Broncos Agree To Deal With Round 2 WR Marvin Mims
The Broncos were without a first-round selection in this year’s draft, but their top pick is still expected to be an impactful contributor for the short- and intermediate-term future. Second-round receiver Marvin Mims has agreed to terms on his rookie deal, as noted (on Twitter) by Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. 
Tomasson adds that the four-year, $6.07MM deal will include a signing bonus of $1.41MM and guranteed money for the first two seasons. The Broncos had experienced a slightly longer negotiating period with Mims compared to their later draftees (as is often the case with second-rounders), but they have now secured all but one member – third-round linebacker Drew Sanders – of their draft class.
Denver made a small move up the board to select Mims with the No. 63 pick. Doing so added further to their stable of receivers, a position group which has been the subject of plenty of trade talk and speculation this offseason. Both Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy have been the source of interest from other teams, but each now appears likely to remain in the Mile High City. The latter had his fifth-year option picked up, keeping him in the fold through 2024; Sutton’s deal runs through 2025.
The younger brother of Denzel Mims, Marvin spent his college career at Oklahoma. Across his three seasons there, he established himself as a dangerous vertical threat, averaging 19.5 yards per catch and scoring 20 touchdowns. His best season came in 2022, when he recorded 1,083 yards and six scores on 54 receptions. Those totals helped make Mims the eighth receiver to hear his name called during the draft.
KJ Hamler was drafted in 2020 to provide the Broncos with a deep threat, but his NFL career has been marred by injuries. The former second-rounder has been limited to 23 games (and just six starts) in three years, so Mims could compete with him for playing time right away. With Hamler entering the final year of his rookie contract, his performance relative to Mims in particular could go a long way in determining his future in Denver.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/15/23
The first of this year’s spring leagues to debut, the XFL’s third effort, finished its season Saturday. XFL players are now free to sign NFL contracts, and several agreed to terms Monday. Here are those agreements, along with the other transactions from around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: DL Manny Jones, LB Blake Lynch
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: DB Natrone Brooks, S Lukas Denis, DL LaCale London, T Barry Wesley
- Waived: LB David Anenih, CB Javelin Guidry, DB Matt Hankins, WR Ra’Saun Henry, DB Dylan Mabin, TE/FB John Raine
- Waived/injured: RB B.J. Baylor
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: T BJ Wilson
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: LB Storey Jackson, DT Roderick Perry
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Tyreik McAllister, RB Jacques Patrick
- Waived: WR Dallas Daniels, DB Darrious Gaines, TE Kris Leach, RB Emanuel Wilson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Dylan Drummond
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: S James Wiggins
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: DB Latavious Brini, WR Jacob Harris
- Waived: DL Jayson Ademilola
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Ekow Boye-Doe
- Waived: WR Ty Scott
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Kristian Wilkerson
- Waived: WR Tyler Johnson
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Timarcus Davis, DL Taron Vincent
- Waived: WR Tyler Hudson, LB Matthew Jester, DB Jaiden Woodbey
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: DB Bryce Thompson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Adrian Frye, DL Jack Heflin, DE Niko Lalos, RB Ellis Merriweather
- Waived: WR Sy Barnett, DB Vincent Gray
New York Jets
- Signed: TE Izaiah Gathings
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Luq Barcoo, RB Alfonzo Graham
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DL Austin Faoliu, NT Forrest Merrill
- Waived: LB Michael Ayers, DE Jacob Sykes
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: DL C.J. Brewer, S Kedrick Whitehead
- Waived: T Dylan Cook, OLB Nelson Mbanasor
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: C James Empey, CB Eric Garror, WR Gavin Holmes, WR Kearis Jackson, CB Armani Marsh
Washington Commanders
- Signed: T Jaryd Jones-Smith
- Placed on active/PUP list: LB Drew White
After seeing the pandemic nix its second effort in 2020, the XFL concluded its season Saturday. The Broncos signed the league’s second-leading rusher, in Patrick, while the Browns and Cowboys offered Barqoo contracts, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. Barqoo, who played for the Jaguars in 2020 and XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this year, opted for the Steelers’ offer. Patrick, whom the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson notes passed a Broncos physical Monday, finished with 443 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He joins XFL passing leader Ben DiNucci as a Broncos May addition.
Seeing time for the St. Louis BattleHawks, Jones-Smith played in three games apiece with Raiders and Ravens, respectively, from 2020-21. Thompson will join the Dolphins after a spring tour of duty with the Seattle Sea Dragons, while fellow XFL alum Brewer played in two games for the Bills last year. Heflin played five games for the Packers in 2021; the new Saint spent the XFL season with the Houston Roughnecks.
