Tag: malcolm roach

Broncos DL Malcolm Roach appealing outrageous fine from NFL

The NFL fined Broncos DL Malcolm Roach $14,069 for a “violent gesture” against the Saints in Week 7. Roach is appealing the fine.

Denver Broncos defensive lineman Malcolm Roach went viral during a Thursday Night Football showdown with the New Orleans Saints in Week 7 after he dropped back in coverage, broke up a pass and celebrated by pretending to strap on a seatbelt.

The NFL mistook that celebration for a gun reference — something the league has been cracking down on — and Roach was fined $14,069 for a “violent gesture.” The lineman is now appealing the fine.

“Roach raised his shirt to show his seatbelt was locked and the NFL thought he was making a gesture of showing a gun,” Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette reported on Monday.

Broncos cornerback Levi Wallace was also fined $7,181 for a hip-drop tackle against the Saints.

Roach ($25,324), safety P.J. Locke ($27,944), defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers ($14,069), safety Brandon Jones ($11,255), outside linebacker Nik Bonitto ($8,791), fullback Mike Burton ($7,653) and center Luke Wattenberg ($5,872) have received fines from the NFL this season.

The money the league receives from fines is “donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support Legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels,” per the NFL.

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OK, the truth is out: Playing Saints ‘meant a lot’ to Sean Payton

“I’m thankful for it,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said after Thursday’s game against the Saints. “It was kind of emotional.”

Leading up to the Denver Broncos‘ game against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football, coach Sean Payton admitted that there would be some emotions when facing his old team, but Payton said he was keeping his focus on just getting another win.

Broncos players downplayed it as “just another game.”

Clearly, that wasn’t true.

After a 33-10 win, Payton received a game ball from Denver’s ownership group and he got emotional while delivering his postgame speech. It was anything but just another game for Payton.

“It meant a lot,” Payton said in his postgame press conference when asked about getting a game ball. “There were a lot of moments here. You get to see a lot of old players that were here and to be with this team and this ownership group. It’s the reason that you miss it. The one year out. You miss relationships and making memories.

“It’s like I told them a couple of weeks ago. [Pat] Surtain’s interception right in front of our bench. There will be a time that I won’t remember his name and I’ll be having apple sauce out of a straw, but I’ll remember that play. That part about being around young people and having a chance to be a part of their journey and coach them is a pretty good job. I’m thankful for it. It was kind of emotional.”

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The players knew what Thursday meant to Payton. They downplayed it leading up to the game, but it was a special night for the coach.

“It was awesome,” quarterback Bo Nix said. “The Saints mean a lot to him. He was there for a while (and) had amazing success. It’s tough to go back to a place where you called home for that long and you fought for, and now you are playing against. It was special. It was a great moment. I’m happy for him.

“I’m happy for everybody that has been a part of that organization for so long. There was a lot of guys that came over with him that we are just (as) happy about (the win). It was a good team win. Everybody contributed. Everybody was on their toes with a short week and came our prepared and ready to roll.”

Broncos tight end Adam Trautman is one of eight former Saints who now play for Payton in Denver.

“It meant a lot,” Trautman said. “It probably couldn’t have gone any better, to be honest. He talked about ‘next game,’ but, obviously everyone knew that it meant a little something to him and we wanted to win it because it is the ‘next game,’ but, we knew how special it was to him. There are 22 guys here from New Orleans. So, just doing it for everyone (was special). Getting to 4-3
was the goal.”

Broncos defensive lineman Malcolm Roach, another ex-Saint, said the game brought back a lot of memories and “meant a lot” for him.

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Payton joined the Saints in 2006, one year after Hurricane Katrina. They immediately made the NFC Championship game in the coach’s first season and won a Super Bowl in his fourth season. Payton’s tenure in New Orleans was about more than just football.

“I think (about) what happened here and I’m going back to 2005 before any of us have arrived,” Payton said. “A lot changed with this city and more than any player and any coach from 2006 and on that it was bigger than football. There were schools and hospitals not opened. There were a lot of things up in the air.

