Broncos Sign WR Marquez Callaway
Another former Saint is heading to the Mile High City this offseason to reunite with a familiar face on the sidelines. Wideout Marquez Callaway is signing a deal with the Broncos, per a team announcement.
Denver added Callaway on one-year deal worth $1.14MM, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The Saints non-tendered Callaway as an RFA, and while the former New Orleans starter agreed to a deal south of the tender price, he will reunion with Sean Payton with the Broncos. Just more than $200K of Callaway’s money is guaranteed.
Callaway joins a growing list of players with experience in New Orleans choosing to join Payton in Denver. Fellow wideout Lil’Jordan Humphrey, along with tight end Chris Manhertz, fullback Michael Burton and running back Tony Jones Jr. have agreed to deals bringing them to Denver as Payton looks to guide the team’s offense to a rebound from last season’s struggles.
Callaway joined the Saints as a UDFA, and flashed potential in his debut season in 2020. The following year, he stepped into a much larger role in New Orleans’ offense, logging a snap share of 76%. The 24-year-old set new career highs across the board, racking up 46 catches for 698 yards and six touchdowns. His 15.2 yards per catch average demonstrated his capabilities as a deep threat, but that figure (among all others) took a sizeable step back last season.
The 2022 campaign marked the first for the Saints under Dennis Allen, rather than Payton. The latter’s decision to step away for a year was not a productive one for Callaway, who will look to regain his 2021 form working under Payton once again. His arrival comes just one day after it was learned KJ Hamler had suffered a torn pec, the latest in a long line of injuries for the slot receiver.
Hamler’s injury could open the door to more playing time for Callaway. In general, Denver’s receiver room is somewhat in flux, with Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy receiving trade interest. The future of the latter two thus remains in the air, but Callaway’s is in place for at least the 2023 season. A reunion with Payton could produce a bounce-back campaign, something which would help the Broncos take an expected step forward in their passing attack.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/23/23
Thursday’s minor moves around the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Josh Woods
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Dylan Cole
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Tony Jones Jr.
New Orleans Saints
- Re-signed: CB Isaac Yiadom
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Tommy Sweeney
Washington Commanders
- Signed: T Trent Scott
Woods and Cole both served as special teams contributors to start their careers. The former is making his first move outside the NFC North, having previously played for the Bears and Lions. Likewise, the latter is set for his first stint with a non-AFC South squad, after beginning his career with the Texans and Titans. They each bring considerable third phase experience to their new teams.
Sweeny, 27, is making the New York-to-Buffalo trek several have made before him recently. He will reunite with Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who served as the Bills’ offensive coordinator during their time together in Buffalo. Sweeny served in a backup role during each of his three heathy seasons to start his career, making a total of 18 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown. He will look to continue operating as a secondary option at the position in New York under Daboll as the Giants incorporate Pro Bowler Darren Waller into their new-look offense.
Broncos WR KJ Hamler Suffers Torn Pec
Injuries have been a constant for KJ Hamler, and another setback will cost him several months this offseason. While training on his own recently, Hamler ran into a setback that will sideline him for months.
The Denver wide receiver sustained a partially torn pectoral muscle during a training session, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Hamler underwent surgery and is expected to miss between four and six months. This timeline could affect Hamler’s availability for training camp or even the start of the season.
Hamler, 23, only played in seven games last season and has not eclipsed 200 receiving yards in a campaign since his 2020 rookie slate. That year, the Broncos became the first team since the 2003 Cardinals to draft wide receivers in the first and second rounds. While the first-round pick (Jerry Jeudy) is trending upward and generating immense trade interest, Hamler (2020’s No. 46 overall pick) has seen his career stall.
This injury occurred away from the team’s facility earlier this month, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. This could move Hamler to the Broncos’ NFI list to start training camp. A reserve/NFI list designation on roster-cutdown day would cost Hamler four games to start the season. That would be familiar territory for the Penn State-developed speedster.
Hamler, who did not work out at the 2020 Combine due to injury, missed four games as a rookie. He missed 14 in 2021 because of a torn ACL and a hip injury that also required surgery. Hamler went down in Week 3 of the ’21 season, and the elusive pass catcher detailed bouts with depression after suffering those setbacks. A hamstring injury midway through last season led Hamler to IR, sidelining him for the second half of the Broncos’ 5-12 slate.
Now in a contract year, Hamler will miss Sean Payton‘s first offseason program. Hamler came up in trade rumors before his hamstring injury last year, but his run of injuries will effectively nix notions of Denver moving the fourth-year player. With Tim Patrick coming off an ACL tear, Jeudy and Courtland Sutton have been the Bronco receivers most commonly thrown into trade rumors. The Broncos have set a high price for Jeudy, as evidenced by the Cowboys and Browns — each interested parties — moving on via respective trades for Brandin Cooks and Elijah Moore.
