Giants Had Interest In Marquette King
Marquette King signed with the Broncos, but not before hearing from some other interested teams. The Giants were among the clubs to reach out to the former Raiders punter, according to Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter). 
Ultimately, the Giants were unwilling to match or exceed the Broncos’ offer. King’s contract is a two-year, $4MM deal with an option that can take him into a third year at an additional $2MM, which would give him $6MM in total. If King is a First-Team All-Pro in 2019, his 2020 salary will escalate from $2MM to $3MM, boosting the total value of the pact to $7MM. It’s worth noting that despite King’s notoriety, he has never before earned a First-Team All-Pro nod. The closest he ever came in that regard was a Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2016.
King’s previous deal with the Raiders had him as the fifth-highest paid punter in the league at an average rate of $3.3MM/year. His new deal puts him in the middle of the pack at $2MM/year, so this is ostensibly a bargain signing for the Broncos.
The Vikings also expressed interest in King before he agreed to terms with Denver.
Broncos To Sign Marquette King
Things are moving quickly for the Broncos and punter Marquette King. Denver is expected to sign him to a three-year deal, a source tells Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter). The contract is worth $7MM, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The base value of King’s deal is worth just $2MM, Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post tweets, so he’ll have to hit certain incentives in order to realize the full $7MM potential value of his deal.
King was released by the Raiders late last week without much warning. Apparently, new head coach Jon Gruden was not a fan of King’s outspoken personality, but that did not dissuade other contenders from expressing interest in him. The Vikings quickly got in contact with King and it did not take long for the Broncos to get down to brass tacks with his agent.
King is perhaps the league’s best known punter thanks to his persona and is also among the very best in terms of performance. The Broncos have revamped their special teams unit this offseason and the addition of King is the latest, and perhaps most impactful, shakeup.
In 2017, King’s 47.4 yards per punt average was the sixth-highest in the NFL and his net average of 42.7 per try placed him third, behind only Brett Kern (Titans) and Johnny Hekker (Rams).
With King on board, the Broncos will likely shop incumbent punter Riley Dixon.
Broncos Meeting With Marquette King
Here we go. Former Raiders punter Marquette King is in Denver visiting with the Broncos, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
As we learned earlier today, King is hoping to join the Broncos in an effort to get some intra-divisional revenge on Jon Gruden. The Broncos, meanwhile, have interest in upgrading from Riley Dixon, who had an iffy year in 2017 after a strong showing as a rookie in 2016.
King led the NFL in punting yards in 2014 and earned a second-team All-Pro nod two years later. Last year, King’s 47.4 yards per punt average was the sixth-highest mark in the NFL and his net average of 42.7 per try was third. In Denver, the 29-year-old could boom punts further than ever.
Marquette King Wants To Join Broncos
They say the best revenge is living well. Playing for your former team’s rival after getting cut late in the offseason is probably a close second. Former Raiders punter Marquette King wants to play for the Broncos, agent Wynn Silberman tells Mike Klis of 9News.com. 
“Marquette would love an opportunity to come visit there,’’ Silberman said. “Obviously, Denver is a punter’s dream. They’re high on his list.”
King, who is known for his powerful leg, could boom punts even further in Denver’s mile-high altitude. It’s a fit that would make sense for both parties. The Broncos saw Riley Dixon turn in a so-so year in 2017, so King would serve a clear upgrade. Meanwhile, King can break new records while hurting his former employer.
Still, money could be a barrier here. Dixon, a former seventh-round pick, is slated to make just $630K this year. King, meanwhile, was on track to earn $3MM as one of the highest-paid players at his position in 2018.
Then again, the Broncos have overhauled their special teams unit this offseason, so they could be willing to spend the extra cash to improve further. Special teams coordinator Brock Olivo was canned this winter and replaced veteran Tom McMahon. Meanwhile, Bennie Fowler, Cody Latimer, and Corey Nelson were allowed to leave and undrafted players have been brought in as competition for kicker Brandon McManus and long snapper Casey Kreiter.
