Tag: Eyioma Uwazurike

Prosecutors drop charges against Broncos DL Eyioma Uwazurike

Prosecutors have dropped criminal charges against Eyioma Uwazurike, but the Broncos’ defensive lineman remains suspended by the NFL.

The NFL handed down an indefinite suspension to Denver Broncos defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike last year for breaking the league’s gambling policy.

In addition to the NFL’s suspension, Uwazurike also faced potential legal repercussions. On Friday, the criminal charges were dropped due to the investigation “exceeding [the] scope of permitted use of tracking software,” according to the Denver Gazette‘s Chris Tomasson.

The criminal charges have been dropped, but Uwazurike remains suspended and away from the team. Broncos coach Sean Payton criticized the NFL’s stipulations for suspended players last summer.

“[W]e’re going to send them home for a year, where they can’t be around,” Payton said in an interview with USA TODAY‘s Jarrett Bell last July. “The idea that you just go away — shame on us.”

Uwazurike will be eligible to petition for reinstatement on July 24. There’s no guarantee the NFL will grant a reinstatement, but the criminal charges being dropped could, in theory, make Uwazurike more likely to return in 2024.

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Eyioma Uwazurike gambling details: Everything we know

Eyioma Uwazurike is accused of betting on Broncos games he played in and tampering with records, punishable by up to two years in prison.

Last week, the NFL suspended Denver Broncos defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike indefinitely for breaking the league’s gambling policy.

There has been some confusion about the details of that policy — players can bet on other sports if they’re not at an NFL-related location, causing some misunderstandings — but there were no misunderstandings in Uwazurike’s case. The NFL specifically announced last week that the defensive end was suspended for gambling on NFL games.

While suspended, Uwazurike won’t be allowed to have any contact with the Broncos, a stipulation that has been criticized by Denver coach Sean Payton.

“When they want to kill somebody…when I got suspended, it was, ‘You can’t have no contact with anybody in the NFL,’” Payton said in an interview with USA TODAY last week. “Do we want these young men to still have a chance to learn from their mistakes?”

So what exactly happened with Uwazurike? More details have emerged in recent days. Here is everything we know so far.

Eyioma Uwazurike of the Broncos hit with gambling suspension

Eyioma Uwazurike of the Broncos will be out for the season after being suspended by the NFL for gambling

Another NFL player will pay the price for gambling.

Denver Broncos defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike was suspended on Monday for gambling on games in the 2022 NFL season.

“We were informed by the NFL [on Monday] that Eyioma Uwazurike has been suspended by the league indefinitely for violating its gambling policy,” the Broncos said in a statement. “Our organization fully cooperated with this investigation and takes matters pertaining to the integrity of the game very seriously.”

The length of the ban is indefinite and he is not eligible to apply for reinstatement until July 24, 2024.

In his rookie season, Uwazurike, 25, appeared in eight games, posting 17 tackles with two quarterback hits

10 free agent defensive linemen Broncos should consider signing

The Broncos’ defensive line depth was thin even before Eyioma Uwazurike was suspended. Here’s a quick list of 10 free agents available.

The Denver Broncos’ defensive line depth chart took another hit on Monday.

The league announced that Broncos second-year defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike has been suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games in 2022. Even before losing Uwazurike for at least the 2023 season, Denver’s defensive line depth was already thin.

The Broncos lost both Dre’Mont Jones and DeShawn Williams — their starting defensive ends in 2022 — during free agency this spring. Zach Allen was signed to replace Jones, but the team did not sign a direct replacement for Williams, who started 15 games last season.

With Uwazurike suspended, the team’s remaining defensive linemen are Allen, D.J. Jones, Mike Purcell, Matt Henningsen, Jonathan Harris, Tyler Lancaster, Jordan Jackson, Elijah Garcia, PJ Mustipher and Haggai Ndubuisi.

Purcell will begin training camp this week on the non-football injury list after undergoing surgery this offseason. With Purcell sidelined, Henningsen (a second-year player with no starts on his resume) is currently the team’s No. 3 defensive lineman behind Allen and Jones.

It seems fair to say Denver could use some more depth at the position. Here’s a quick list of 10 free agent defensive linemen the Broncos should consider signing following Uwazurike’s suspension.

Broncos DL Eyioma Uwazurike suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games

The Broncos will be without one of their defensive linemen for at least the 2023 season after he gambled on NFL games.

Denver Broncos defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike has been suspended indefinitely for betting on NFL games, the league announced Monday.

This story will be updated.

Broncos offseason roster: No. 96, DL Eyioma Uwazurike

After limited playing time as a rookie in 2022, Broncos defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike will aim to win a bigger role this summer.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at second-year defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike, No. 96.

