Several former Longhorns sign with the Denver Broncos this offseason

You might as well call them the Denver Longhorns at this point.

Several former Longhorns will be reuniting in Denver soon. Continue reading “Several former Longhorns sign with the Denver Broncos this offseason”

4 takeaways from Chargers’ 16-9 loss to Broncos

Highlighting everything notable from the Chargers’ loss to the Broncos.

The Chargers kept pace with the Giants and Titans in the race for the fifth overall pick on Sunday.

Here’s what to take away from the performance on the field.

Everything to know about Chargers’ loss to Broncos

The Chargers lost their fourth-straight game.

The Chargers lost their fourth-straight game, falling to the Broncos on Sunday 16-9.

To recap the Week 17 game between Los Angeles and Denver, here is everything to know.

Jarrett Stidham, Lil’ Jordan Humphrey combine for 54-yard Broncos TD

The Broncos get a TD pass from Jarrett Stidham and the lead over the Chargers

Russell who?

That’s not fair or right after this week. However, the Denver Broncos are ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers in the second quarter thanks to a TD pass from Jarrett Stidham to Lil’Jordan Humphrey.

The play covered 54 yards and has the the Broncos still thinking postseason possibilities after a chaotic week.

Could Sean Payton resolve the Saints’ wide receiver dilemma?

Could Sean Payton solve the Saints’ wide receiver dilemma? An injury to one of his Broncos starters could spark a reunion with an old favorite:

The New Orleans Saints have a new problem with their wide receiver corps: too many young, promising players and not enough roster spots to go around. Especially with respected veterans like Tre’Quan Smith in the mix. Could Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton step in and solve the dilemma? A last-minute injury to star wideout Jerry Jeudy could prompt Payton into yet another trade with his former team, and someone like Smith could make sense.

Would New Orleans bite? The Saints kept nine receivers in the building last year (six on the roster and three more on the practice squad), and they’re down to ten receivers ahead of roster cuts next week. So someone is getting left out in the cold. But who?

Could it be Shaq Davis? The undrafted rookie out of South Carolina State has rare size and speed, and he’s done well in Marques Colston’s old role as an oversized slot receiver in two preseason games. But he’s on the roster bubble along with experienced pros like Smith, Kawaan Baker, and returns specialist Lynn Bowden Jr.

If the Saints can move one of those receivers and get a draft pick or other compensation back in the process, it’s worth considering. Anyone signed to the practice squad must clear waivers next week first, and it isn’t a sure thing that a youngster like Davis would pass through unscathed.

Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Rashid Shaheed, and A.T. Perry are locks to make the roster. Keith Kirkwood has done enough too and the Saints have given him enough deference with rest days to suggest he’s safe. That leaves just one spot on the 53-man roster. Smith has hung around for years as a blocking specialist with limited receiving upside, with the coaching staff (Payton’s coaching staff in particular) valuing his physicality and hard-nosed style of play, despite modest production with the ball in his hands.

But Smith has an injury of his own. It’s a complicating factor — he hasn’t practiced since Aug. 6 due to a groin muscle issue, missing each of the first two preseason games along the way. He hasn’t been able to compete with guys like Kirkwood and Davis for a roster spot so he’s just getting by on his reputation with the coaches. That might not be enough.

It’s also a complicating factor in potential trade talks with the Broncos. Smith was a player Payton respected highly in New Orleans, but he won’t be able to reunite with Smith if the receiver can’t pass a physical. But between a draft-day trade for tight end Adam Trautman and ongoing speculation linking the kicker-needy Broncos to embattled Saints kicker Wil Lutz, it would make sense for Payton to come calling again, even if it’s not for Smith.

Payton already brought former Saints receivers Marquez Callaway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey with him to Denver. It would make sense for him to look to New Orleans again to help keep his new offense on schedule while Jeudy recovers. If Smith is too injured to pass a physical and process a trade, Kirkwood is another player to watch. He got his start with the Saints, too, and he has a more dynamic athletic profile than Smith, so he could be better suited to picking up Jeudy’s playbook.