Broncos Meeting With Rashaad Penny
- San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny is meeting with the Broncos today, Mike Klis of 9News reports (on Twitter). Denver has yet to make a decision on C.J. Anderson, who has a nonguaranteed $4.4MM salary this season. Devontae Booker and De’Angelo Henderson represent depth behind Anderson, although Booker frequently saw action upon returning from injury last season.
Broncos To Work Out Sam Darnold In L.A.
Sam Darnold‘s itinerary is starting to come into focus. He will spend Friday with the Broncos in Los Angeles working out for Denver brass, Albert Breer of SI.com reports (on Twitter). This will come after Darnold spends Wednesday in Cleveland visiting the Browns. Josh Allen is also expected to visit the Browns on Wednesday. As for the Broncos, they’ve now been linked to meetings or workouts with Darnold, Rosen and Baker Mayfield. And it would seem likely, judging by the type of quarterback prospects John Elway has invested in during his GM tenure, that the 6-foot-5 Allen will also meet with the Broncos. Denver signed Case Keenum but is participating in a thorough process to determine whether they should follow the 2016 Eagles’ or 2017 Bears’ routes by subsequently adding a high draft choice at football’s marquee position. Or, this could be partially about setting up a possible trade-down scenario.
- Eric Decker‘s best seasons came as Peyton Manning‘s No. 2 wideout, and the eight-year veteran remains a UFA. In Denver for non-football reasons, the 31-year-old receiver expressed interest in returning to the Broncos. “There’s no holdup on my end. Whoever you need to call for me, whoever you need to reach out to, please do,” Decker said in an radio interview with former Broncos wideout Brandon Stokley (via Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post, Twitter link) this week. “Everything’s got to align; the stars have to kind of align for it to all work. But I’m very receptive to make it happen.” The Broncos have needed a No. 3 wideout since Wes Welker‘s exit, with Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders having to carry most of the aerial attack’s load over the past three years. Decker caught 54 passes for 563 yards and a touchdown for the Titans last season, playing in all 16 games after suffering severe injuries in 2016.
- Jordan Taylor is now the clubhouse leader to be the 2018 Broncos‘ punt returner, but he won’t have a chance to work with the team over the offseason. Multiple hip injuries required surgery on one hip labrum and rehab on the other. He won’t be available until training camp, per Troy Renck of Denver7.
Baker Mayfield To Meet With Seven Teams
Baker Mayfield‘s April figures to be busy. The Oklahoma signal caller will meet with the Browns, Bills, Jets, Giants, Dolphins, Broncos, and Cardinals, Robert Klemko of The MMQB reports. 
The Giants will sit down with Mayfield before the Jets, Manish Mehta of the Daily News adds. He’ll meet with the G-Men on April 8 and 9 before continuing his pre-draft tour with the Jets on April 9 and 10. The Jets conducted a private workout with Mayfield in Oklahoma on March 24, fueling speculation that he could be among the QBs in consideration for them at No. 3 overall.
Mayfield was last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, but some evaluators question whether he has the height to succeed at the next level. There are also some character concerns thanks to his actions during games against Ohio State and Kansas and a public intoxication arrest.
Most of the teams in this bunch were expected to show interest in Mayfield, but the Dolphins and Broncos are not obvious fits for him given the presence of Ryan Tannehill and Case Keenum, respectively. The Cardinals make more sense for Mayfield since Sam Bradford is not necessarily a long-term answer under center and the Bills are also a logical fit since they are not completely locked in on A.J. McCarron as their starter for 2018. Unlike the Dolphins and Cardinals, the Bills have ample ammo to move up for Mayfield with the Nos. 12 and No 22 picks in their possession.
Josh Rosen To Meet With Seven Teams
UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen is set to meet with the Browns, Jets, Giants, Cards, Broncos, Bills, and Chargers in the coming weeks, according to Peter King of The MMQB. Cleveland gets the first crack at Rosen with a visit lined up for this week. 
[RELATED: Josh Rosen Will Play For Whoever Drafts Him]
King suspects that the Browns will ask Rosen about recent comments made by his former head coach, Jim Mora, in which he advocated for USC Sam Darnold go to No. 1 overall.
