Tag: pass rusher

NFL hands down opposite verdicts for ex-Broncos Von Miller and Brandon McManus

The NFL will not suspend Brandon McManus after he was accused of sexual assault. Von Miller, meanwhile, has received a four-game suspension.

One day after former Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus avoided a possible suspension, ex-Denver pass rusher Von Miller received a suspension.

The NFL investigated an incident that led to a pair of flight attendants suing McManus, accusing him of sexual assault during a Jacksonville Jaguars flight to London in 2023. The league determined that McManus will not be suspended.

“There was insufficient evidence to support a finding that a violation of the personal conduct policy occurred. As always, if new evidence is presented it would be taken into consideration,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said, via Mark Maske of the Washington Post.

McManus remains a free agent.

One day later, the NFL handed down a four-game suspension to Miller for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. That suspension seemingly resulted in response to Miller being accused of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend in November 2023. Miller’s accuser later said there was no assault.

Miller will be eligible to play for the Buffalo Bills again in Week 9.

Miller and McManus were teammates with the Broncos from 2014-2021, helping the team win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.

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2 Broncos players nominated for Rookie of the Week award

Broncos QB Bo Nix and OLB Dondrea Tillman have been nominated for the Rookie of the Week award. Go vote!

Two Denver Broncos players have been nominated for the Rookie of the Week award following a 26-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (216 passing yards, no turnovers, 47 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown) and outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman (three tackles, two sacks) have been nominated for the award on NFL.com.

Nix secured the first win of his NFL career on Sunday and Tillman became Denver’s first player since at least 1970 to record two sacks in his NFL debut.

Nix and Tillman will face some tough competition in the voting:

  • QB Jayden Daniels: 293 yards, 3 TDs
  • WR Malik Nabers: 78 yards, 2 TDs
  • WR Rome Odunze: 112 yards, 1 TD
  • QB Caleb Williams: 363 yards, 2 TDs

Daniels won the award last week and New York Jets running back Braelon Allen won in Week 1. This is the first time this season the Broncos have had a player nominated for a weekly award.

Fans can vote for Nix and Tillman until Thursday morning on NFL.com.

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From the UFL to NFL, Dondrea Tillman is making the most of his opportunity with Broncos

Dondrea Tillman joined the Broncos after winning three titles with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions. He recorded two sacks in his NFL debut.

Dondrea Tillman has had quite a football journey.

After playing college football at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Tillman spent two years out of football. He then got an opportunity to play in The Spring League in 2021.

The pass rusher’s performance in that league impressed coaches from the Birmingham Stallions, who used a third-round pick to select Tillman in the 2022 USFL draft. Tillman went on to win three straight titles with the Stallions (two in the USFL and one in the UFL this spring).

Tillman dominated spring football and the Denver Broncos signed him following the conclusion of the UFL’s 2024 season. After the Broncos lost Baron Browning to a foot injury, Tillman was promoted to the 53-man roster ahead of the team’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3.

Making his NFL debut on Sunday, Tillman became the first Denver player since at least 1970 to record two sacks in his debut.

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“We weren’t going to just let the other three play 60 snaps or 50 snaps,” coach Sean Payton said of the outside linebacker rotation. “A guy like that was coming up, he’s got to be playing in the kicking game and then getting snaps on defense. I was pleased with his effort.

“He’s strong. I’ve mentioned earlier in the week, we’ve seen a lot from him. I was excited to see him take advantage of the opportunity.”

The Broncos’ defense dominated from start to finish with seven sacks and two takeaways in a 26-7 victory. Tillman finished the day with three total tackles and his two sacks resulted in the loss of 18 yards for Tampa Bay.

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“It feels great,” Tillman said after the game, via the Denver Post‘s Parker Gabriel. “It’s been a lot of time. I’ve been waiting for this. It’s a dream come true. It’s really a blessing.”

After impressing in his first NFL game, the 26-year-old Tillman figures to remain a part of Denver’s pass rush rotation going forward.

