Tag: Denver Broncos

Report: Steelers talking draft trade with Broncos for top cornerback

The Steelers are connected to the Broncos for a potential draft day trade.

According to NFL draft analyst Tony Pauline via Pittsburgh radio host Andrew Fillipponi, the Pittsburgh Steelers are talking with the Denver Broncos about a potentially huge trade in the first round. If this were just coming from Fillipponi, we wouldn’t pay it any mind. But Pauline is connected and a solid draft reporter so where there is smoke, there might just be fire.

Pauline claims the Steelers and Broncos are talking about a trade so the Steelers can go up and get former Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. Mitchell has established himself as the consensus top cornerback in the draft due to his impressive combination of size, technique, athleticism and high football acumen.

The Steelers have Joey Porter Jr. and the front office added Donte Jackson in a trade with the Carolina Panthers that sent wide receiver Diontae Johnson to them. If the Steelers are considering trading up for Mitchell, this means they look at Jackson as more of a slot corner with Mitchell on the outside.

The biggest takeaway here is this feels like a smokescreen. Head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan spoke to the media on Monday and really gave the impression the team is happy with its draft slot and aren’t looking for any trades. There is plenty of talent in this draft class without sacrificing draft capital for any player.

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Check out these highlights of new Broncos QB Zach Wilson

Zach Wilson has an impressive arm. Here are some of his top plays in the NFL so far.

Zach Wilson is the new quarterback for the Denver Broncos as of Monday. The former first-round pick from the 2021 NFL draft received his trade papers from the New York Jets, and unless the Broncos draft a quarterback, Wilson might have a legitimate chance to start in Denver.

Wilson’s three years with the Jets were tumultuous — he finished 11-21 as a starter, had knee surgery in 2022, and got benched twice that season. Then Aaron Rodgers arrived, but Wilson got his job back after Rodgers went down with an injury.

With the Broncos, though, Wilson will get another chance to become a starter and a productive player in this league. And with Broncos head coach Sean Payton in tow, Wilson has a chance to prove NFL pundits and fans wrong.
To prepare for the arrival of Wilson, check out some of his top highlights from his time with the New York Jets.

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Tom Pelissero reacts to Broncos trading for QB Zach Wilson

“If anybody can get the most of out Zach Wilson, it’s going to be Sean Payton,” Tom Pelissero said of the Broncos landing QB Zach Wilson.

The Broncos have a new starting quarterback in Zach Wilson. Or do they?
Denver agreed to trade for Wilson, the Jets’ former first-round pick, on Monday. New York didn’t come away with much: they received a sixth-round selection (No. 203) in this week’s NFL draft from the Broncos, who, in addition to Wilson, will get a seventh-round pick (No. 256) from the Jets.

After news of the trade broke, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network joined Colin Cowherd’s FS1 show, The Herd, and gave his thoughts on Wilson now donning the navy and orange. He believes that if there is one coach who can maximize Wilson’s talents, it’s Broncos headman Sean Payton.

With Wilson solidified as a potential option, should the Broncos still pursue a quarterback in this year’s draft? Bo Nix and Michael Penix are the names that come up and could be solid options if the Broncos choose to go that way. Nevertheless, we will see what Payton and the front office do this Thursday.

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2024 NFL mock draft: Broncos trade for QB Dak Prescott

Touchdown Wire’s latest NFL mock draft has the Cowboys trading quarterback Dak Prescott to the Broncos.

In Touchdown Wire’s latest NFL mock draft, the Dallas Cowboys trade their star quarterback, Dak Prescott, to the Denver Broncos for their 12th pick, allowing the Broncos to have a franchise QB and draft edge rusher Dallas Turner with the 24th pick.

“So. Now that the Broncos have Dak Prescott under center, it’s time for general manager George Paton to address another roster issue, and that’s the lack of edge talent at the highest level,” Doug Farrar and Jeff Risdon wrote on Touchdown Wire. “Taking Dallas Turner with the 24th pick would certainly solve that problem to a degree.”

Farrar and Risdon believe that he could be a great asset to the Bronco’s defense due to Turner’s production last season as a part of the Alabama defensive front. A comparison to Brian Burns would make Denver head coach Sean Payton smile.

“Last season, Turner had 11 sacks and 53 total pressures for the Crimson Tide, and he projects well as an ideal speed-rusher with the quickness and bend to beat tackles around the arc in multiple ways. At his peak, I would compare Turner to Brian Burns (formerly of the Carolina Panthers, now with the New York Giants) as that super-flexible speed end who can just blow things up in the passing game.”

Although this is hypothetical, the above scenario is plausible. We’ll find out what draft days holds on Thursday.