“Because of fit, I would take Sam Darnold if I were the Cleveland Browns. I think that blue collar, gritty attitude, I think his teammates will love him, I think the city will love him. He’ll say the right things. He will come in and he will represent well. I think he kind of represents what Cleveland is. And if I was one of the New York teams, I would take Josh *snap* just like that. I think they will both be great in the pros.”
In his conversation with King, Mora expounded on those thoughts a bit, but didn’t exactly backtrack.
“He needs to be challenged intellectually so he doesn’t get bored,” Mora said, while reemphasizing the angle of Rosen needing the proper “fit.” “He’s a millennial. He wants to know why. Millennials, once they know why, they’re good. Josh has a lot of interests in life. If you can hold his concentration level and focus only on football for a few years, he will set the world on fire. He has so much ability, and he’s a really good kid.”
Mora’s comments may be a topic of discussion for interested teams, but it would be shocking to see Rosen fall any further than the Jets at No. 3.
Emmanual Sanders Didn't See Physicality From Cowboys Secondary
- While speaking on the “Ben and Skin Show” on Dallas’ 105.3 FM The Fan, Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders did not speak highly on the physicality of the Cowboys’ secondary, stemming from the teams’ Week 2 matchup last season, which the Broncos won 42-17. “Honestly and truthfully, you know, what I’m going to say… I hope it’s not a shot to nobody but maybe in that game — this is what I saw, it’s the honest truth — I saw a defense that really, truly wasn’t physical. That’s what I felt when I was playing against those guys. In terms of the safeties coming down and hitting me, it’s an old term called ‘sticking your hand in the fan.’ Just unphysical. They weren’t physical at all. I’ve been in the league nine years and after that game, I felt like they were scared or something. That’s the kind of vibe that I had gotten. … I promise, this is not something I’m making up right now. I told everybody after that game that’s how I felt when I played against the Cowboys. Maybe they weren’t scared but I don’t know. … I know what a physical defense looks like and I just didn’t feel it out of that defense.”
Extra Points: Panthers, Broncos, Cravens, Jets, Titans
Labeled as a frontrunner in the bidding to become the new Panthers owner, businessman Ben Navarro will make a visit to the team’s facilities next week, Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer reports (Twitter link). Person also notes another suitor, Alan Kestenbaum, was in on Wednesday.
A vote on a new owner is expected to take place during late-May meetings in Atlanta, according to David Newton of ESPN.com, who adds a reported sale price of $2.5 billion could potentially be a bit inflated. The last franchise that was sold, the Bills in 2014, went for $1.4 billion.
According to Albert Breer of the MMQB, Navarro is already being vetted by the NFL. The South Carolina businessman is the founder of Sherman Financial, but some owners have had concerns about how Navarro made his money.
Navarro and Kestenbaum are joined by Steelers minority owner and hedge-fund billionaire David Tepper as the perceived top contenders to acquire the franchise. The reported sale price has already helped one potential suitor, Michael Rubin, withdraw his name from the running. Rubin’s group reportedly included Sean “Diddy” Combs and two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry.
Here’s more from around the NFL:
- Thanks to a video produced by Sports Illustrated, we have some insights into the offers received by cornerback Malcolm Butler before he agreed to sign with the Titans. Early on, the Bears pitched him on a three-year, $30MM deal while the Texans offered a one-year contract (value unknown). It seems that Tennessee greatly outbid the other suitors after signing him to a five-year, $61.25MM deal with $24MM fully guaranteed.
- For their offseason so far, the Jets have received a grade of B- from ESPN’s Rich Cimini. Considering the team whiffed in its pursuit of Kirk Cousins, that’s not a bad grade to receive. Cimini cites, among other things, the team’s addition of Trumaine Johnson as the team’s most significant offseason signing so far.
- Su’a Cravens, who was acquired by the Broncos from the Redskins earlier this week, told Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post he wanted to play for a team that wanted him. “I can tell that Denver actually wanted me on the team. It wasn’t just, ‘This is smart for our team,” he said. Cravens sat out the entire 2017 season as a member of the Redskins. “I never felt like I could be myself with the Redskins. It’s a blessing obviously to be drafted by the Redskins and I will always thank them for giving me my opportunity. But I just think after my rookie year when I had those injuries, I just felt like things kind of changed.