“So you appreciate those people that came when they didn’t necessarily had to. That was a unique time. None of us were prepared for that. We were all anxious and excited about our new job opportunities, but none of us understood what it would mean and how big it would become. That part of it is different and kind of special.”

Because the Broncos and Saints play in separate conferences, they don’t meet often. Their last game before Thursday was back in 2020. After last night’s win, Payton was asked if it was the last time he’ll coach at the Caesars Superdome.

“I don’t think this is the last time that I am ever going to coach in this place,” Payton said, “[but] this was the last team I hadn’t beaten.”

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Everyone loved Malcolm Roach dropping into coverage on ‘TNF’

“I always like to talk trash with the DBs and tell them I’m a real DB at heart,” Malcolm Roach said after the Broncos’ win on ‘TNF.’

In the third quarter of a Thursday Night Football game against the New Orleans Saints in Week 7, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph called a play that had defensive tackle Malcolm Roach drop back into coverage.

Hilariously, it worked.

“Malcolm Roach nearly had an INT in coverage 15 yards down the field LOL,” Zac Stevens of DNVR wrote on social media.

Ryan McFadden of the Denver Post said the play “might be the highlight of the night.”

“I can’t stop laughing at VJ truly going [expletive] it mode and throwing Malcolm Roach into coverage and it worked,” a fan said on Twitter/X. “He really became a defensive madman after the Dolphins massacre.”

Check it out:

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Everyone had similar reactions: “Malcolm Roach in coverage😭.”

Another fan wrote: “MALCOLM ROACH FOR PREZ.”

Everyone loved his celebration:

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Even the Broncos’ official account chimed in with a meme:

“Malcolm Roach cele has me cryin,” one fan wrote. Added another fan: “Bro pulled the strap 😭.”

It looked like a play straight out of a video game.

“Me when I play madden and college football 25 🤣,” a fan commented. “gotten so many picks with linemen.”

Roach was asked about his celebration after the game.

“Yeah, it’s a little joke,” Roach explained. “We’ve been — I always like to talk trash with the DBs and tell them I’m a real DB at heart. So when I got the opportunity and made the play with the PBU, you know I just had to give them something. And I was over there by the sideline.”

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Roach was officially credited with a pass breakup, giving him this stat line in a 33-10 victory: one tackle, one PBU. That’ll do.

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Broncos DL John Franklin-Myers fined $14,069 for poking Raiders player in eye

Broncos DL John Franklin-Myers was fined $14,069 for poking Dylan Parham in the eye in Week 5. JFM says Parham poked him in the eye first.

Denver Broncos defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers was fined $14,069 by the NFL on Saturday after he poked Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Dylan Parham in the eye during last week’s game.

Franklin-Myers claims that Parham poked him in the eye first. If that’s true, the NFL apparently didn’t notice because Parham was not fined. Franklin-Myers plans to appeal hisfine.

Franklin-Myers has totaled 12 tackles (three behind the line of scrimmage) and two sacks through five games with the Broncos this season.

In addition to JFM, fullback Mike Burton ($7,653) and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach ($11,255) were both fined for unnecessary roughness against the Raiders. Burton was fined for a blindside block and Roach was fined for a late hit.

Earlier this season, Denver safety P.J. Locke ($27,944), center Luke Wattenberg ($5,872), safety Brandon Jones ($11,255) and outside linebacker Nik Bonitto ($8,791) also received fines from the NFL.

The money the league receives from fines is “donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation to support Legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels.”

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Broncos roster series: No. 97, DL Malcolm Roach

After posting the best run-stop percentage (17.4%) in the NFL last year (per PFF), Malcolm Roach signed with the Broncos.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at fifth-year defensive lineman Malcolm Roach, No. 97.

Before the Broncos: Roach (6-3, 290 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Texas with the New Orleans Saints in 2020. He dressed for nine games as a rookie, totaling 16 tackles. Roach was healthy for seven games in his second season and he recorded his first career interception that year.

