing terms with the Texans for their pick at No. 25.

In that case, Denver’s target likely would have been another former Buckeye in TreVeyon Henderson, who went to the Patriots with the 38th pick before the Broncos were back on the board. They pivoted to UCF running back R.J. Harvey with their next pick at the end of the second round, allowing them to come away from the draft with a coveted running back without a costly trade up in the first round.

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/6/25

May 6th, 2025 at 7:54pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s draft pick signings:

Denver Broncos

The Broncos kicked off their draft pick signings by inking their final draft pick to a rookie contract. Tight end Caleb Lohner was pick No. 241 in the draft, but the team’s relatively deep depth chart at TE means the rookie could ultimately land on the practice squad. After exclusively playing basketball to begin his collegiate career, the six-foot-eight prospect spent the 2024 campaign on Utah’s football team, where he hauled in four catches for four touchdowns.

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