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Broncos place Baron Browning on IR, ruling him out at least 4 games

The Broncos have placed OLB Baron Browning on injured reserve, ruling him out for at least four games.

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Baron Browning has been placed on injured reserve, the team announced Saturday. Browning now has to sit out at least four games before becoming eligible to return.

Browning (6-3, 240 pounds) injured his foot against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. He played 12 snaps before leaving the game and did not record any stats. Two weeks ago, Browning totaled five tackles (including one behind the line of scrimmage) against the Seattle Seahawks.

Browning was picked by the Broncos in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Ohio State. He missed three games due to injuries in each of his first two seasons and then missed seven games last fall. Browning had set a goal of playing a full 17-game season ahead of the 2024 campaign, a goal that has now hit a roadblock.

The 25-year-old pass rusher has totaled 112 tackles, 22 quarterback hits, 9.5 sacks and one interception in 40 games (28 starts) in Denver.

Browning started the Broncos’ first two games across from Jonathon Cooper. Denver’s top backup pass rushers are rookie Jonah Elliss and Nik Bonitto. Ellis totaled three tackles and one sack against Pittsburgh.

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Broncos officially sign pass rusher to practice squad

The Broncos officially signed outside linebacker Andrew Farmer to their practice squad on Wednesday.

The Denver Broncos have officially signed outside linebacker Andrew Farmer to their practice squad, the team announced Wednesday.

Farmer (6-4, 250 pounds) visited the team Tuesday and officially signed before Wednesday’s practice. The Broncos have been tracking Farmer for a while now. Denver met with Farmer at the 2023 Hula Bowl and he worked out for the team earlier this month.

After going undrafted out of Lane College last spring, Farmer signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as a college free agent. Splitting time between the practice squad and active roster, Farmer appeared in eight games with the Chargers last season. He totaled three tackles on 60 snaps on defense. Farmer also played 48 snaps on special teams in 2023.

Before landing in Los Angeles, Farmer recorded 114 tackles, 17.5 sacks, five pass breakups and two forced fumbles from 2021-2022 at Lane College. The 24-year-old pass rusher will now get a chance to continue his NFL career in Denver.

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Broncos promote pass rusher Dondrea Tillman to 53-man roster

The Broncos are adding OLB Dondrea Tillman to the 53-man roster. At least one more move is on the way.

The Denver Broncos will promote outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Wednesday, according to a report from KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Denver will need to create a spot for Tillman on the active roster. One way they could do so would be by placing right tackle Mike McGlinchey (MCL) on injured reserve. That would rule McGlinchey out for at least four games (the tackle needs “about a month” to recover).

The Broncos are also adding outside linebacker Andrew Farmer to the practice squad. Denver shoring up its depth at the position might be a sign that pass rusher Baron Browning (foot) is in danger of missing Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tillman (6-4, 270 pounds) dominated in spring football, winning three straight championships with Birmingham Stallions before landing in Denver this offseason. Tillman is 26 years old, but this fall marks his first season in the NFL.

The Tillman and Farmer moves should become official before Wednesday’s practice. A third move is still to be determined, but it will likely involve a player going on IR to free up a roster spot for Tillman.

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Broncos cut pass rusher from injured reserve

The Broncos have waived OLB Ronnie Perkins from injured reserve.

The Denver Broncos have waived pass rusher Ronnie Perkins from injured reserve, via KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Perkins (6-3, 253 pounds) was initially waived by the Broncos with an injury designation in August. After clearing waivers, he reverted to the team’s IR list. Denver has now reached an injury settlement with Perkins and he will be waived from IR to become a free agent.

The NFL’s transaction wire also listed Andrew Farmer as having visited the Broncos on Tuesday. Farmer is set to sign with the team’s practice squad, but that move will not become official until Wednesday.