The Raiders gave Johnson a reserve/futures deal in January. The young wideout collected a ring with the 2020 Buccaneers and totaled 360 receiving yards for Tampa Bay’s 2021 iteration. While the Texans claimed him on waivers ahead of last season, he played in just two games with the team.
Jackson suited up for national championship-winning Georgia last season. The new Titans wideout finished with 514 receiving yards in 2020 and totaled 320 for last season’s Bulldogs edition. A Division II Quincy alum, Wilson received an East-West Shrine Bowl invite but tore an Achilles tendon late last season.
Broncos Eyeing Javonte Williams Training Camp Return
Javonte Williams suffered a torn ACL in the Broncos’ Week 4 loss to the Raiders. This preceded a number of key Broncos going down during a dismal season. Williams news has been scarce this offseason, but rumblings of the third-year running back’s recovery time lasting into the season have surfaced.
Attempting to provide a bit more clarity on Williams’ situation, Sean Payton gave an optimistic timetable regarding the hard-charging runner’s health. Williams has a chance to return by training camp.
“Our current starter’s doing extremely well,” Payton said of Williams. “I would tell you that we expect him to be ready for the start of training camp, and that’s good news.”
Payton also said he is “hopeful” Williams will avoid the PUP list going into camp. The active/PUP list does not carry the importance the reserve/PUP list does, seeing as the former is a training camp designation that does not mandate regular-season absences. Players can be moved off the active/PUP list at any point; anyone who ends the preseason on the reserve/PUP list must miss at least four games. But Williams being ready to go without restrictions by the time the Broncos break for camp in late July would represent a surprising development, considering the uncertainty surrounding this situation.
GM George Paton did not attach a recovery timetable for Williams in April, indicating the team was hopeful he would return “this season.” That put the prospect of essentially two lost seasons for the 2021 second-round pick into play. Considering Williams’ rookie contract runs through the 2024 season, his setback — one that also included LCL and posterolateral corner damage — threatened to derail much of his early-career run. Training camp comes 10-plus months out from Williams’ knee injury. That is well within range for a player to return from this common NFL malady, though more complicated injuries — like Chase Young‘s — can require longer recovery periods.
The Broncos signed Samaje Perine, who rejected a similar offer from the Bengals due to the prospect of more work in Denver, but did not draft a running back. (Perine signed a two-year, $7.5MM deal that includes $3MM guaranteed.) The team did not retain Mike Boone but did add ex-Payton Saints charge Tony Jones Jr. Former Ravens draftee Tyler Badie remains rostered as well. Still, the Broncos’ running back depth chart would be one of the league’s thinnest if Williams is forced to miss more time. The North Carolina alum being ready in time for the regular season would be a boon for the Broncos’ prospects, as they added Ben Powers and high-end run-blocking tackle Mike McGlinchey in free agency.
An “Angry Runs” regular as a rookie, Williams totaled 1,219 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns in 2021. That performance came as the Broncos employed Melvin Gordon as their starter that year. Amid more fumbling trouble, the team cut Gordon late last season. Perine stands to give the Broncos insurance and will be the starter if Williams is not ready, but Payton’s update provides a rosier outlook.
Broncos Sign XFL QB Ben DiNucci
After hosting the Seattle Sea Dragons quarterback for rookie minicamp, the Broncos have officially signed Ben DiNucci to their offseason roster, according to JL Sports agency. The XFL’s passing yards leader returns to the NFL after a year in the alternative league. 
DiNucci was a seventh-round pick for the Cowboys in 2020 out of James Madison, after transferring over from Pitt. He played and started in relief of Andy Dalton that year to discouraging results, completing only 53.3 percent of his passes for 219 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions in three game appearances.
Garrett Gilbert, a more experienced backup passer, overcame him on the depth chart, leading to DiNucci’s release in the final roster cuts leading into the 2021 season. He remained on the team’s practice squad for that year and was finally released for good in final roster cuts leading into the 2022 season.
Being drafted by the Sea Dragons in the XFL’s draft, DiNucci joined former Bengals, Raiders, and Texans quarterback A.J. McCarron as the only XFL quarterbacks with NFL experience. He would go on to lead the fledgling league in passing yards in 2023 with 2,671 while throwing 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions over 10 starts.
It’s unclear where DiNucci will fit into the pecking order at quarterback after nailing his audition in Denver. Behind starter Russell Wilson, the Broncos have two relievers in Jarrett Stidham and Jarrett Guarantano. Stidham started the final two games of the season for the Raiders last year against two teams that would make conference championship games, including a three-point loss to the 49ers. In those two starts, he completed 64.29 percent of his passes for 584 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also added 84 yards on the ground on 14 rush attempts. Guarantano doesn’t have any NFL time after a disappointing end to his college career.
