J.J. McCarthy had a private workout with Broncos ahead of NFL draft

Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy spent 4-5 hours with the Broncos last weekend at a private workout, coach Sean Payton said.

Either Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton doesn’t mind tipping the team’s hand, or he’s putting out serious smoke screens ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

On the same day that he said trading up for a quarterback is a “realistic” option for the Broncos, Payton also revealed (unprompted) that the team had a private workout with Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy last weekend.

“I wasn’t at J.J.’s pro day, but we had a private the next day,” Payton said at the NFL’s annual meeting in Orlando on Monday, via Andrew Mason of DenverSports.com. “We sent him a bunch of information [and] spent four or five hours with him. And [we] made him throw all over again. I think it’s all part of the process.”

Broncos general manager George Paton was not as forthcoming about the team’s pre-draft visits. He laughed when asked about McCarthy’s private workout, according to the Denver Post‘s Parker Gabriel.

“I don’t want to get into the workouts guys,” Paton said, via Gabriel. “I’m glad Sean told everyone. But he’s a very nice young man. We’ve done private workouts with other players at other positions. We had a good visit.”

Paton attended McCarthy’s pro day last week and Denver’s staff also met with him at the NFL combine. Last month, KFAN’s Paul Allen reported that Payton is “quite enamored” with McCarthy.

The Broncos are not scheduled to pick until 12th overall, so if they want to draft McCarthy, they will likely need to trade up. Our most recent seven-round mock draft for Denver has the team moving up to pick No. 4 to select him. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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Trading up for a QB is a ‘realistic’ option for the Broncos

“I think it’s realistic.” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the possibility of trading up for a quarterback in the NFL draft.

Three days after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport indicated the Denver Broncos were more likely to start Jarrett Stidham than trade up for a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft, coach Sean Payton shot back at that notion.

“I think that’s realistic,” Payton said at the NFL’s owners meetings in Orlando on Monday when asked by Rapoport about the possibility of moving up for a QB. “I think it’s realistic. I know your report suggested otherwise, but it’s realistic.”

Broncos general manager George Paton had a more measured answer when asked about the possibility of trading up.

“If there’s a player that you love … you do whatever it takes to go get him,” Paton said, via Andrew Mason of DenverSports.com. “But you don’t want to panic. There’s going to be a really good player at 12. And unless we have a total consensus love for another player, we just stay at 12 or we move back.”

Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune was close to Payton during the coach’s time with the New Orleans Saints. Duncan tweeted this on Monday: “If Sean Payton falls in love with a QB, he will go get him. Or die trying. Trust that.”

The top three quarterbacks in this year’s class — Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels — are expected to go off the board within the first three picks. So if a team is desperate to pick J.J. McCarthy, they might have to trade up to the fourth overall pick to make sure they land him.

The Arizona Cardinals currently hold pick No. 4, and general manager Monti Ossenfort has made it known that they are open to trade talks.

“I think it’s realistic,” Payton said of the possibility of trading up. “What’s hard to predict, though, is what’s on the receiving end. I think it’s good to be Monti today at Arizona. So it’s hard to predict what that cost is and yet, I certainly wouldn’t say it’s unrealistic and we’ll pay close attention to it.”

Moving up from No. 12 — where the Broncos currently sit — to No. 4 would be costly. Three years ago, the San Francisco 49ers gave up three first-round picks (2021, 2022, 2023) and a third-round pick (2022) to move from No. 12 to No. 3 to select QB Trey Lance.

That trade didn’t work out for the 49ers, but it might give a rough estimate of how much it would cost Denver to move up for a QB. The great cost associated with such a trade would make it a big risk, so if the Broncos do it, they have to get it right.

Our most recent seven-round mock draft for Denver has the Broncos trading up to No. 4 to select McCarthy. It would be a risky move, but fans in Denver know how important it is to have a franchise QB in the NFL. If Payton is convinced McCarthy (or any other QB) is the guy, the Broncos should move up to make sure they get him during the draft.

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Sean Payton says Jarrett Stidham will ‘definitely’ compete for starting QB job

“He’s definitely going to compete to be the starter,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of QB Jarrett Stidham.

As Denver Broncos fans fret about the team’s quarterback situation, coach Sean Payton remains unfazed.

There are only a few veterans still available in free agency, but the Broncos could land a quarterback during the NFL draft in April (perhaps evening by trading up to land a top prospect). And regardless of whether or not Denver drafts a QB, the team still has Jarrett Stidham.

Speaking at the NFL owners meetings in Orlando on Monday, Payton said Stidham will “definitely” compete for the starting job in 2024.

“He’s definitely going to compete to be the starter,” Payton said, via KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. “I don’t think we have a term, ‘driver’s seat,’ really. But he is going to compete for that position. I know he’s anxious and excited to do that and I’m sure there will be other candidates that will be competing with him.”

Who it is that ends up competing with Stidham remains to be seen.

Payton also said he doesn’t think Stidham has hit his ceiling as a QB yet.