Over the last two seasons, Roach played in 25 games with the Saints, totaling 64 tackles, three quarterback hits, three pass breakups and one sack.

Broncos tenure: Denver signed Roach to a two-year deal this spring. He should provide a boost to the defense after posting the best run-stop percentage (17.4%) in the NFL last year, according to PFF.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Near lock. It would be a big surprise if Roach does not end up on the active roster. He’s not a favorite to start, but Roach should be a key part of the defensive line rotation in 2024.

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Broncos’ run defense will get a boost from two new additions in 2024

The Broncos had the third-worst run defense in the NFL last year. The additions of Malcolm Roach and John Franklin-Myers should change that.

The Denver Broncos allowed an average of 137.1 rushing yards per game to opposing offenses last year, representing the third-worst average in the NFL. At least part of the blame fell on the team’s defensive line, and coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton set out to make changes this spring.

Denver allowed defensive lineman Jonathan Harris to walk during free agency and the team has not re-signed Mike Purcell. To replace them, the Broncos signed Malcolm Roach and then acquired John Franklin-Myers in a trade with the New York Jets.

“Last year with the rush defense, it wasn’t every game, it was just spotty,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said on June 12. “I think having those two guys inside to hold a point for us and to change the L.O.S. [line of scrimmage], that’s important. With our run defense, both guys have a history of doing that. So that should help us tremendously.”

Roach posted the best run-stop percentage (17.4%) in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. Franklin-Myers has totaled 21 tackles behind the line of scrimmage over the last four years.

“[They have been] awesome,” linebacker Alex Singleton said of Roach and Franklin-Myers on June 11. “I’ve known John for a few years now. We trained together a couple of years ago back in southern California. I am excited. The way that they play is fast and physical. They are aggressive dudes. It’s been pretty nice having them in front of me these past couple of weeks.”

Franklin-Myers appears poised to start on the defensive line alongside Zach Allen and D.J. Jones this fall. Roach will likely be used primarily in short-yardage and run-defense scenarios. Roach and Franklin-Myers were key additions to Joseph’s squad and they should help the team’s run defense get back on track this fall.

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Ranking Saints’ toughest offseason departures: No. 5, Malcolm Roach

Losing Malcolm Roach to Sean Payton and the Broncos was a blow to the interior of the Saints defensive line, specifically in disrupting the line of scrimmage:

The New Orleans Saints didn’t lose too much in free agency. As we lead into the season, we’ll look at the five biggest departures in order from least devastating to most devastating. The list begins with Malcolm Roach.

The veteran defensive tackle left New Orleans to rejoin Sean Payton with the Denver Broncos. The writing was on the wall for Roach’s departure late in the 2023 season; his comments on the Saints’ preparation level felt more like a player disappointed in the culture than temporary frustration.

Roach’s departure flies under the radar because he was genuinely depth piece. Roach played a season-high of 50% of the defensive snaps in his last game of the season versus the Detroit Lions.

Don’t allow his snap count to devalue his contributions to the team. Roach heading to Denver means the Saints have lost their best run stopper on the interior. According to Pro Football Focus, Roach’s 17.4% run stop win rate was the best in the NFL. More than just the best in black and gold, Roach was one of the best in the NFL. He was highly disruptive at the line of scrimmage. Even though he missed the last five games with an injury, Roach finished the season with the fifth-most tackles at or behind the line for the Saints (10).

The Saints already struggled defending the run last year; they allowed the 11th-most rushing yards in the league, and now they need to find a path forward without Roach. You could argue he should have been on the field more often. That’s not a choice anymore, and he should be missed.

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Sean Payton pleased with what Malcolm Roach brings to Broncos as a player and teammate

“He’s a really good teammate,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of new defensive lineman Malcolm Roach.

The Denver Broncos signed defensive lineman Malcolm Roach to a two-year, $7 million contract this spring.

Roach (6-3, 290 pounds) played under Broncos coach Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints from 2020-2021. He was the best run-stuffing defensive lineman in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus.