Before the Broncos: Uwazurike (6-6, 320 pounds) spent five years at Iowa State, totaling 146 tackles (34.5 behind the line), 15 sacks, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown in 55 games. Coaches voted Uwazurike to the All-Big 12 First-Team in 2021.

Broncos tenure: After a productive tenure with the Cyclones, Uwazurike was selected by Denver in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. He struggled to win playing time as a rookie and was inactive for nine games last fall. In the eight games he did play, Uwazurike totaled 17 tackles, two quarterback hits and one pass breakup.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Following the departure of DeShawn Williams this offseason, Uwazurike is likely a lock to make the team, and he’ll even get an opportunity to compete for a starting spot. Uwazurike seems like a longshot to win a Week 1 starting job, but if he takes a step forward in Year 2, the defensive lineman could be a player to watch for this summer.

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Broncos’ updated defensive line depth chart after the NFL draft

The Broncos could use another veteran defensive end to shore up their defensive line depth chart.

DE NT DE
Zach Allen D.J. Jones Matt Henningsen
Eyioma Uwazurike Mike Purcell Jonathan Harris
Elijah Garcia PJ Mustipher Jordan Jackson
Sione Asi Haggai Ndubuisi

After not selecting any defensive linemen in the NFL draft, the Denver Broncos’ defensive end depth chart has a few question marks as the team prepares for the start of organized team activities this month.

Dre’mont Jones left the club in free agency and the Broncos replaced him with Zach Allen, but Denver does not have an obvious replacement for DeShawn Williams, a 15-game starting last year who also left during free agency this spring.

Unless the Broncos are planning to have D.J. Jones play as a defensive end with Mike Purcell starting at nose tackle, the DE spot across from Allen could be a weak spot going into the 2023 season.

Right now, Henningsen seems to be the favorite for the job given that he played in all 17 games last season (Uwazurike was only active for eight games in 2022). Harris could also be a sleeper option to watch.

Denver might consider signing a veteran defensive lineman before training camp to shore up the team’s d-line depth this summer.

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Grading the Broncos’ 2022 draft class one year later

Do you agree with our early grade for the Broncos’ 2022 draft class?

As the 2023 NFL draft looms on the horizon, Broncos Wire is taking a look back at the Denver Broncos’ 2022 draft class. Who made a difference? Who do the Broncos need to see more from going forward?

Broncos found talent at last year’s East-West Shrine Bowl

The Broncos drafted three players who appeared in last year’s East-West Shrine Bowl.

The East-West Shrine Bowl is not college football’s biggest all-star game, but talent can be found in Las Vegas. Just ask the San Francisco 49ers, who selected quarterback Brock Purdy with the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft after he helped the West defeat the East 25-24 in last year’s Shrine Bowl.

The Denver Broncos also came away from last year’s draft with three players who played in the Shrine Bowl — two defensive linemen and one offensive lineman.

The Broncos used a fourth-round pick to select Iowa State DL Eyioma Uwazurike (East), a fifth-round pick to select Washington OL Luke Wattenberg (West) and a seventh-round pick to select Wisconsin DL Matt Henningsen (East) last April.

The 2021 East-West Shrine Bowl was canceled because of COVID-19, but Denver added five players from the 2020 edition: DL McTelvin Agim, OLB Derrek Tuszka, RB LeVante Bellamy, CB Parnell Motley and OL Darrin Paulo.

The Broncos will now look to find more talent at this year’s all-star game. The East-West Shrine Bowl will be nationally televised at 6:30 p.m. MT on NFL Network on Thursday evening.

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2 Broncos players elevated for Sunday; 1 player fined by NFL

The Broncos promoted OL Quinn Bailey to the 53-man roster and elevated OL Netane Muti and LB Harvey Langi to the game-day roster.

The Denver Broncos made several practice squad moves ahead of Sunday’s showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.

First, the Broncos promoted offensive lineman Quinn Bailey from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Denver then elevated fellow offensive lineman Netane Muti and inside linebacker Harvey Langi to the game-day roster from the practice squad.

Bailey is now on the active roster while Muti and Langi are set to revert back to the practice squad on Monday.

Bailey and Muti can provide more depth on the offensive line this week if guard Dalton Risner (shoulder/back) is not cleared to play. Risner is listed as questionable on the team’s injury report.

Elsewhere on the injury front, the Broncos announced Saturday that defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike has been added to the injury report due to an illness. Uwazurike is now listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs.

Broncos buzz: Denver linebacker Alex Singleton was fined $6,194 for an unnecessary roughness penalty against the Baltimore Ravens, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Singleton totaled 16 tackles in Baltimore.

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