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Former Alabama DB Levi Wallace signs with Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos announce they have signed former Alabama cornerback Levi Wallace.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide football defensive back Levi Wallace has agreed to terms with the Denver Broncos and has signed on with the franchise to a one-year deal.

Wallace was a former walk-on at Alabama and has an inspiring story. Though he was not drafted, he found his way onto the Buffalo Bills roster in 2018 as an undrafted free agent. After four seasons in Buffalo, Wallace signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, he stays in the AFC and moves out west to play for the Broncos.

In a video shared to social media, found below, Wallace describes his excitement in playing for Denver, stating that it’s “a dream come true” to play for his dad’s favorite team.

In 2023, Wallace recorded 36 total tackles and 11 defended passes. He looks to increase his production and serve in a larger role for the broncos in 2024.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Wallace and other former Alabama football players in the NFL as the 2024 offseason progresses.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

AFC East: Jets trade former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson to Broncos for late pick

Goodbye, Zach:

The New York Jets have officially cut ties with quarterback Zach Wilson.

The Jets have traded the QB, who was the No. 2 overall pick of the team at the 2021 NFL draft, to the Denver Broncos.

In addition to Wilson, New York shipped a 2024 seventh-round pick (256) to Denver. The Jets have acquired a 2024 sixth-rounder (203) in the deal.

Wilson started 33 games in New York, completing 57 percent of his passes for 6,293 yards with 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. The Jets will now move forward with Aaron Rodgers.

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Wilson is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. Before the trade, he was set to have a salary cap hit of $11.18 million in 2024. The Jets agreed to split his guaranteed camp roster bonus ($4.39 million), according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The Broncos now have Wilson, Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci in their quarterback room. Selecting a QB at the upcoming 2024 NFL draft is not off the table for Denver with the Wilson deal, but due to the low financial ties, he’s likely locked into a roster spot for 2024.

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Broncos unveil new uniforms in ‘Mile High Collection’ hype video

The Denver Broncos unveiled their new uniforms with a two-minute hype video. We’re excited!

The Denver Broncos became the latest team to release their new uniform set for the 2024 NFL season and beyond on Monday.

The team used a two-minute hype video to show off the new threads. The video highlighted Colorado’s Rocky Mountain region, the blue-collar work ethic of the people of the state and the wild, raw power of the Bronco.

The video culminates with several players modeling the three new jersey patterns: the orange home jersey, the white away jersey and the navy blue alternate jersey. The video cuts off with a pair of cleats and throwback socks walking onto the stage. The team also put out a second video to commemorate the 1977-themed throwback uniform.

That throwback uniform is simply beautiful.

If these hype videos don’t get Broncos Country excited about the new uniforms, nothing will. Bring on the new-look Broncos!

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Zach Wilson trade: Looking back on Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence’s QB class

Zach Wilson trade: Looking back on Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence’s QB class

Eight quarterbacks were selected in the first three rounds of the 2021 NFL draft, a record that has held up over the two selection ceremonies since.

Following Zach Wilson’s reported trade from New York, who took the former Brigham Young passer with the No. 2 pick that year, to Denver on Monday, just three of those signal-callers remain with their original squads.

Of those three, only one actively starts for their team and is on a path toward a long-term contract extension: Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence.

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Apr 29, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the number one overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft at First Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Additionally, Kyle Trask, the No. 64 overall pick in the second round, is still with Tampa Bay, and Davis Mills, the No. 67 selection in the third round, remains on Houston’s roster.

Mills started 26 games over his first two seasons but was replaced by eventual AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud, in 2023. Trask has appeared in just three career contests and backs Baker Mayfield up on the Buccaneers’ depth chart.

Wilson’s exit from the Big Apple marks the fourth instance of teams abandoning their 2021 quarterback of choice in the last eight months.

Since August, San Francisco has traded Trey Lance (No. 3 overall) to Dallas, Chicago has traded Justin Fields (No. 11) to Pittsburgh, and New England has traded Mac Jones (No. 15) to Jacksonville, each in exchange for Day 3 picks. The Jets and Broncos swapped late-round picks in Wilson’s trade.

Mond (No. 66) was waived by Minnesota in 2022.

Meanwhile, Lawrence enters his fourth season with Jacksonville in 2024, having started every game in which he’s been available along the way, making him the lone first-round quarterback from 2021 who continues to play for his drafted team.

Although the most recent campaign had a disappointing finish with the Jaguars falling out of playoff contention in Week 18, the club completed its first set of consecutive winning seasons since 2004-05 with Lawrence under center in 2023. It went 9-8 in back-to-back years.

Accordingly, Jacksonville’s front office — a contingent including general manager Trent Baalke, head coach Doug Pederson and owner Shad Khan — has engaged in discussions about a contract extension with Lawrence and his representatives this offseason.