Likely, DiNucci will battle with Guarantano for the QB3 role, but DiNucci’s recent experience as a starter may give him a chance to push Stidham for QB2. We’ll be able to glean more once all the quarterbacks are in town for OTAs, but DiNucci should have a strong opportunity at winning a roster spot in Denver.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/23
Today’s minor moves heading into the weekend:
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: CB BoPete Keyes
Denver Broncos
- Waived: G Parker Ferguson, RB Tyreik McAllister
Washington Commanders
- Released: WR Alex Erickson
- Waived: LB Drew White (with failed physical designation)
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/23
Rookie minicamps started today and more rookies put the names on the dotted line of their four-year contracts. Here are the mid- to late-round picks who signed today:
Arizona Cardinals
- DT Dante Stills (sixth round, West Virginia)
Atlanta Falcons
- CB Clark Phillips III (fourth round, Utah)
- G Jovaughn Gwyn (seventh round, South Carolina)
Cleveland Browns
- DE Isaiah McGuire (fourth round, Missouri)
- QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (fifth round, UCLA)
- CB Cameron Mitchell (fifth round, Northwestern)
- C Luke Wypler (sixth round, Ohio State)
Denver Broncos
- CB Riley Moss (third round, Iowa)
- S JL Skinner (sixth round, Boise State)
Houston Texans
- LB Henry To’oTo’o (fifth round, Alabama)
- S Brandon Hill (seventh round, Pittsburgh)
Kansas City Chiefs
- S Chamarri Conner (fourth round, Virginia Tech)
Los Angeles Chargers
- LB Daiyan Henley (third round, Washington State)
- WR Derius Davis (fourth round, TCU)
- T Jordan McFadden (fifth round, Clemson)
- DT Scott Matlock (sixth round, Boise State)
- QB Max Duggan (seventh round, TCU)
Minnesota Vikings
- CB Mekhi Blackmon (third round, USC)
- QB Jaren Hall (fifth round, BYU)
New England Patriots
- G Sidy Sow (fourth round, Eastern Michigan)
- CB Ameer Speed (sixth round, Michigan State)
- CB Isaiah Bolden (seventh round, Jackson State)
New Orleans Saints
- RB Kendre Miller (third round, TCU)
- T Nick Saldiveri (fourth round, Old Dominion)
- S Jordan Howden (fifth round, Minnesota)
- WR A.T. Perry (sixth round, Wake Forest)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- TE Darnell Washington (third round, Georgia)
- LB Nick Herbig (fourth round, Wisconsin)
- G Spencer Anderson (seventh round, Maryland)
Washington Commanders
- DE K.J. Henry (fifth round, Clemson)
- RB Christopher Rodriguez (sixth round, Kentucky)
Broncos Sign 15 Undrafted Free Agents
As more teams’ rookie minicamps commence, UDFA classes are emerging. The Broncos brought in 15 post-draft free agents. Here is how Denver’s group looks:
- TE Nate Adkins (South Carolina)
- ILB Seth Benson (Iowa)
- G Henry Boyd (Princeton)
- WR Dallas Daniels (Jackson State)
- CB Darrious Gaines (Western Colorado)
- CB Art Green (Houston)
- WR Taylor Grimes (Incarnate Word)
- OLB Marcus Haynes (Old Dominion)
- OLB Thomas Incoom (Central Michigan)
- T Demontrey Jacobs (South Florida)
- TE Kris Leach (Kent State)
- RB Jaleel McLaughlin (Youngstown State)
- DT P.J. Mustipher (Penn State)
- T Alex Palczewski (Illinois)
- RB Emanuel Wilson (Fort Valley State)
Green received a nice $180K salary guarantee to sign, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. The 6-foot-2 cover man earned second-team All-American Athletic Conference acclaim last season and finished his career with a Most Valuable Defender honor in the Independence Bowl. The Broncos have seen a number of UDFAs make significant impacts for their team over the past several years, from Chris Harris to Shaq Barrett to Phillip Lindsay. Green’s guarantee suggests he is a good bet to challenge for a 53-man roster spot.
Palczewski received $80K to sign, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. He will join the Broncos with more starter experience than just about any college player has accumulated in the sport’s history, having made a Big Ten-record 65 starts for the Fighting Illini. The additional eligibility year the NCAA granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic boosted this total, but Palczewski received All-American acclaim from several publications last season. He spent six years in college and, while logging nearly 20 starts at guard — some of which as a true freshman back in 2017 — worked as Illinois’ primary right tackle over the past several years.
