The Broncos brought in four wide receivers for workouts, including former second-round draft pick Denzel Mims.
The Denver Broncos brought in four wide receivers for workouts on Tuesday, including former second-round draft pick Denzel Mims.
The Broncos hosted Kaden Davis, Leon Johnson, Lance McCutcheon and Mims, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson.
Davis (6-1, 190 pounds) entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Northwest Missouri State with Denver in 2022. After spending time on the Broncos’ practice squad that fall, Davis spent the following spring playing in the USFL with the Michigan Panthers. He spent last year on the practice squad of the Arizona Cardinals and this summer with the Detroit Lions.
Johnson (6-5, 207 pounds) signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State this spring. He was waived when L.A. set its 53-man roster in August.
McCutcheon (6-3, 202 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Montana State with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. He has since spent time with the Houston Texans and New York Jets.
Mims (6-3, 207 pounds) was picked by the Jets in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Baylor. He hauled in 42 receptions for 676 yards in three seasons with the Jets before being traded to the Lions in 2023. After being waived/injured by Detroit, Mims spent time on the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers last fall. He went to training camp with the Jacksonville Jaguars this summer but did not make their 53-man roster.
The Broncos seem to be looking for reinforcements at receiver after their WRs struggled to create separation in the team’s season opener on Sunday. Another name that might be worth watching in the coming weeks is former New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas, who has now completed his one-game suspension. Thomas (6-3, 212 pounds) played for the Saints from 2016-2023, spending six years playing for coach Sean Payton.
Denver’s 53-man roster is full, so if the team adds any receivers, the team will have to make room on the active roster.
Karl Mecklenburg headlines the list of former Broncos players nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2025 class.
Following the enshrinement of senior candidate Randy Gradishar this year, 11 more Denver Broncos legends are now candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame announced 183 senior nominees for the 2025 class on Tuesday and do-it-all-defender Karl Mecklenburg is joined by linebacker Tom Jackson, safety Dennis Smith, wide receiver Lionel Taylor, returner Rick Upchurch, cornerback Louis Wright, receiver Bob Scarpitto, defensive lineman Michael Dean Perry, running back Sammy Winder, defensive lineman Lyle Alzado and defensive end Rich Jackson on the ballot.
Former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is also expected to be a candidate once again this year in the coach category. Shanahan’s chances of getting in might be improved now that coach and contributor categories have been separated.
As for senior players, Mecklenburg, Jackson, Smith, Taylor, Upchurch and Wright all have impressive resumes and they are all members of the Broncos Ring of Fame. Because he was a versatile playmaker in Denver’s 3-4 defense, Mecklenberg might have the best chance to get in among the team’s senior candidates.
Broncos inactives: TE Lucas Krull, WR Troy Franklin, DL Uwazurike, RB Blake Watson, CB Abrams-Draine, OL Frank Crum and QB Zach Wilson.*
The Denver Broncos have announced their list of seven inactive players for Sunday’s season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
Broncos tight end Lucas Krull, wide receiver Troy Franklin, defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike, running back Blake Watson, cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine and offensive tackle Frank Crum won’t suit up today.
Denver quarterback Zach Wilson is also technically inactive, but he is available as an emergency third-string quarterback in Seattle.
With the exception of Wilson, these players are members of the 53-man roster who are not eligible to play against the Seahawks. They will be reactivated on Monday.
Elsewhere on the roster front, the Broncos elevated fullback Michael Burton and wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey from the practice squad to the game-day roster on Saturday. After playing against the Seahawks, Burton and Humphrey will revert to the practice squad on Monday.
Bo Nix is the Denver Broncos’ 14th starting quarterback since Peyton Manning’s retirement. Here’s the full list.
The Denver Broncos have been in football purgatory following Peyton Manning’s retirement from the NFL.
Manning played in Denver from 2012-2015, posting a 45-12 record as the team’s starter. The Broncos won the AFC West in all four of Manning’s seasons and they reached two Super Bowls.
After winning Super Bowl 50, Manning retired during the 2016 offseason. Denver spent the last nine years searching for a replacement. Broncos fans now have hope that Bo Nix will finally break the team’s post-Manning quarterback curse.
Nix, who was picked by Denver in the first round of the NFL draft in April, will become the Broncos’ 14th starting quarterback since Manning’s retirement. Here’s the full list.
Broncos starting quarterbacks since Peyton Manning
Siemian was the team’s only full-time starter to post a winning record, but he wasn’t a franchise quarterback. Here’s a quick look back at each QB.
1. Trevor Siemian: 13-11
(Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports)
Denver’s most successful quarterback since Manning’s retirement (in terms of record), Siemian nearly reached the playoffs in his first season under center. After spending last year as a backup with the New York Jets, Siemian is now a free agent.
