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Large receiver Brandon Johnson, one of many final gamers remaining within the locker room Sunday after the Denver Broncos‘ preseason finale win over the Arizona Cardinals, confronted a largely empty room, his matter-of-fact expression cloaking no matter nerves he had about what the near-future may maintain.
“It may be traumatic, however it’s what you make of it,” Johnson mentioned. “… No matter’s going to occur goes to occur.”
Johnson knew how issues might play out at large receiver and working again when it was time to cut back the Broncos’ roster from 91 gamers to 53 by Tuesday’s deadline. It wasn’t precisely a coded, encrypted message.
Broncos coach Sean Payton had issued warning after warning, mainly from Memorial Day on, that the group’s selections at these positions had been going to be “very, very tough.” They usually had been, with a number of acquainted names caught within the jetwash of Payton’s makeover heading into his second season in Denver.
When the mud of the selections had cleared, 4 of the 9 large receivers and working backs had been rookies — with two others coming into their second season — set to play alongside one other rookie in quarterback Bo Nix.
“Sean has mentioned it numerous occasions, we’re younger and hungry, and that was earlier than the cuts,” basic supervisor George Paton mentioned earlier this week.
Large receiver Tim Patrick, who missed back-to-back seasons with accidents and was one of many group’s most necessary veteran voices, was launched to finish a Broncos profession that began in 2018. Additionally launched had been fellow receivers Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who performed 40% of the group’s offensive snaps final season, and Johnson, who completed second on the group in landing receptions in 2023.
“On behalf of everybody within the group, I simply can’t say sufficient nice issues about the kind of participant, the individual, Tim Patrick whereas he has been a Bronco for the previous seven seasons,” Paton mentioned. “… They’ve all produced at completely different occasions in camp and the offseason, we thought one by 12 [at receiver] might play in a recreation, so how do you get down to 5? … it is laborious.”
Working again Samaje Perine, who was usually the Broncos’ again of alternative within the two-minute drill due to his means to move defend and catch passes out of the backfield, was additionally let go. League sources mentioned Monday the Broncos had tried to commerce each Patrick and Perine earlier than the cut-down deadline — that they had received some interest in Patrick, particularly — however could not discover a commerce accomplice for both.
The 2 place teams additionally serve a window right into a concerted effort by the Broncos to get youthful at most positions. Whereas the defensive position added veterans equivalent to John Franklin-Myers (commerce with the Jets) and Malcolm Roach (free company), youth dictated a lot of Denver’s roster selections, particularly on the ability positions.
The Broncos used two picks on this previous April’s draft on large receivers: Troy Franklin within the fourth spherical and Devaughn Vele within the seventh. Each gamers made the roster, with Vele forcing his approach on after a very sturdy coaching camp. Because the Broncos solely saved 5 receivers on the minimize to 53, there have been solely three spots out there to veterans.
These spots had been spoken for fairly early, because the Broncos signed Josh Reynolds in free company so as to add to main receiver Courtland Sutton and second-year man Marvin Mims Jr., who made the Professional Bowl as a returner final season.
“It is laborious, they’ve all bought their completely different skillset, and I do know we might wish to maintain greater than we’re going to have the ability to maintain,” mentioned offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi final week. “… You turn into connected to a few of these guys. You see how laborious they’re working and that they are taking part in effectively. They are saying it is a good downside to have, but it surely’s nonetheless an issue determining who you are going to maintain.”
The Broncos saved 4 working backs — Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime and Blake Watson. Perine, who performed 360 snaps on offense final season for the Broncos (36% of the group’s whole), discovered himself out after the Broncos selected two rookies in Estime and the undrafted Watson. Estime, a fifth-round decide whom Payton has mentioned was the Broncos’ most extremely rated after-contact runner on the draft board, is on monitor to get loads of work if the Broncos are as productive working the ball as Payton desires them to be.
Because the offseason program opened in April, Payton has mentioned he anticipated to have a younger group when the Broncos exited the preseason. And with the regular-season opener on the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 8 the following merchandise on the docket, the Broncos will enter with a youthful wave of skill-position expertise.
“We’re simply attempting to place collectively our greatest 53 and win, no matter youth,” Paton mentioned. “… However we do not thoughts younger gamers, that is for positive.”