Grimes finished his college career with back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, while Incoom totaled 11.5 sacks as a senior. McLaughlin finished his career with consecutive 1,100-plus-yard rushing seasons at Youngstown State, while Wilson totaled 1,371 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in 2022. The Broncos signed Samaje Perine but have a fairly unclear backfield pecking order, given the uncertainty surrounding starter Javonte Williams‘ return from an October ACL tear.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/11/23
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: OL J.D. DiRenzo
Denver Broncos
- Waived: OT Casey Tucker
Houston Texans
- Waived: QB E.J. Perry
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: WR Tyron Johnson
Browns, Ravens, Vikings Interested In OLB Trent Harris; Broncos On Radar
Houston Roughnecks outside linebacker Trent Harris recently received reported interest from the Broncos in the form of a rookie minicamp invitation. The report also indicated that other teams were showing interest, as well, and we now have the names of teams we can tie to Harris, thanks to Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. 
According to Tomasson, some of the other teams that extended an invitation to Harris include the Vikings, Ravens, and Browns. The Browns and the Vikings make sense as both teams finished last season in the bottom half of the NFL in sacks. Cleveland was only able to get consistent pressure out of star defensive end Myles Garrett. Behind Garrett’s 16.0 sacks, the Browns’ next highest sack total came from defensive tackle Taven Bryan, who had three.
Minnesota had a much more balanced attack, getting double-digit sack totals out of Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith. They were even able to get eight more combined sacks out of backups D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones. All are under contract through at least this year, with Hunter and Wonnum entering contract years. Perhaps the Vikings’ interest in Harris is as an eventual replacement for one of the two.
While Baltimore tied with the Saints for fifth in the league in sacks last year, their sack numbers did not consistently come from the outside linebacker position. Aside from Justin Houston, who is no longer with the team, the Ravens’ top sack-getters were defensive tackle Justin Madubuike (5.5), defensive tackle Calais Campbell (5.5) (also no longer with the Ravens), inside linebacker Patrick Queen (5.0), and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (3.0). New defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald seemingly took a page out of former defensive coordinator Don Martindale‘s playbook by manufacturing a pass rush from all over the field.
Landing a strong pass-rushing outside linebacker like Harris could add to the production of a Ravens outside linebacker group that contains Tyus Bowser, Odafe Oweh, and David Ojabo. Harris spent almost two weeks in camp with Baltimore last year, spending all but three days on injured reserve before being released prior to the start of the regular season.
Despite the additional interest, Tomasson reports that the “ball looks as if it will be in (the Broncos’) court.” With XFL players eligible to sign NFL deals this coming Monday, May 15, Harris seemed to say that, if Denver wants him, he’ll be a Bronco. In reference to his Broncos tryout, Harris told the media, “I would assume that if I have a good workout and they want to sign me, I’d stay there.”
Broncos Release OLB Jacob Martin
Two months after cutting Chase Edmonds, the Broncos have parted ways with the other player they acquired at last year’s trade deadline. They released Jacob Martin on Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets.
While Edmonds came over in the Bradley Chubb trade — a deal that also included the first-rounder sent to the Saints for Sean Payton — Martin was part of the team’s post-Chubb edge-rushing contingent. The Jets dealt Martin to the Broncos in a pick-swap trade, which sent a 2024 fourth-rounder to New York and a 2024 fifth to Denver.
A Denver-area native, Martin played in five games with his hometown team. The outside linebacker recorded a sack and two tackles for loss as a Bronco. Knee trouble limited Martin last season, and he finished his Denver cameo on IR.
As a vested veteran, Martin will skip the waiver process and pass through to free agency. The Jets gave Martin a three-year, $13.5MM deal in 2022. The Broncos will save $3.8MM by shedding the through-2024 contract from their cap sheet. This will bump Denver’s cap-space figure just past $10MM. Denver had created $5.9MM in cap space by cutting Edmonds in March.
Last season, the Broncos dealt with injuries to most of their edge rushers. Randy Gregory went down in October and did not return until mid-December. Both he and Martin finished the season on IR, with the Broncos moving Martin off their 53-man roster in December. Denver also played without Baron Browning for a stretch. These maladies and Chubb’s midseason exit certainly affected the Broncos’ pass rush.
Martin had tallied at least three sacks from 2018-21, totaling four with the Texans during his ’21 platform year. Also part of the 2019 trade that sent Jadeveon Clowney to Seattle, Martin played three seasons for the Texans before commanding that Jets free agency deal. Gang Green guaranteed the former sixth-round pick $6MM via the 2022 agreement, but the Broncos’ Wednesday decision closes the book on that contract.
Gregory, Browning and 2022 second-round pick Nik Bonitto reside as the Broncos’ top edge players. The team did not draft an outside ‘backer nor did it make a notable investment at the position in free agency. Though, third-round linebacker Drew Sanders recorded 9.5 sacks at Arkansas last season and may be set for a hybrid role of sorts.