Devaughn Vele has impressed this summer and he’s making a strong case for a spot on the Broncos’ 53-man roster.
The Denver Broncos are going to have some very tough roster cuts at wide receiver this summer, in part because a seventh-round draft pick is outperforming his draft status.
Devaughn Vele (6-4, 210 pounds) is a 26-year-old rookie who served a two-year LDS mission after high school and then played five seasons of college football as a walk-on at Utah. His age shortens his potential window for a pro career, but Vele’s making the most of his opportunity.
“I never try to let age be an issue or be a thing that kind of messes with my mental [state],” Vele said Wednesday. “I just come out here. Everybody’s here for a reason. Coach [Sean] Payton had faith in me to be out here regardless of my age, so I’m just putting my best foot forward and just trying to contribute where I can.”
Vele put here securing his roster spot some more. Back to back catches during the 1s session with Bo (clip 2 I started late) #BroncosCamppic.twitter.com/rYsGYSwgtK
Vele has looked sharp at training camp, using his big frame to haul in impressive catches. His stats from last week’s preseason opener don’t stand out at first glance — one catch on three targets for eight yards — but the two other targets drew pass interference penalties. Vele is an imposing receiver, and he’s making a strong case to make the 53-man roster.
Really savvy pick route from rookie WR Devaughn Vele to get the wheel route wide open on 3rd down. After an impressive Training Camp Vele certainly looked like he belonged on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/60rR6zhHgu
“He’s smart,” Payton said. “He’s a little older. I would say, you don’t necessarily feel [like he is] a rookie and I say that just respectfully. He’s a little older than most in his class. I like his transition and his body control for someone who’s 6-4.
“Now he’s low-cut and that helps him. Leggy receivers have a little bit more challenge, but he’s a little bit more torso build and that allows him to transition a little bitter. He put some good tape out there and continues to improve.”
Denver only had four receivers on its initial 53-man roster last year. With some much depth at the position, that number will surely jump to at least five in 2024. Right now, Vele appears to be on track to make the squad.
Broncos cornerbacks Art Green (concussion) and Levi Wallace (hamstring) were held out of Thursday’s practice.
The Denver Broncos had two players held out of practice on Thursday. Additionally, one player returned and one player left the session.
Broncos tight end Lucas Krull (toe) returned to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday’s session. Denver receiver Devaughn Vele went into the locker room with training staff during practice. Vele “checked out fine” after practice, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.
Broncos cornerbacks Art Green (concussion) and Levi Wallace (hamstring) were the only active-roster players not in pads on Thursday. After yesterday’s practice, coach Sean Payton indicated Green will sit out this week but will likely return for the team’s preseason finale next week.
“I don’t want to use the word a mild concussion, but the symptom scores are better for him,” Payton said of Green. “There’s a good chance that he won’t go this week and then we feel strongly he’ll be ready to go next week.”
In addition to injured players, the Broncos also held out cornerback Pat Surtain and defensive linemen Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers and Eyioma Uwazurike in their preseason opener. All four should play this week.
“[W]e have a number of guys that didn’t play in the game,” Payton said. “I don’t want to go through them all, but we feel somewhat positive that all of them will be involved this week and getting work against Green Bay.”
Meanwhile, linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) and safety Delarrin Turner-Yell (ACL) remain on the physically unable to perform list.
Broncos injuries: 4 players not practicing
1. DB Delarrin Turner-Yell (ACL; PUP)
2. LB Drew Sanders (Achilles; PUP)
3. CB Levi Wallace (hamstring)
4. CB Art Green (concussion)
Denver will hold a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers on Friday before a preseason showdown on Sunday night. The Broncos’ game against the Packers will be nationally televised on NFL Network.
Here are 10 takeaways following the first week of Broncos training camp.
The Denver Broncos started their ramp-up sessions last Wednesday, but the team did not begin official full-speed training camp practices until last Friday. So based on official practices, today marks the end of the first week of Broncos training camp.