Roach will bring more than just his on-field productivity to Denver. The 24-year-old defensive lineman is also a great addition to the team’s locker room.

“I think he loves playing,” Payton said when asked about Roach last month. “He really does. He’s effective as a player, and it’s kind of contagious. He’s a really good teammate and someone that can play multiple positions. There are certain guys that are ‘glue’ guys in a locker room, and he’s one of those guys.”

Roach entered the league as a college free agent out of Texas in 2020. He had to work hard to reach this point in his career, and Payton appreciates the defensive lineman’s resilience and mentality.

“He had to steal first base,” Payton said. “He was an undrafted free agent. He wasn’t born on third base. He had to make it. He’s a guy that appreciates every day, and his teammates quickly — I talked to a few of the others guy that have been here, and very quickly he acclimated himself. I would say he endears himself to his teammates, and I think that’s a good trait.”

Roach seems poised to serve as a rotational defensive lineman this season behind Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers and D.J. Jones. After struggling against the run last season, Denver’s defensive line should take a step forward this fall after adding Roach to the mix.

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Brandon Jones says it’s ‘really cool’ to reunite with Texas teammates in the NFL

Brandon Jones, P.J. Locke, Caden Sterns, Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Malcolm Roach were teammates at Texas and are now reunited in the NFL.

After the Denver Broncos released veteran safety Justin Simmons to save salary cap space this spring, the team signed Brandon Jones in free agency as a replacement.

In Denver, Jones will reunite with several former Texas Longhorns teammates, including fellow safeties P.J. Locke and Caden Sterns. The 26-year-old safety consulted his former college teammates before signing with the Broncos.

“Throughout the whole process, anybody I had connections with at any team in the league, I was kind of picking their brains and seeing what kind of scheme they run,” Jones said in May. “For sure with those two guys. I got into it with them, just tried to learn the defense to see what the similarities and differences were and that sort of stuff.”

Locke and Sterns aren’t the only former Longhorns reuniting with Jones. Broncos wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach also overlapped with those three defensive backs in 2018.

“We had a little ongoing joke today,” Jones said of having three Longhorns at safety. “Every day it is something new. Mostly Malcolm, he kind of instigates everything. It kind of gives a college-type of vibe with us three, but yes, it’s really cool and super unique.”

Jones and Roach arrived at Texas together in 2016 and played four years together before entering the NFL. Now reunited in Denver, not much has changed.

“Malcolm has honestly been the same since we were freshmen in college,” Jones said. “He definitely has vocal leadership qualities. He’s a guy that keeps everybody and holds everybody accountable. [He] goes 100 miles an hour every time he’s on the field and just really brings that juice.”

With five Longhorns on the team — and four of them together on defense — the Broncos will certainly have a Texas vibe this fall.

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NFL changes injured reserve rule for the end of preseason

The NFL changed its injured reserve rule for the end of preseason. Players won’t be let go and brought back the next day as procedural moves anymore:

The NFL announced multiple new rules changes this week during the owners meetings in Orlando, Fla., and one area of focus off the field of play was the way that injured reserve works to start the regular season.

That’s big news for every team, but especially the New Orleans Saints, who have had to start out players like Trevor Penning and Malcolm Roach on injured reserve after preseason before later activating them.

In the past, players who were injured during training camp or preseason with an opportunity to return had to be rostered on the first day of the regular season; otherwise they were not eligible to be activated once healthy. With this change, teams can have two players on the injured reserve list while making roster cuts down to the final 53 during the preseason. That’s going to keep some players from being released, waived, and later re-signed as procedural moves early in the season.

It could also save room for an extra roster spot in the case of someone that is certain to make the roster gets injured. As an example, in 2022 when Penning got hurt during preseason, the Saints could have kept another player around longer as opposed to saving that spot for him on the Week 1 roster. It’s a good change that is going to give teams more options to keep players who have earned the opportunity while allowing those with injuries time to recover.

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