There’s no guarantee Stidham will be Denver’s starter in Week 1, but Payton has essentially guaranteed the QB will have a chance to compete for the starting job this summer. Now we wait to see if that competition will be with a rookie. The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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Broncos coach Sean Payton comments team’s QB plan

“We weren’t just gonna sign a quarterback to sign one,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of passing on the free agent options in March.

Denver Broncos fans might be panicking as the team’s quarterback situation remains unresolved, but coach Sean Payton isn’t.

“I would rather the angst be now than in September and October,” Payton said at the NFL’s league meetings in Orlando on Monday when asked about fans reacting to the team’s quarterback situation.

The Broncos passed on several veteran quarterbacks during free agency (and multiple QBs who changed teams via trade). There are only a few QBs still available on the open market, but Payton doesn’t seem concerned.

“I felt like we had a real good handle on who was available … we weren’t just gonna sign a quarterback to sign one,” Payton said, via Andrew Mason of DenverSports.com.

CBS Sports reported earlier this month that Denver had interest in Sam Darnold, but he chose to sign with the Minnesota Vikings instead. The Broncos also had interest in Sam Howell, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis, but the Washington Commanders traded him to the Seattle Seahawks.

After the team missed out on Darnold and Howell, the most notable free agent still on the market is Ryan Tannehill, but he certainly wouldn’t be a long-term solution.

Payton might find his long-term answer at QB in the 2024 NFL draft, and he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of trading up to land a top prospect. Whether it’s through free agency or the draft, Payton seems confident Denver will have the quarterback situation sorted out before long.

Fans will quickly forget about their angst in March if Denver has an exciting QB under center in Week 1.

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Broncos host rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit on free agent visit

The Broncos hosted Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit on a free agent visit Monday.

The Denver Broncos hosted Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit on a free agent visit Monday, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Rees-Zammit (6-3, 194 pounds) played for Gloucester Rugby, a club team in England, from 2018-2024, scoring 190 points in 69 games. He has also played for Wales’ national rugby team since 2020, scoring 70 points in 31 games.

After playing as a wing and fullback in rugby, the 23-year-old athlete now hopes to play in the NFL as a running back/wide receiver/returner.

Before his visit with the Broncos, Rees-Zammit had previous visits with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. He’s also scheduled to visit the Kansas City Chiefs.

At the University of South Florida’s pro day last week, Rees-Zammit ran an unofficial 4.44-second 40-yard dash. He spent 10 weeks training at the IMG Academy in Florida leading up to USF’s pro day.

Rees-Zammit isn’t the first player to attempt switching from rugby to the NFL.

Hayden Smith spent time with the New York Jets from 2012-13. Daniel Adongo spent three years with the Indianapolis Colts from 2013-15.

“I think there are a lot of transferable skills,” Rees-Zammit said in an interview with the Associated Press‘ Rob Maaddi last week. “In rugby, you’re always trying to get your hands on the ball as much as often and you’re always trying to break defenses, look for spaces, be aware.

“Catching kickoffs, catch and kick receipts, punt receipts, there’s a lot of transferable skills, and I think running back shows up probably best, getting the ball in my hand early, being able to pick a gap, being able to be aware of the surroundings.”

Alex Gray spent time with the Atlanta Falcons from 2017-2019, but he never made their active roster. Christian Wade turned heads with the Buffalo Bills during preseason in 2019 and Christian Scotland-Williamson competed with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2018-20, but neither made an active roster.

Those were rugby union players. Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata was a rugby league player in Australia before joining the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018. He has started 57 games in Philly since 2020.

Although he played a different version of rugby, Mailata could give hope to Rees-Zammit that a transition to American football is feasible.

NFL teams will have a 17th spot on the practice squad this season specifically designated for an international player, and teams can carry an extra international player on the roster during training camp (91 total).

Last spring, the Broncos were allocated defensive lineman Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway. Ndubuisi spent last season on Denver’s practice squad, but he is no longer listed on the roster on the team’s official website.

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Broncos sent their offensive line coach to Taliese Fuaga’s pro day

Broncos offensive line coach Zach Strief is taking a close look at some of the top offensive tackle prospects ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

Denver Broncos offensive line coach Zach Strief will be a busy man leading up to the 2024 NFL draft.

Strief traveled to Washington earlier this month to watch offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga at Oregon State’s pro day. Fuaga (6-6, 324 pounds) is considered one of the top tackles in this year’s class.

Our most recent NFL mock draft has Fuaga falling to No. 16 in the first round, but some draft pundits expect him to go in the top 10. He might be a potential target for the Broncos at pick No. 12.

Strief also helped run drills for offensive tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher at Notre Dame’s pro day, and he worked with offensive linemen at Michigan’s pro day as well.

Strief, 40, played for the New Orleans Saints from 2006-2017. Three years after Strief announced his retirement, Sean Payton made him an assistant offensive line coach in New Orleans.

Strief followed Payton to Denver in 2023 to serve as the team’s offensive line coach. He is now entering his second season on the job.