So far there’s been one fight — tight end Nate Adkins and outside linebacker Durell Nchami got into it after a run play on Tuesday.
“It’s a scuffle,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the incident after Tuesday’s practice. “Sometimes it doesn’t bother me. In that case, I think we’ll look at the film. I think one player gets blocked pretty well and frustrated. I don’t want discipline fouls, and we’ve all seen it. We talked a little bit about it afterwards, but the guys are working hard.”
That was perhaps Payton’s diplomatic way of telling Nchami to keep a cool head after getting thoroughly blocked by Adkins. That kind of retaliation on a game day would have led to a 15-yard penalty.
Scuffle aside, what did we learn from the first week of training camp? Here are ten quick takeaways from Denver.
Broncos backup swing tackle/guard Quinn Baileyfractured his ankle at Tuesday’s practice, a brutal injury for the 28-year-old lineman. Bailey was set to serve as the team’s “No. 6 lineman” this season, used in “jumbo” formations and filling in whenever a starting tackle or guard was sidelined. It’s now uncertain if Bailey will be able to return in 2024.
“It’s always tough to see and to be a part of when you’re at a practice,” Payton said of the injury. “It’s one of the bitter realities of our game. He was having a really good camp.”
Elsewhere on the injury front, safety Brandon Jones (hamstring) will be out another week or so, Caden Sterns (knee) is being eased into action and lineman Nick Gargiulo (undisclosed) remains sidelined.
2. Quinn Meinerz’s contract exemplifies Payton’s view of o-line
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Denver rewarded guard Quinn Meinerz with a four-year, $80 million contract extension before kicking off training camp. Giving big-money contracts to offensive linemen is nothing new for Payton.
“I think it is the most important position group on your roster,” Payton said last week when asked about valuing the offensive line. “I think it permeates your building. I believe that and it has served us well everywhere I have been.”
Since he arrived last year, Payton quickly emphasized improving the offensive line. He brought in two new starters through free agency last year and gave Meinerz an extension this year. Garett Bolles is up next (more on that later).
“I think it was really stressed to us a lot last year about how for the most part, the team goes as far as the offensive line,” Meinerz said. “So that kind of shows this offensive system and its success that Sean has had in the past. So we’ve understood since this new staff came that came in that the pressure was going to be put on the offensive line and that in the same breath, the way the games go, it’s on us.
“If we win a game, it’s on us, if we lose a game it’s on us and that’s the kind of mentality that we have. Whether it be in practice, individual period, team periods, one-on-ones, weight room, meetings, we know what’s at stake. We know what the pressure is — but I mean the cliché is that pressure makes diamonds. We’re ready for it.”
3. Pat Surtain and Garett Bolles are now on deck
(Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)
Following the big extension for Meinerz, star cornerback Pat Surtainand left tackle Garett Bolles are now next in line for new contracts.
Payton said “we will keep you posted” when asked about a potential extension for Surtain, and he confirmed that he wants to re-sign the cornerback. PS2, meanwhile, is focusing on his play.
“There’s no specific timeframe right now,” Surtain said when asked if there’s a timeline for a new deal. “I’m going to let my agent handle that and let that process speak for itself. Right now, my ongoing focus is the football field for sure.”
Bolles is in a similar scenario.
“This team counts on me, so any time that we have voluntary or team meetings or whatever it is, I’m going to be the first one there,” Bolles said. “I love this city and I love this organization. I want to play my whole career here. The front office knows that. They know I want to be a Bronco for life.
“My family is here and established here. We love it here. We don’t want to go anywhere else. My job is to just play good football and the ball is in their court. I just have to do my job and the rest will take care of itself.”
4. Javonte Williams lost weight at Payton’s request
“He set me a goal weight and I got to it,” Williams said last week. The running back stopped eating after 7 p.m. and cut out snacks, including Takis, one of his favorites.
“The type of coach Coach Payton is, he’s seen a lot of great running backs come through,” Williams said. “Anything that he says, I’m going to listen to it. Just for him to even care and just to tell me, ‘This is what I want you to be when you come back to have the best chance to do what you have to do.’ That by itself just showed me that he cared, and if he put that much effort into it, I will too.”