Broncos Sign P Riley Dixon
Riley Dixon is back in Denver. The Broncos announced that they’ve signed the free agent punter. Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets that Dixon will be getting a two-year deal.
Dixon was a seventh-round pick by the Broncos back in 2016 and would go on to earn PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. He spent two years in Denver before getting traded to the Giants, where he’d spend four seasons. Dixon landed more than 42 percent of his punts inside the 20 between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, but after averaging a career-low 44.4 yards per punt in 2021, he was let go.
He caught on with the Rams for 2022 and saw a significant improvement on his average, boosting his yards per punt to a career-high 48.4 yards. If Dixon can continue performing to his standard career levels, he’ll be able to outperform incumbent Corliss Waitman.
The former UDFA averaged 46.6 yards per punt and landed 31.3 percent of his punts inside the 20 last year in Denver. Waitman was tendered as an exclusive rights free agent after the season, but Renck notes that the offer has since been withdrawn.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/20/23
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-signed: G Max Scharping
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Mike Ford
Denver Broncos
- Released: LB Wyatt Ray
- Waived: CB Lamar Jackson
Green Bay Packers
- Re-signed: CB Corey Ballentine
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: S Jaquan Johnson
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DB Lonnie Johnson
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Leonard Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: TE Ross Dwelley
The Giants are giving Leonard Johnson a three-year deal, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. The former Duke prospect suffered a torn ACL while training for the 2022 draft; the Giants worked him out Monday and saw enough to take a flier. While Ford made two starts for the Falcons last season, the ex-UDFA is best known for his special teams work. He saw action on 83% of Atlanta’s ST plays last season, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (via Twitter) the Bengals are giving him a one-year deal worth up to $2.25MM.
Both Scharping and Lonnie Johnson are former Texans second-round picks. The Texans waived Scharping on roster-cutdown day in August, but the Bengals claimed him. Although Scharping only played 30 snaps for Cincinnati last season, the team will keep him around for another run at a backup gig. Months before bailing on Scharping, the Texans traded Johnson to the Chiefs. But Kansas City did not see much from the acquisition in camp and waived him. The Titans picked up Johnson via waivers, using him as a backup. Johnson has experience at both cornerback and safety, and The Score’s Jordan Schultz adds he agreed to a one-year Saints deal (Twitter link).
Broncos To Re-Sign CB Essang Bassey
The Broncos have been one of the league’s busiest teams in free agency, authorizing multiple big-money deals to bolster their offensive and defensive fronts (among other areas of need). The club is also finalizing a lower-profile transaction to keep a core special-teamer and key secondary reserve on board.
Per Mike Klis of 9News.com, Denver and cornerback Essang Bassey were putting the finishing touches on a one-year contract last night. Bassey, whom the Broncos signed as a UDFA in 2020, was eligible for restricted free agency after having accrued three years of service time. However, even the lowest-level RFA tender would have cost Denver $2.63MM, which the team deemed too expensive. So the Broncos non-tendered Bassey, thereby allowing him to hit the open market.
Klis says that the Jaguars and one other team showed serious interest in Bassey’s services, and it appeared as if Jacksonville would land him. The Jags, though, re-signed fellow CB Tre Herndon, which led Bassey to believe that a return to Denver was his best bet.
Bassey was a pleasant surprise for the Broncos in his rookie campaign in 2020, getting into 12 games (three starts) and securing a spot as the team’s top nickelback. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL late that year and missed most of 2021 as a result. He did play in one game apiece for the Broncos and Chargers — who had claimed him off waivers — in December 2021, and he returned to the Broncos last year. He saw action in 14 contests in 2022, participating in 23% of Denver’s defensive plays and 62% of the club’s special teams snaps.
In his career, the 24-year-old has recorded 39 tackles, an interception, and four passes defensed. In 2023, he will likely reprise his roles as a rotational member of the Broncos’ defensive backfield and as a regular third phase contributor.
Teams Remain Interested In Jerry Jeudy; Broncos Seeking First-Round Pick For WR
MARCH 17: While teams’ interest could reach the point of an offer the Broncos cannot refuse, the team does not want to move either Jeudy or Sutton. Denver prefers to move forward with both starters, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. Optimism exists Payton will unlock some of the long-held potential of both Sutton and Jeudy, per Klis, who notes the team has hope Sutton — now more than two years removed from his September 2020 ACL tear — will return to his pre-injury form. Sutton is due a $14MM base salary in 2023.