“I’d love to obviously be a Jag, for as long as possible,” Lawrence said on April 16. “We love it here and I love where we’re headed as an organization and feel like I’m just getting better every year. My best ball is definitely ahead of me.”

In 50 regular season games with the Jaguars, Lawrence has completed 63.8% of his passing attempts for 11,770 yards with 58 touchdowns and 39 interceptions. He’s added 964 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.

For fun but meaningless comparison, the seven other passers drafted through the third round in 2021 have combined for 28,665 passing yards, 149 passing touchdowns and 119 interceptions in 162 appearances.

Will the Broncos have the NFL’s saddest quarterback room in 2024?

Oh good, here comes Zach Wilson.

The Denver Broncos are having a weird Monday.

First, they unveiled a set of new uniforms that make a three-time Super Bowl champion look like a lesser Mountain West program. Then, they went out and traded for Zach Wilson, a quarterback whose three seasons with the New York Jets portray him as the kind of player solely capable of making teams worse.

Granted, Wilson wasn’t an expensive addition. Acquiring him only cost a swap of late round draft picks and included the caveat New York pay a meaningful chunk of his $5.5 million salary. But barring a massive and unexpected turnaround, it won’t solve any of the Broncos problems.

Denver heads into 2024 staring down a potential disaster behind center. 2023 starter Russell Wilson was released despite a historic salary cap penalty for embodying too many weird Russell Wilson qualities and not enough of the good ones.

Returning to the fold is Jarrett Stidham, who has more seasons in the NFL (five) than starts (four) and a career passer rating of 78.3 (Brock Osweiler’s, for comparison, is 78.0). Next up is Wilson, who played three years in New York and ranked among the Jets’ top three quarterbacks in just one of those years (his competition was Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian). The obvious solution here is adding a promising rookie at the draft.

That’s going to be a rough sled. The Broncos could trade their way into the top tier of quarterback prospects but, whoops, maybe they can’t.

Their second round pick belongs to the New Orleans Saints as compensation for hiring Sean Payton. The cost to rise from 12th to the top three was already going to be prohibitive. It’ll take even more of an overpay without an immediate top 50 pick to throw in as a sweetener. Even then, they’d likely be bidding against the Minnesota Vikings (two first round picks in 2024, including the 11th overall) and other needy teams.

The most likely situation is either Denver stands pat at No. 12 and adds a passer there, or trades back to address other needs (there are several) and slides to a place where it’s a little more logical to take a non-top-four QB. Either way, the best rookie for which the Broncos can hope is probably either Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr..

Which means their training camp quarterback room would look like this:

  • Jarrett Stidham (incumbent starter, somehow)
  • Zach Wilson
  • Ben Dinucci
  • Bo Nix/Michael Penix Jr./Rookie QB X
  • the smoking crater Russell Wilson’s $35.4 million in dead salary cap space left behind

Gross! There are other iffy situations across the league. The New England Patriots currently have Bailey Zappe, Jacoby Brissett and Nathan Rourke under contract. The Washington Commanders have Marcus Mariota, Jake Fromm and Jeff Driskel. The Vikings are desperate enough for competence that they staked a $10 million bet on Sam by-god Darnold.

But each of those teams has the draft assets to at least instill some legitimate hope for 2024 and beyond. The Broncos are in worse shape. Adding Zach Wilson is a sensible move from an operational standpoint. But in terms of vibes, it’s just another punchline for a team that’s been laughed at since Peyton Manning retired.

The latest 2024 NFL mock draft from PFF has the Broncos trading into the top-3 for Jayden Daniels

This would be interesting!

Now THIS would make for an interesting 2024 NFL Draft.

The Denver Broncos (with their new uniforms!) are in desperate need for a quarterback of the future, and a lot of mocks have them trading for a name like Oregon’s Bo Nix. That would make a lot of sense in the mid- or late first round. In the latest 2024 NFL mock draft from our Christian D’Andrea, he has the Broncos trading up for J.J. McCarthy.

But what if they go even higher? What if the New England Patriots have the ability to trade out of the No. 3 spot and the Broncos pounce? That’s what we see in the latest mock from PFF, with the Broncos getting Jayden Daniels:

With many quarterback-needy teams potentially looking to move up to secure a signal-caller, Denver could get aggressive here. Daniels has the sound mechanics and touch to attack all levels of the field in Sean Payton’s offense, as well as the out-of-structure ability to take the system to the next level the Broncos had hoped for when acquiring Russell Wilson.

Make sure to check out our latest two-round mock draft from Christian D’Andrea, and also his “all-trades” NFL mock draft with every pick getting traded.