Payton has praised Williams this summer, saying early in camp that the fourth-year running back has looked “real sharp.”
Some fans and pundits speculated this offseason that Williams might have a reduced role in 2024. The team’s backfield rotation, however, suggests that Williams will remain the RB1. The other spots are still up for grabs.
Denver drafted Audric Estime and then signed Blake Watson as a college free agent this spring, adding them to a backfield that already included Williams, Samaje Perine, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie.
“I think we have good competition there,” Payton said. “We have good skill sets and guys that can do different things there. Historically speaking for me, I’ve always believed that that depth is important because there’s a lot of wear and tear in 17 weeks to play with just one runner. It’s good to have him out there.”
It seems fair to assume the Broncos will carry four running backs on the 53-man roster. If they don’t believe Watson can sneak down to the practice squad, Perine could end up being a cap casualty.
“It’s going to be real intense and that’s the way you should want it to be,” Williams said of the RB competition. “No days off, like it says right here, ‘Compete Street,’ and every day we’re coming in and competition [should] be excellent. We’re all just going to get better from it.”
6. Courtland Sutton’s glad to be back with a revised deal
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton skipped the voluntary portion of the team’s offseason program in protest of his contract situation. Sutton reported for all of the mandatory sessions and Denver agreed to revise his contract one day before official training camp practices started last week.
Sutton can now earn an additional $1.5 million through new incentives in 2024 and he’s glad to have the negotiations behind him.
“It was nice,” Sutton said of the incentives being added. “I think it was made pretty clear that this is home for me, and this is where I wanted to be. I’m grateful that we were able to come to some form of an agreement to be able to help both of us move forward.”
With his contract situation sorted out, Sutton is now “like a kid in a candy store” at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit.
“It’s been amazing,” Sutton said. “I think the last time I talked to you guys, I told you that it was killing me not being out on the field with the guys. I’ve just been out here enjoying it like a kid in a candy store. Every little thing is a big thing, and just enjoying it.
“From the individuals [drills], to stretching with the guys, to route on air, being able to finally run plays against the defense, being in the huddle and hearing plays. All of those different things have been such a blessing to be able to do. [I’m] just enjoying each step of the way. It’s been a lot of fun.”
7. Sean Payton likes to have big wide receivers
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Broncos have 12 wide receivers on the 90-man offseason roster. Of those receivers, all but three are at least 6-1. Seven are 6-3 or taller. That’s not a coincidence — it’s a Payton preference.
“That position group is going to be interesting as you guys look at it, try to put it together and piece together,” Payton said of the WR room. “It’s a big group, size wise. First year I ever coached in the NFL in 1997 in Philadelphia, we played the 49ers.
“I want to say it’s ’97 — could have been ’98. It was at the old Veteran’s Stadium, and I remember when the Niners’ receivers walked out, it was Jerry Rice, and John Taylor and it was [J.J.] Stokes. I couldn’t get over how they looked. There is a prototype. That doesn’t mean that they can’t be smaller — then they have a different skill set — but in this league, that’s what we’re looking for. This is a big group.”
Courtland Sutton is 6-4, as are Tim Patrick and Lil’Jordan Humphrey. The tallest receiver on the roster is Devaughn Vele (6-5), and Payton’s appreciation of height is something to keep in mind when predicting Denver’s final WR depth chart.
8. Levi Wallace could be a sleeper at cornerback
(Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
In an ideal world, one of Riley Moss or Damarri Mathis will step up this summer and emerge as the team’s No. 2 cornerback across from Pat Surtain. That’s the preferred scenario. But a veteran like Levi Wallace stepping in as a short-term solution might be a more likely scenario.
“We have a good smart veteran player who has played in a lot of games,” Payton said of Wallace. “With the amount of multiple receiver sets we get, there’s that level of expertise and experience he brings. [He is] steady. I think he brings something to the room as well. I think quietly, he’s been a real good addition for us.”