MARCH 15: As they did before the 2022 trade deadline, the Broncos are receiving calls on Jerry Jeudy. The team has thus far shut down interest in the ascending wide receiver, but a price point has emerged that could convince the franchise to sell high.
The Broncos would want a first-round pick for the fourth-year receiver, Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports (on Twitter). Jeudy can be controlled on his rookie contract through 2024, with his fifth-year option call due by May. That seems likely to be exercised — by the Broncos or another team — given Jeudy’s talent.
Denver resisted interest in Jeudy last year, and it made sense for the Broncos to regroup and prepare for the former first-round pick to be part of a better offense in 2023. But neither Sean Payton nor George Paton was in place when the Broncos drafted Jeudy. While the Alabama product profiles as Denver’s top receiver, the team does not have first- or second-round picks in this year’s draft — due to the Payton and Russell Wilson trades. Using Jeudy or Courtland Sutton would be a way for the franchise to add a pick or multiple selections in this year’s draft.
A recent report indicated teams have called the Broncos on Sutton and Jeudy, but the team has thus far passed on trade overtures toward the John Elway-era investments. Both players are on affordable contracts, with Sutton signed through 2025 on a $15MM-per-year accord he signed during the 2021 season. With the Bengals and Chargers taking Tee Higgins and Keenan Allen off the market, respectively, teams seeing if they can pry one of the Broncos’ starters away — in exchange for much-needed draft capital — makes sense.
Then again, the Broncos gave Wilson a $49MM-per-year extension before last season and are still banking on the former Seahawks star re-emerging from a shockingly mediocre 2022 season. Dealing away Jeudy, 23, would stand to hinder Wilson’s rebound effort. Sutton would seem to make more sense as a trade chip, though he would be unlikely to fetch as much. He is entering his age-28 season. But the team has a similar player in Tim Patrick, an outside receiver tied to a $10MM-per-year contract. Patrick has not come up in trade rumors, having missed last season with an ACL tear.
The Cowboys and Giants were among the teams to contact the Broncos on Jeudy before the deadline last year; Dallas made an offer. Both teams are still believed to be looking for receiver help. The Broncos have upped their asking price compared to last year, when a report pegged the team as seeking a second-round pick. Given this modest free agent receiver class and only veterans DeAndre Hopkins and Brandin Cooks viewed as available via trade, Denver is asking for more now. Following those trade rumors, Jeudy finished the 2022 season with a career-high 972 receiving yards to lead the Broncos. This did not move the needle much, however, as Denver’s Nathaniel Hackett-directed offense ranked last in scoring.
In New Orleans, Payton prioritized multiple receivers — Marques Colston, Michael Thomas — but reached agreements to trade two complementary talents (Cooks, Kenny Stills) as well. The Broncos, as the Saints are known to do, are investing heavily along their offensive line. The team reached agreements with Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers this week, and the team will likely consider a Quinn Meinerz extension next year. Considering Jeudy’s age, the Broncos will face a pivotal decision on the state of their receiving corps soon.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/16/23
Today’s minor NFL transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
- Re-signed: LS Nick Moore
Dallas Cowboys
- Re-signed: CB C.J. Goodwin
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: S P.J. Locke
Miami Dolphins
- Re-signed: FB John Lovett
New England Patriots
- Re-signed: LS Joe Cardona
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, DT T.Y. McGill
There’s some long snapper news to pass along! Cardona will be returning to New England for his ninth season with the organization, making him the Patriots’ second-longest tenured player (behind Matthew Slater). Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter), Cardona got a four-year deal with a $1MM signing bonus, with that latter value being “an important marker” for the veteran to clear.
Meanwhile, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets that Moore will be getting a two-year, $2.5MM deal. The long snapper was non-tendered by Baltimore yesterday but ultimately re-upped with the team on a multiyear deal. Per Zrebiec, Moore received interest from other teams but wanted to stick around Baltimore. The 30-year-old has been with the Ravens since 2020 and earned a second-team All-Pro nod in 2022.
Broncos Interested In C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Sean Payton‘s first free agency period in Denver has produced a few big-ticket signings. The former Saints coach is now looking into one of his former players for what would be a fourth major move as Broncos HC.
The Broncos are one of the teams interested in C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports (on Twitter). The Eagles wanted to retain the fifth-year defensive back ahead of free agency, but he hit the market and is fielding interest.
Philadelphia has managed to bring back longtime defensive stalwarts Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham, along with James Bradberry. Late Wednesday night, they pumped the breaks on cutting Darius Slay as well. Slay’s monster cap number ($26.1MM) is still on Philly’s payroll. Until a new number surfaces, the contract-year cornerback’s status will remain in question. But these moves could impact the Eagles’ aim to re-sign Gardner-Johnson.