2. Paxton Lynch: 1-3
(Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)
One of the biggest busts in franchise history, Lynch went on to have unsuccessful stints in the CFL, USFL and XFL after falling out of the NFL in 2019. He’s currently a free agent.
3. Brock Osweiler: 0-4
(Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports)
Osweiler was an important player for the Broncos during their Super Bowl 50 run as he filled in well for an injured Manning during the 2015 season. Osweiler’s second stint with the team did not go well, though, and he retired from the NFL in 2019.
4. Case Keenum: 6-10
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Keenum had an unremarkable one-year run with the Broncos in 2018. He’s now a backup with the Houston Texans.
5. Joe Flacco: 2-6
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Flacco joined the Broncos in 2019 and he didn’t last long in Denver. He’s now a backup with the Indianapolis Colts.
6. Brandon Allen: 1-2
(Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports)
Allen started three games in 2019 when Flacco and Drew Lock were recovering from injuries. Allen is now a backup with the San Francisco 49ers.
7. Jeff Driskel: 0-1
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Driskel started one game when Lock was injured in 2020 and it didn’t go well. He’s now a backup with the Washington Commanders.
8. Brett Rypien: 2-1
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Rypien started one game in the place of an injured Lock and two games in the place of an injured Russell Wilson. He is now a backup with the Chicago Bears.
9. Drew Lock: 8-13
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Lock had moments of strong play in Denver, but his turnovers often proved to be costly. He was sent to Seattle as part of the Wilson trade and he spent two years as a backup with the Seahawks. Lock is now a backup with the New York Gitans.
10. Kendall Hinton/Phillip Lindsay: 0-1
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
When all four of Denver’s quarterbacks were ruled ineligible to play in Week 12 of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 policy, wide receiver Kendall Hinton was called up from the practice squad to play quarterback that week. Technically, the Broncos had Lindsay line up in a Wild Cat formation for the first play, so Hinton was not officially credited with a QB start, but he was Denver’s QB that day.
Hinton and Lindsay are now both out of the NFL.
11. Teddy Bridgewater: 7-7
(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
Bridgewater was one of Denver’s best quarterbacks since the Manning era, but it still wasn’t enough for the Broncos to get back into playoff contention. After backup stints with the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions, Bridgewater retired from the NFL in February. He now coaches high school football in Miami.
12. Russell Wilson: 11-19
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
The Broncos paid a king’s ransom to acquire Wilson from the Seahawks in 2022 and he ended up starting just 30 games in Denver. Wilson went 4-11 in 2022 and 7-8 in 2023. Payton took on the largest dead money cap hit in NFL history to move on from Wilson this spring. He now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
13. Jarrett Stidham: 1-1
(Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
After the Broncos benched Wilson last year, Stidham started the final two games of the season and split the results. He competed with Nix for Denver’s starting job this summer but wasn’t able to fend off the rookie for QB1 duties.
14. Bo Nix: 0-0
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
On paper, Nix seems to be a perfect fit for Payton’s offense. He will make his regular-season NFL debut when the Broncos go on the road to face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 (Sept. 8). After eight seasons of inconsistent quarterback play, Denver now turns to Nix to get the franchise back on track.
Here is the Broncos’ 53-man roster going into their Week 1 showdown with the Seahawks.
The Denver Broncos are set to face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a look at the team’s updated 53-man roster going into Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season.
Note that up to two players can be elevated from the practice squad each week, giving the Broncos a 55-player roster on game days. Denver elevated fullback Michael Burton and wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey this week.
The Broncos worked out Andrew Farmer on Friday and released Durell Nchami from IR with an injury settlement.
The Denver Broncos had dealings with a pair of pass rushers on Friday.
Denver brought in free agent Andrew Farmer for a workout, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Farmer (6-4, 250 pounds) met with the Broncos at the Hula Bowl last year but went undrafted out of Lane College in 2023.
Farmer landed with the Los Angeles Chargers last year, initially on their practice squad, and later dressed for eight games. He recorded three tackles in those appearances, playing 60 snaps on defense and 48 snaps on special teams.
In addition to working out Farmer, Denver also reached an injury settlement with pass rusher Durell Nchami, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson. Nchami (6-4, 258 pounds) was waived with an injury designation during roster cuts last week. After clearing waivers, he reverted to IR.
Had he remained on IR, Nchami would have been ineligible to play this season. After reaching an injury settlement with the Broncos, Nchami was released and he is now a free agent. Once healthy, it’s possible that Nchami could return to the team later this season.
The Kansas City Chiefs are set to host the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 NFL season opener on Thursday night.
Ahead of tonight’s action, Sean Payton’s daughter, Meghan, took to Twitter/X with a perfect tweet: “go ravens.”