Wallace has also drawn praise from Surtain, which is notable.
“It’s great,” PS2 said. “Another ‘Bama’ boy, so that’s great for sure. Levi, he’s provided a great presence to our secondary room. His experience — I think this is Year [7] for him. Going into it, he knows a lot about the game, a lot about Xs and Os. It helps a lot because when you have a veteran presence in the defensive back room it helps your game for sure.”
9. The center competition might be Luke Wattenberg’s to lose
(Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)
Luke Wattenberg handled the first-team center duties through the first few days of practice before Alex Forsyth eventually joined the rotation. Forsyth has also been getting some looks at guard, a position Wattenberg has also played in the past. That versatility will serve both players well. Whoever does not end up starting at center can serve as a backup swing guard/center. That might leave center Sam Mustipher as the odd man out.
“He’s smart,” Payton said when asked about Wattenberg. “I think he’s got good versatility. There are traits that you look forward to in a center. You look for guys that obviously are strong inside handling the pash rush. Then it’s how are they at the second level? Often times, that player is able to combo and get up to a linebacker—can they finish? So he’s someone that’s pretty athletic and has a really good ability to get to his second-level blocks.”
10. Quarterback competition seems to have two contenders
Bo Nix Looks Very Accurate at Broncos Training Camp with Deep Ball to Michael Bandy pic.twitter.com/nDl3k6QK1W
It’s no surprise, really, but Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nixseem to be pulling ahead of Zach Wilson in the quarterback battle.
Stidham already has a year of experience in Payton’s offense, which gives him an obvious advantage in the competition. It’s no surprise, then, that many pundits believe Stidham is the best QB1 option at this very moment.
That could change over the next few weeks, though, especially if Nix continues to impress.
Bo Nix is DEALING…just hit Reynolds for a 15 yard gain on a freaking rope over the out stretched hands of Ja’Quan McMillian along the left sideline. What a DIME@KOAColorado#Broncos
The competition will ultimately be decided during preseason. It would be a big upset for Wilson to bounce back and win the job. Whoever looks the best between Stidham and Nix this summer will line up under center when the Broncos go on the road to face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.
First things first, Denver will have three preseason games in August, starting with a road game against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 11. This is just a hunch, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Stidham start the first preseason game and Nix start the second. Perhaps the Broncos could then decide on a starter around the third week of preseason.
That’s just a guess, though. Payton hasn’t revealed his timeline for naming a starter. It’s obviously the story at training camp, and one we’ll continue to follow on Broncos Wire.
Broncos rookie Devaughn Vele took an unconventional route to the NFL.
Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele, No. 81.
Before the Broncos: Vele took an unconventional route before beginning his college football career at the University of Utah. After high school, Vele served a two-year mission for the LDS Church in Samoa before walking on as a wide receiver with the Utes. All his hard work paid off: Vele spent 2019-23 with Utah, catching 123 passes for 1,689 yards and nine touchdowns in 47 games.
Broncos tenure: Vele (6-4, 205 pounds) was selected by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL draft (235th overall) and he recently signed a four-year contract. He’s entering the league as a 26-year-old rookie.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Toss up. Vele joins former Pac-12 rivals and fellow rookies Bo Nix and Troy Franklin (both formerly of the University of Oregon) on the Broncos’ roster for training camp. Vele’s height and jump-ball abilities may be a huge compliment to veteran receiver Courtland Sutton, but Denver has a crowded WR room. If he doesn’t end up on the active roster, Vele would be a top candidate for the practice squad.
Broncos rookie Devaughn Vele will aim to impress this summer in a crowded WR room. Here are his highlights from college.
With their second-to-last pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos selected wide receiver Devaughn Vele in the seventh round.
Vele (6-4, 210 pounds) played college football at Utah, drawing comparisons to Broncos receiver Tim Patrick.
“I’ve heard things even while at Utah,” Vele said of the comparisons to his new teammate. “[He’s] a great player, and I try to model my game after all of the greats. It’s good to have someone that I can look up to and get under his wing.”