The Eagles traded for Gardner-Johnson just before last season, acquiring the ex-Saints slot cornerback and moving him to safety. Gardner-Johnson proceeded to tie for the NFL interceptions lead, notching six thefts despite missing five games. The Eagles are understandably keen on ensuring the 2022 trade investment does not bolt after one season. The team has lost its other starting safety, Marcus Epps, along with Javon Hargrave, T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White from its Super Bowl LVII-qualifying defense.
Payton coached Gardner-Johnson for three seasons, stationing the renowned trash talker in the slot. Gardner-Johnson functioned as New Orleans’ primary slot defender for multiple seasons. Months after Payton’s New Orleans exit, the former fourth-round pick could not come to terms with the Saints on an extension. That led to the trade. CJGJ will not come cheap, being one of the top options left available. He will not turn 26 until December.
Denver’s most lucrative defensive contract resides at Gardner-Johnson’s position, with Justin Simmons being the league’s sixth-highest-paid safety. Simmons, who also missed five games last season, shared the 2022 INT lead with Gardner-Johnson. The Broncos have not re-signed Kareem Jackson, a three-year starter for the team but a player who is going into his age-35 season, and have used 2021 draftee Caden Sterns as their backup. Veteran K’Waun Williams remains under contract for the Broncos in the slot.
Broncos Sign T Mike McGlinchey
MARCH 16: One of the top free agents to hit the market, McGlinchey did well to secure an agreement that features a virtual three-year guarantee. In addition to the veteran right tackle’s 2023 and ’24 base salaries being fully guaranteed, Albert Breer of SI.com notes his 2025 salary ($17.5MM) will become locked in on if he is still on Denver’s roster in March 2024. This is not an uncommon structure, but it essentially will bring McGlinchey’s full guarantee number up to $52.5MM.
While practical guarantees are present in other linemen’s contracts, no current right tackle deal included more than $43MM guaranteed at signing. Payton signed off on that deal (Ramczyk’s) as well. The Broncos have spent a decade trying to fill this position; they are paying up to do so.
MARCH 13: The Broncos are making an all-out effort to upgrade their offensive line Monday. Shortly after agreeing to terms with Ben Powers, they are signing another big fish. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey is joining the team, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets.
A five-year 49ers starter, McGlinchey hit the legal tampering period as one of the market’s top available players. The Broncos’ right tackle spot has become one of the league’s fastest-moving carousel positions. Denver has used a different right tackle starter in Week 1 in each of the past 10 seasons. While that streak will hit 11, the team is spending big bucks to ensure McGlinchey stops it for a while.
49ers GM John Lynch said he expected McGlinchey to have a robust market that would price himself out of San Francisco. With Trent Williams attached to the NFL’s top offensive line contract, McGlinchey will collect his cash elsewhere. He will join Garett Bolles in Denver, which will soon have top-10 contracts devoted to left tackle and right tackle. As of midday Monday, the Broncos are the only team that can say that.
PFR ranked McGlinchey as the market’s top right tackle, though this was a strong market at the position. The Broncos are choosing McGlinchey over the likes of Jawaan Taylor and Kaleb McGary, but the team’s dire issues at right tackle will prompt a big payment. It is a five-year, $87.5MM deal for McGlinchey, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. At $17.5MM per year, McGlinchey becomes the NFL’s fourth-highest-paid right tackle. Sean Payton authorized the top right tackle contract — Ryan Ramczyk‘s — back in 2021. Payton is continuing his O-line-centric focus in Denver.
In New Orleans, Payton continually devoted high picks to his offensive line. Extensions followed. The Broncos will now have two hired guns up front to join Bolles and Quinn Meinerz. While Denver’s center position is uncertain, it will be difficult for the team — which has some needs that are not on the O-line — to devote too much capital here. Lloyd Cushenberry is entering a contract year and is coming off an injury-abbreviated season.
McGlinchey, 28, has been one of the NFL’s top run-blocking tackles in recent years. The former top-10 pick who came to San Francisco after being Notre Dame’s left tackle, McGlinchey rated fifth in ESPN’s run block win rate last season. He started every game for the 49ers in 2022, bouncing back from a quad injury that ended his 2021 season early. McGlinchey is going into his age-28 season. The Broncos are betting on him to remain an upper-crust right tackle into his 30s. They have tried repeatedly to staff this position but have failed, with the biggest whiff coming via the four-year deal they gave Ja’Wuan James back in 2019.
The 49ers recently re-signed Colton McKivitz, giving them a much cheaper option to potentially succeed McGlinchey opposite Williams. Jaylon Moore also serves as an option for San Francisco, which has now lost five-year starting O-linemen — McGlinchey and guard Laken Tomlinson — in back-to-back offseasons.