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Broncos ranked as league’s 3rd-worst team in NFL power rankings

Touchdown Wire’s latest NFL power rankings have the Broncos listed as the third-worst team in the league.

In his post-free agency NFL power rankings for Touchdown Wire, Jarrett Bailey has the Denver Broncos ranked 30th, making them the third-worst team in the league by his estimation.

This was Bailey’s commentary on Denver’s ranking:

“Everyone knows I’m in over my head
Over my head
With eight seconds left in overtime
She’s on your mind, she’s on your mind”

I imagine Sean Payton relating to that song pretty well right now (the cover by A Day To Remember, not the original by The Fray, but that’s neither here nor there). The only difference is the “she” that’s on his mind is actually a “he” in the form of a franchise quarterback he hopes to land in this year’s draft as Denver continues to pay Russell Wilson to not be there.

Elsewhere in the AFC West, the Kansas City Chiefs are ranked No. 1, the Los Angeles Chargers are No. 20 and the Las Vegas Raiders are No. 27.

The New York Giants are ranked No. 32 (last). To view the complete post-free agency NFL power rankings, visit Touchdown Wire.

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Broncos OL coach Zach Strief worked out Joe Alt at Notre Dame’s pro day

Broncos offensive line coach Zach Strief got close looks at tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher at Notre Dame’s pro day last week.

Denver Broncos offensive line coach Zach Strief got a close look at offensive tackles Joe Alt and Blake Fisher at Notre Dame’s pro day last week.

Strief was among the NFL coaches on hand to run Alt and Fisher through various drills at the Irish Athletics Center in Indiana.

Alt (6-9, 321 pounds) is widely considered the top offensive tackle prospect in this year’s class. Our most recent NFL mock draft has the Tennessee Titans selecting Alt with the seventh overall pick. The Broncos are not scheduled to pick until 12th overall, so if they are targeting Alt, they will likely need to trade up.

Fisher (6-6, 310 pounds) has been projected to go in the third round of most NFL mock drafts. Denver holds pick No. 76 in the third round and Fisher might be a realistic target at that spot.

Mike McGlinchey is under contract through the 2027 season, but Garett Bolles is set to become a free agent next year. The Broncos would be wise to begin planning for the future at offensive tackle.

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Ian Rapoport hints Broncos will stick with Jarrett Stidham instead of trading up for QB

Ian Rapoport thinks the Broncos are more likely to stick with Jarrett Stidham than to trade up for a quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft.

During an appearance on NFL+ last week, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport was asked by Daniel Jeremiah if the Denver Broncos (No. 12) or Las Vegas Raiders (No. 13) are more likely to trade up for a quarterback during the 2024 NFL draft.

Rapoport indicated the Raiders are more likely to move up the board, and he hyped up Jarrett Stidham as a possible starter for the Broncos this season.

“Sean Payton has won with a lot of quarterbacks who are not as good as Jarrett Stidham,” Rapoport said. “You know, I do think they’ll add a quarterback, but I don’t know that the urgency is there. Because he’s so good that I think they say, ‘You know what, we can take some raw materials and he [Payton] will get that person to perform.”

Stidham went 1-1 as a starter last season, completing 60.6% of his passes for 496 yards with two touchdowns against one interception. He was sacked seven times in those two contests and Denver averaged 15 points per game.

While it’s possible this notion of sticking with Stidham is accurate, it’s worth noting that Rapoport works for NFL Network, the league’s in-house media network. He works for the NFL and its 32 teams, including the Broncos.

Denver has seemingly used NFL Network (and Rapoport) in the past to put out information the team wanted known. In 2017, as a potential example, Rapoport reported that the Broncos had “received calls” about safety T.J. Ward. In reality, the team wanted to trade Ward but ended up cutting him when no team was interested in making a deal.

So Rapoport’s reporting — and informed takes presented as guesswork — should be taken with a grain of salt. There’s always the possibility that NFL Network is saying what Denver’s front office wants the network to say.

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Mel Kiper has Broncos landing a QB in his most recent mock draft

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Broncos selecting Oregon QB Bo Nix in his most recent 2024 NFL mock draft.

With the 2024 NFL draft quickly approaching, many professional pundits are trying to put their finger on the pulse of each team’s future first-round pick.

One of the most prolific predictors is ESPN’s Mel Kiper, who has been doing mock drafts since the 1980s. This year, Kiper predicts that the Denver Broncos will choose a young, shapeable quarterback with the No. 12 pick in the first round.

Kiper suggested that Denver take University of Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with that pick in his most recent NFL mock draft.

“Nix isn’t going to be for every team, but [Broncos head coach Sean] Payton might see a little Drew Brees in him,” Kiper wrote on ESPN.com. “He’s a super-fast processor who can make every throw and was one of the most productive passers in college football the past two seasons. He had 74 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions after transferring from Oregon.”

In this draft, Kiper had Nix as the fifth quarterback off the board, behind USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and LSU’s Jayden Daniels.

The Nix pick is a change from Kiper’s last mock draft that had the Broncos selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu.

The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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