Broncos coach Sean Payton has praised Vele for his steady hands and ability to bring down contested catches. The rookie will have positional flexibility in Patyon’s offense.
“We have visions relative to when we see him as a guy who can play big outside [at] ‘X,’ and then come in in the slot,” Payton said.
Check out highlights from Vele’s time at Utah below:
Competing in a crowded WR room, Vele won’t be a lock to make the active roster this summer, but he should be able to make the practice squad. The rookie receiver is set to report for training camp on July 17.
Similar to Tim Patrick, new Broncos receiver Devaughn Vele is known for making congested catches in traffic.
During rookie minicamp earlier this offseason, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton described Devaughn Vele as a “big outside X” wide receiver who can also play in the slot.
After being picked by the Broncos in the seventh round of the draft, Vele will face an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, but he has the size (6-4, 210 pounds) and talent to turn heads this summer.
“[T]here are certain players that we talk about that we know are high-traffic players,” Payton said in May. “Those are like forwards in basketball. They’re going to be in, and there are certain players that are going to be speed outside. So when we look at congested catches in traffic, yards after catch, there are certain types of players who are going to play in the game.
“He’s that player that’s proven at the college level [that] he’s comfortable inside these numbers. Not to say he can’t play outside the numbers. We like to say a good comp, but there are some traits you see from him that I think Tim Patrick has. When you look at their size and where they can align — and I’m just talking about traits. He has good instincts, and he has really, really good ball skills. In these two practices, he’s looked better than I even thought for a guy his height.”
Vele, much like Patrick, has a knack for making contested catches in traffic.
“It’s just a lot of practice, a lot of repetition and a lot of extra work,” Vele said when asked about winning jump ball situations. “Putting in that extra work can help you get comfortable in game situations.”
Competing in a crowded wide receiver room, Vele will have to stand out to make the active roster in 2024. If he doesn’t end up making the final 53, the rookie will undoubtedly be a top candidate for the practice squad.
It’s not just the jersey number — Devaughn Vele has a similar size and traits as Tim Patrick, including reliable hands.
Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick quietly changed his jersey number from No. 81 to No. 12 last season. No. 81 is now worn by rookie Devaughn Vele, and some fans might not immediately notice it’s a different player wearing the number when training camp begins later this summer.
Vele (6-4, 210 pounds) is a similar size and profile to Patrick (6-4, 212 pounds), and he also played college football at Utah. Patrick went undrafted 2017. Vele was a seventh-round pick in 2024.
The rookie was asked about being compared to Patrick during rookie minicamp last month.
“I’ve heard things even while at Utah,” Vele said on May 11. “[He’s] a great player, and I try to model my game after all of the greats. It’s good to have someone that I can look up to and get under his wing.”
Even Broncos coach Sean Payton has made the comparison.
“We like to say a good comp, but there are some traits you see from him that I think Tim Patrick has,” Payton said. “When you look at their size and where they can align — and I’m just talking about traits. He has good instincts, and he has really, really good ball skills.”
In his final two seasons with the Utes, Vele hauled in 98 receptions for 1,288 yards and eight touchdowns. Denver has a crowded wide receiver room, so it might be tough for Vele to make the active roster as a rookie, but he’ll get a chance to compete for a spot this summer.
Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele was among the first to sign his rookie deal.
The Denver Broncos have signed former University of Utah wide receiver Devaughn Vele to his initial four-year contract, according to 9New’s Mike Klis.
The Broncos selected Vele in the seventh round (235th overall) in the draft.
Vele’s contract is projected to be $4.124 million on his four-year pact, with a $104,480 signing bonus, according to the Denver’ Post’s Parker Gabriel. The 6-4 Vele is projected to be a backup pass-catcher, who may fight for time along the front lines of Sean Payton’s passing attack. Vele looks to help fill the void that was left by wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, who was traded in the offseason to the Cleveland Browns.