Go Ravens, indeed.
Meghan’s father, of course, is the head coach of the Denver Broncos, who play in the AFC West with the Chiefs. After taking over the Broncos in 2023, Payton helped Denver snap a 16-game losing streak to Kansas City that dated back to 2015.
That 24-9 upset last fall didn’t prevent the Chiefs from winning an eighth-straight division title in 2023, and KC is the favorite to win the AFC West again in 2024. If the Broncos are going to catch the Chiefs in the division, they could use help from other clubs.
“It means a lot,” Sutton said after Wednesday’s practice. “First off, I would like to thank the whole Broncos organization, [and] my agent Tory Dandy for making it happen. It’s honestly surreal seeing the gratitude behind it and how much it means for this organization and for myself. I’m glad to be here for many years to come and looking to build on the future.”
Surtain received a $15 million signing bonus, and he’ll have a $21 million option bonus set to become guaranteed on March 31, 2025, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. He also has a $10 million option bonus in 2026.
The cornerback will receive $77.5 million in total guarantees — the most by a defensive back in NFL history — and $39.5 million will be paid within the first nine months, according to Florio.
“It means a lot, for sure, in that margin, but at the end of the day, I just focus on doing the best I can do on the field,” Surtain said of becoming the highest-paid cornerback. “Being the best version of myself each and every day. I don’t try to allow the pressure to get to me, I build off of it and just play the game that I play and love doing.”
Surtain is the second cornerback in franchise history to be named to multiple Pro Bowls (two) in his first three seasons, joining Hall of Famer Willie Brown, who spent the first four years of his career in Denver.
Surtain has also totaled double-digit pass breakups in each of his first three seasons, something no other Bronco has done since 1999.
Surtain still had two years left on his existing deal, so the Broncos did not have to get an extension done right now, but they wanted to.
“We had spent some time talking about it,” coach Sean Payton said. “I think both sides felt really good about the timing. We went ahead and did it. It’s securing a real young talented player that is at a position that’s hard to find.”
After adding four years onto his current deal, Surtain now basically has a six-year, $119.311 million contract. In terms of average salary on the extension, he is the highest-paid cornerback ever, but as the NFL’s salary cap continues to rise, PS2’s deal could turn into a bargain.
When Darrelle Revis signed a six-year, $96 million deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013, that was an average of $16 million per year contract. At the time, though, that represented 13% of the salary cap, as Spotrac.com’s Michael Ginnitti pointed out on Twitter/X. Surtain will earn $8 million more per season, but his deal takes up 9.4% of Denver’s cap.
Here are Surtain’s cap hits over the next six years, courtesy of OverTheCap.com:
The Broncos have converted most of Courtland Sutton’s salary into a bonus to create $9.5 million in salary cap space this season.
On the eve of the NFL’s season opener, OverTheCap.com projected that the Denver Broncos had about $200,000 in remaining salary cap space. With in-season signings and potential injured reserve additions on deck this fall, the Broncos needed more breathing room going into the season.
So the team restructured wide receiver Courtland Sutton’s contract to create an additional $9.5 million in salary cap space, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Denver took $11.875 million of Sutton’s $13 million salary and converted into into a bonus, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.
There’s no downside for Sutton because he’ll still get paid the same total amount, and now most of it has been paid upfront. The upside for the Broncos is that they can spread the bonus over more than one year for cap flexibility. The cash has already been paid, but the cap hit is being kicked down the road.
Denver is now presumably cap compliant going into the 2024 season.
Bo Nix is the Broncos’ first rookie to be named a team captain since Hall of Fame RB Floyd Little in 1967.
The Denver Broncos have named their six team captains for the 2024 NFL season, coach Sean Payton announced Wednesday.
On offense, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, guard Quinn Meinerz and rookie quarterback Bo Nix got the nod. On defense, cornerback Pat Surtain and inside linebacker Alex Singleton were named captains. Kicker Wil Lutz will serve as the special teams captain. The captains were elected by teammates this week.
Nix makes history as the team’s first rookie team captain since Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little in 1967. This will also mark the first time Payton has had a rookie captain on his team.
Denver’s team captains last year were Sutton, quarterback Russell Wilson, offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey, safeties Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson and punter Riley Dixon. Wilson, Simmons and Jackson are no longer on the team.
Two years ago, the team’s captains were Wilson, Sutton, Simmons, outside linebacker Bradley Chubb and kicker Brandon McManus. Of the team’s 2022 team captains, Sutton is the only one who remains on the team.
This fall will mark Sutton’s fourth straight season as a team captain.
The Broncos are preparing for a Week 1 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 8. Denver is considered a 5.5-point road undergoing going into Sunday’s game in Seattle.