Kirkwood has played well enough this summer to make the team, but that means the Broncos would need to make a better offer than they would for a player the Saints may intend on releasing anyway (like Smith). Denver owns a pair of fifth-round selections in 2024 (one of them from the New York Jets) and either of them would be a good return for a receiver who might rank fourth on the Saints’ depth chart when everyone is healthy. If trading Kirkwood to the Broncos opens a spot on the 53-man roster for Davis and helps pad out New Orleans’ future draft picks in the process, well: that view might be worth the climb.

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Former Texas WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey signs with the Denver Broncos

Lil’Jordan Humphrey is a Denver Bronco.

The Denver Broncos have signed wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey to the active roster. Continue reading “Former Texas WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey signs with the Denver Broncos”

Broncos sign ex-Saints WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey

The Broncos have signed former Saints WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey.

The Denver Broncos have added some depth at wide receiver.

The Broncos have signed 24-year-old receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, the team announced Tuesday. Humphrey (6-4, 225 pounds) entered the league as a college free agent out of Texas with the New Orleans Saints in 2019.

Humphrey spent three years with the Saints playing under Sean Payton, who is now the head coach in Denver. Humphrey spent most of his first two seasons on New Orleans’ practice squad before appearing in 10 games in 2021, catching 13 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns that season.

Overall, in three years with the Saints, Humphrey hauled in 18 receptions for 315 yards and three touchdowns in 24 games (eight starts). He then joined the New England Patriots in 2022.

Last year, Humphrey dressed for six games in New England, earning two starts. He caught two passes for 20 yards in those contests.

Humphrey played 17% of the special teams snaps in New Orleans in 2021 and 16% of the special teams snaps in New England last year. He will likely compete for a depth receiver spot on Denver’s roster this summer.

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Broncos sign former Saints wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey

The Broncos signed former Saints wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, reuniting him with his old coach Sean Payton:

Hey, there’s a name we haven’t heard in quite some time. ESPN’s Field Yates reports that Sean Payton is bringing another one of his old New Orleans Saints players with him to the Denver Broncos by signing wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Humphrey has caught just 18 passes for 315 yards in his NFL career, with most of that production coming with the Saints in 2021.

Humphrey started his NFL career as an undrafted free agent out of Texas, initially bouncing between their practice squad and active roster throughout the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The New England Patriots scooped him up in 2022 and he played a bit part as a blocking specialist, but now he gets another shot with the first coach to give him an opportunity in the pros.

He’ll be competing for snaps with Broncos receivers like Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Kendall Hinton, KJ Hamler, Brandon Johnson, Freddie Swain, Montrell Washington, Jalen Virgil, Tim Patrick, and Victor Bolden. Good luck to him.

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Patriots release veteran WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey from practice squad, host LB for workout

The Patriots released Lil’Jordan Humphrey and hosted a free agent linebacker for a workout

The New England Patriots had a busy Tuesday afternoon on the roster front with the team announcing they had released veteran receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey from the practice squad.

Humphrey became a fan-favorite for the team during the preseason, but he was never able to catch on in meaningful games for the Patriots, despite appearing in six regular season games for the team. He had only been targeted four times for 20 yards.

Given his rare size for a receiver, he was typically utilized as an extra blocker. There was even talks of moving him into more of a joker tight end role as well, but things never worked out in the end.

This still may not be the last the Patriots see of Humphrey considering he has been released and signed multiple times.

Along with releasing the 24-year-old receiver, the team also reportedly had linebacker Terez Hall, a former Patriot, in for a workout.

Hall was actually released by the team back in May after failing a physical. So the team is obviously getting back around to him and seeing where his physical conditioning is at these days.

Whether that leads to an actual signing or not remains to be seen.

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Longhorns in the NFL: Lil’Jordan Humphrey waived, Cameron Dicker named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Cameron Dicker filled in for an injured Jake Elliott this week.

A couple of former Longhorns had an eventful week in the NFL. Continue reading “Longhorns in the NFL: Lil’Jordan Humphrey waived, Cameron Dicker named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week”