Vele is among the first batch of Broncos’ draftees to sign their rookie contract. Fellow seventh-round pick Nick Garguilo and fifth-round pick Audric Estime also signed their respective four-year contracts on Wednesday.
The contracts are set to become official when rookie minicamp starts on Friday, May 10.
“If you can play, at the end of the day, does it matter how old you are?” asked new Broncos WR Devaughn Vele, a 26-year-old rookie.
Devaughn Vele isn’t a typical rookie.
The Denver Broncos’ seventh-round draft pick is already 26 years old and he’ll turn 27 during his first season in the league. Vele served a two-year mission in Samoa right after high school. After that, he walked on at Utah in 2019.
After a redshirt freshman season, his 2020 season was shorted by COVID-19, giving him another year of eligibility. He went on to total 121 receptions for 1,677 yards and nine touchdowns over the next three seasons in 38 games.
Despite his size (6-4, 203 pounds) and speed (4.47), Vele was considered a late-round prospect in large part due to his age.
“I knew that the biggest concern coming into the draft was going to be my age,” Vele said after being picked by the Broncos last Saturday. “I am a little bit older because I served a two-year mission. At the end of the day, the NFL is a business. It is going to be based on your production, so if you can play at the end of the day, does it matter how old you are?
“As long as you can contribute to the team and help them win, you are going to be able to see the field. I understood that was going to be the thing going into the draft. Any team that took a chance on me despite my age, I was going to be grateful to them. I am going to give them 110 percent.”
With veteran Tim Patrick scheduled to become a free agent next year, Vele might be a candidate to eventually fill his role on offense.
“He is a guy that is an older player with experience,” coach Sean Payton said. “He is kind of a big slot. His comparison might be a Tim Patrick-type player. He is strong and smart.”
There are obvious disadvantages to entering the NFL as a 26-year-old rookie, the biggest being a shorter window for a career. Vele’s experience could prove to be beneficial, though, and there are positive aspects for the team.
“I feel like I have that sense of maturity where teams won’t have to worry about me [with] on- or off-the-field issues,” Vele said of his maturity. “Those are experiences that I learned from the mission. I feel like that is going to help me have that sense of maturity to be coachable and also be humble in the standings of wherever they need me to contribute for the team. That is what I am going to do.”
If he was two or three years younger, Vele might have gone off the board a few rounds earlier. The Broncos were happy to land him in the seventh.
“If they were younger, they would have gone higher,” GM George Paton said of older draft prospects. “You just look at the value. He is ready-made, Vele in particular. He was just too talented to pass up.
“We had a clear vision for him fitting in with what we are doing. Twenty-six is still young, relatively speaking. He plays a mature game. He has all the traits. He is a prototype. He is big and fast. For a big guy, he can get in and out of his breaks. We just thought he was too talented to pass up.”
Vele will now team up with former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, who was picked by Denver in the first round of the draft last Thursday.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Vele said of joining Nix in the NFL after competing against him in college. “He’s a great quarterback. He kicked our butts at Rice-Eccles Stadium. I know the kind of energy he brings and the leadership he brings. I’m excited to work with him and catch some balls from him.”
Nix and Vele will report for rookie minicamp next week.
The Denver Broncos add another big receiving target in Devaughn Vele.
The Denver Broncos have selected Utah wide receiver Devaughn Vele with the 235th pick in the NFL draft. The Broncos received this pick from the Seattle Seahawks in a pick swap earlier in the day.
Vele (6-4, 203 pounds) put together an impressive NFL combine performance, when he ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, with a 36-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-6 inch broad jump.
Vele played in 47 games at Utah, starting 28 games. He had at least one catch in 35 of his 47 career games as a Ute.
In 2022, Vele was a Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention after he ranked second in team receptions (55) and receiving yards (695).
In 2023, Vele put in a team-leading 43 receptions for 593 yards and three touchdowns.
Vele joins fellow Utes (and Broncos third-round pick) Jonah Elliss and 2017 first-round draft pick Garett Bolles on the Broncos. He’ll join a wide receiver room that now includes Day 3 draft pick University of Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin.