The fact that Denver is bringing in Farmer to provide depth at outside linebacker might not be a good sign for the status of Baron Browning, who suffered a foot injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. We’ll find out more about Browning’s status following Wednesday’s practice when the Broncos release their first injury report of the week.

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Broncos make first of several roster moves on deck this week

The Broncos are adding Andrew Farmer to their practice squad. More moves are on deck this week.

The Denver Broncos are signing pass rusher Andrew Farmer to their practice squad, KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis first reported on Tuesday. This marks the first of several roster moves on deck for the Broncos this week.

Denver will have to create a spot for Farmer on the practice squad, either by releasing another player or by promoting somebody from the practice squad to the active roster this week.

After losing right tackle Mike McGlinchey for “about a month” to a sprained MCL, the Broncos seem likely to place him on injured reserve. That would rule McGlinchey out for four games and open up a spot on the 53-man roster.

Denver has three offensive linemen on the 17-player practice squad. If they’re going to promote one of them to the active roster, Will Sherman would presumably be the top candidate. Sherman getting called up from the practice squad could create a spot for Farmer.

The potential McGlinchey and Sherman moves are just speculation at this point. Only the Farmer addition has been confirmed thus far. We’ll find out how the Broncos create a spot for Farmer in the next 48 hours.

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Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper posted the NFL’s best pressure rate in Week 1

Broncos OLB rusher Jonathon Cooper generated pressure on 41.2% of his pass rush snaps in Week 1, the best percentage in the NFL.

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper posted the NFL’s best pressure rate (41.2%) in the team’s season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, according to The 33rd Team.

That pressure led to a pair of sacks for Cooper, tied for third-most in the league. The pass rusher would have traded those sacks for a win.

“It’s okay, it’s good,” Cooper said of the sacks after a 26-20 loss in Seattle. “It wasn’t enough because we didn’t win. I feel like the win is what’s most important. Always, always. It doesn’t matter if I have five sacks in the first half. If we don’t get that win, then what’s the point?”

Cooper’s performance in Week 1 did not surprise defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

“I’ve been a fan of ‘Coop’ for years,” Joseph said Thursday. “He’s only improved each year I’ve been here in the last two years. He is a good football player. Versus the run and versus the pass, he wins his one-on-ones. He is the same every day, so I’m not surprised that he was winning one-on-ones.”

This week, Cooper will go up against a Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line that allowed two sacks in Week 1. Cooper will aim to build on his sack total in a winning effort on Sunday.

“The one thing you always see from ‘Coop,’ number one, he’s a downhill straight-line, he’s a physical player,” coach Sean Payton said. “So that becomes a load if you’re a tight end or even if you’re a tackle. You feel a strong presence.

“He’s certainly one of our edge players that we rely on. Not only for pressure in the passing game, but also setting an edge in the run game.”

After leading the team with 8.5 sacks last season, Cooper is well on his way to the first double-digit sack campaign of his career.

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Broncos work out pass rusher, release player from IR with settlement

The Broncos worked out Andrew Farmer on Friday and released Durell Nchami from IR with an injury settlement.

The Denver Broncos had dealings with a pair of pass rushers on Friday.

Denver brought in free agent Andrew Farmer for a workout, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. Farmer (6-4, 250 pounds) met with the Broncos at the Hula Bowl last year but went undrafted out of Lane College in 2023.

Farmer landed with the Los Angeles Chargers last year, initially on their practice squad, and later dressed for eight games. He recorded three tackles in those appearances, playing 60 snaps on defense and 48 snaps on special teams.

In addition to working out Farmer, Denver also reached an injury settlement with pass rusher Durell Nchami, according to KPRC-TV’s Aaron Wilson. Nchami (6-4, 258 pounds) was waived with an injury designation during roster cuts last week. After clearing waivers, he reverted to IR.

Had he remained on IR, Nchami would have been ineligible to play this season. After reaching an injury settlement with the Broncos, Nchami was released and he is now a free agent. Once healthy, it’s possible that Nchami could return to the team later this season.

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