Playing for Broncos is ‘a dream come true’ for DL Matt Henningsen

Matt Henningsen already knows what it feels like to wear a Broncos jersey!

The Denver Broncos used their sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft on Saturday to select Wisconsin defensive lineman Matt Henningsen.

In a conference call with reporters after the pick, Henningsen said it was a “dream come true” to play for Denver. After that call, he changed his profile picture on Twitter to display a throwback photo of him wearing a Champ Bailey jersey as a kid.

It’s unclear if Henningsen grew up a Broncos fan or “just” a Bailey fan, but either way it’s pretty cool. The defensive lineman will undoubtedly be asked about that during his next media availability.

After trading away Shelby Harris, Denver needed more depth on the defensive line and they found it during the draft with Iowa State’s Eyioma Uwazurike and Henningsen.

Henningsen will likely compete for rotational playing time initially but he’ll get an opportunity to win a bigger role down the road.

“I’m super excited to be a part of the organization,” he said.

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#OnePride Fan Q/A: J.K. Dobbins to Detroit? Defensive line in the 2nd round?

#OnePride fans were presented a Q/A session with topics surrounding the Detroit Lions, J.K. Dobbins, drafting defensive line, and trades.

We at Lions Wire presented the #OnePride Twitter fan base several questions throughout the week, hoping to hear their voice on various topics concerning the Detroit Lions.

Through the use of Twitter polls, we were able to gauge the fans’ thoughts on a variety of topics, including what fans believe the Lions are poised to do in the upcoming NFL Draft.

J.K Dobbins to Detroit?

Zack’s take: The latest #OnePride fan mock draft showed fans are craving a running back with the selection of Jonathon Taylor in the 2nd round, and it shows in this question as well.

The Lions will surely be looking at running back this draft and I believe pick 85 is the sweet spot for this roster. Will J.K. Dobbins, one of the top running backs in the draft, make it to the 3rd round? Probably not, but if he does, he should be on the Lions radar.

Trade back into the 1st round?

Zack’s take: I agree with Lions fans on this one. There are talks that Epenesa could fall to the 2nd round, but he is such a perfect fit for this scheme, the Lions might not what to take that chance. Surrendering picks No. 35 and No. 85 should do the trick to move in the back half of the 1st round, which I don’t think is a huge price to pay for a player who could immediately contribute.

Position of need in the 2nd round?

Zack’s take: All of these positions are need for the Lions and will be addressed somewhere in the draft, but after the losses on the defensive line, the Lions could look early in the draft to fill that significant need. There should be a wide variety of defensive lineman available at pick 35.

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Which defensive lineman in the 2nd round?

Zack’s take: Blacklock has been mocked to the Lions on a few occasions, and as long as he lasts to the pick 35, I could easily see him being the selection if the Lions go that route.

Even though his run defense may need some refinement, his pass-rushing alone makes him worth it. With superb athleticism for a man his size, he can play at the 1- and 3-techniques, bullying his way through the middle of the offensive line. Marlon Davidson and Justin Madubuike would make excellent Plan B options offering similar athleticism and size — all checking in at 6-3 and roughly 300 pounds.

Keep your eyes open for future questions. We would love to hear your thoughts. If you have any questions you’d like to see answered, send a message, or leave a comment with your question. Thank you to all Lions fans and the #OnePride nation.

Broncos make 2 roster moves

The Broncos placed a wide receiver on injured reserve and signed a defensive lineman to the 53-man roster.

The Denver Broncos are signing Kyle Peko to their 53-man roster, the defensive lineman announced on his Twitter page Friday. Denver has ruled out defensive linemen DeMarcus Walker (ankle) and Adam Gotsis (knee) for Week 14 and Dre’Mont Jones (ankle) is listed as questionable.

Peko will provide some much-needed depth on the defensive line, joining Shelby Harris, Jonathan Harris and Mike Purcell as the only four healthy defensive linemen on the team’s roster going into Sunday’s game.

To make room for Peko on the active roster, Denver will place rookie wide receiver Juwann Winfree (hamstring) on injured reserve, according to multiple media reports. That’s a disappointing end to the season for Winfree, who was inactive for all but three games this year.

Peko (6-1, 305 pounds) originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon with the Broncos in 2016. He bounced back and forth between Denver and Buffalo’s active rosters and practice squads from 2016-2019 before landing in Indianapolis for a brief stint in November.

The 26-year-old Peko has dressed for 11 games in his career, totaling seven tackles. He is yet to start in a regular-season game in the NFL.

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