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Troy Franklin Troy Franklin Looking good this spring
Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 12:47 PM
Broncos coach Sean Payton said Thursday that Franklin had a good spring, looking "extremely explosive" and "about five pounds heavier," Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.
Analysis: Franklin had 2,274 receiving yards and 23 TDs over his final two seasons at Oregon, but he fell to the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft after checking in at just 172 pounds at the combine -- an unheard of weight for a 6-foot-2 wide receiver in the NFL. He's still among the thinnest players at his position, and coming off a low-impact rookie year with 263 yards on 53 targets, but Franklin may nonetheless be part of the competition this summer for Denver's Nos. 2 and 3 WR spots behind top target Courtland Sutton. The competition includes Marvin Mims, Devaughn Vele and rookie third-round pick Pat Bryant. |
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RJ Harvey RJ Harvey Joined by Dobbins
Tue, Jun 10, 2025, 3:21 PM
Harvey has new backfield competition with the Broncos having agreed to terms with J.K. Dobbins on a one-year, $5.25 million contract Tuesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Harvey is now joined by a far more proven backfield mate than incumbents Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin, with Dobbins having racked up 1,058 scrimmage yards and nine total touchdowns across 13 regular-season appearances with the Chargers in 2024, a tremendous rebound after three consecutive injury-riddled years in Baltimore. While Dobbins' impressive comeback year shouldn't be discounted, he did miss four games due to an MCL sprain and fade somewhat down the stretch. Dobbins' average of 4.6 YPC on the season was heavily buoyed by a strong start, as from Week 3 on he hovered at just 3.8 YPC. Harvey's impressive athleticism, 4.40 speed and second-round draft capital still provide him a path to the significant role early in his career, and coach Sean Payton's offenses have a history of supporting two high-end fantasy running backs at a time, but the arrival of Dobbins increases the difficulty of projecting the rookie to immediately emerge as a workhorse. |
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J.K. Dobbins J.K. Dobbins Signing one-year deal with Broncos
Tue, Jun 10, 2025, 2:48 PM
Dobbins agreed to terms Tuesday on a one-year, $5.25 million contract with Denver, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Dobbins racked up a career-high 1,058 scrimmage yards and nine total touchdowns across 13 regular-season appearances with the Chargers in 2024, and he now joins rookie RJ Harvey atop the depth chart of the Broncos' revamped backfield. An MCL sprain forced Dobbins to miss four games during his one-year stint with Los Angeles, but after missing 2021 due to a multi-ligament knee injury, having the same issue linger into 2022 and require surgery, and then suffering a torn Achilles' tendon Week 1 of 2023, for Dobbins to average 4.6 YPC and play 13 games represents one of the most remarkable comeback seasons in recent memory. Both Dobbins and Harvey project as valuable fantasy contributors in coach Sean Payton's offense, which averaged the 10th most points per game (25.0) in the NFL last season and could make a sizeable leap with Bo Nix entering Year 2. |
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Evan Engram Evan Engram Building momentum with new team
Fri, Jun 6, 2025, 9:48 AM
Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Thursday that Engram (shoulder), who has been an active participant at OTAs, has shown "real good instincts" at practice, Aric DiLalla of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Engram said Thursday he feels "the potential is through the roof" for second-year quarterback Bo Nix, per DiLalla, and the veteran tight end projects to be a significant part of the young signal-caller's Year 2 development. Now fully recovered from the hamstring and labrum injuries that limited him to nine regular-season appearances with Jacksonville in 2024, Engram is entrenched as Denver's top tight end above Adam Trautman, and he's staring down a seemingly straightforward path to emerging as the No. 2 option in the passing game behind top wideout Courtland Sutton. Marvin Mims, Devaughn Vele and Troy Franklin project as complementary options and are joined by rookie third-rounder Pat Bryant, but Engram is clearly the Broncos' most proficient target outlet for short passes, even if his prime is in the past as he enters his age-31 season. Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports that Engram's usage at OTAs suggests a key role in the passing game. |
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Cole Fotheringham Cole Fotheringham Reverts to injured reserve
Wed, Jun 4, 2025, 9:42 PM
Fotheringham (undisclosed) reverted to the Broncos' injured reserve list Wednesday.
Analysis: Fotheringham was waived/injured by Denver on Tuesday and will spend the 2025 season on injured reserve unless he's cut with an injury settlement at a later date. |
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Audric Estime Audric Estime Workload could increase Year 2
Fri, May 30, 2025, 11:35 AM
Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Thursday that Estime is a "back that requires enough touches" and "just didn't have enough as a rookie," but is "going to get those opportunities" during the 2025 season, Mike Klis of 9News Denver reports.
Analysis: Estime and fellow incumbent Jaleel McLaughlin opened OTAs taking the majority of first-team running back reps, but courtesy of his second-round draft capital, it shouldn't take long for rookie RJ Harvey to climb the depth chart. A 2024 fifth-round pick, Estime racked up 76 carries for 310 yards and two touchdowns across 14 regular-season games as a rookie, while securing all five of his targets for 27 yards and fumbling twice (one lost). He was also a healthy scratch for the team's wild-card round playoff loss to the Bills. Harvey's addition to the backfield figures to more than account for the touches vacated by Javonte Williams' departure for Dallas in free agency, but Payton appears to still envision a clear role for Estime, even acknowledging that his bruising rushing style requires ample opportunities to wear down opposing defenses. At 5-foot-11, 227-pounds, Estime could operate as a 'thunder' complement to the 5-foot-8, 205-pound Harvey's 'lightning,' though the latter tailback demonstrated an ability to withstand a workhorse role during his time at UCF. |
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Cole Fotheringham Cole Fotheringham Heading to Denver
Mon, May 12, 2025, 7:37 PM
Fotheringham signed with the Broncos on Monday, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports.
Analysis: The tight end spent time on the Raiders' and Texans' practice squads in 2024, but he did not get elevated for any regular-season games. His only NFL experience to date came in 2023 with the Raiders, when he appeared in two games and caught one pass for six yards. Fotheringham faces a crowded field of players competing for roster spots in Denver's tight end group, including free-agent signing Evan Engram, 2024 contributors Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull and Nate Adkins, and 2025 seventh-round pick Caleb Lohner. |
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Jaleel McLaughlin Jaleel McLaughlin Facing competition from Harvey
Mon, Apr 28, 2025, 11:47 AM
McLaughlin has new competition for snaps after Denver used the 60th overall pick on RB RJ Harvey in the 2025 Draft.
Analysis: The addition of competition was a matter of when, not if, after the Broncos lost Javonte Williams (Cowboys) from a backfield that was among the league's worst in 2024. McLaughlin caught on with the team as an undrafted rookie in 2023 and has proven elusive while averaging 4.8 YPC on 189 career rush attempts, but there's no real precedent for mainstream fantasy value from a running back his size (5-foot-7, 187 pounds) who isn't an asset in the passing game. McLaughlin has scored four of his six TDs on receptions, but with a meager average of 4.3 yards on 55 catches. He'll hope to be part of a committee again in 2025, with some risk of falling out of the picture in the event Harvey (5-foot-8, 205 pounds with 4.4 speed) proves himself a capable workhorse. |
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Lucas Krull Lucas Krull Back with Denver
Mon, Apr 7, 2025, 4:16 PM
Krull re-signed with the Broncos on Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Analysis: Krull -- who entered the offseason as an exclusive-rights free agent -- was tendered a contract by the Broncos last month. Now that he's officially been re-signed, he'll reprise his depth role in a Denver tight end corps that now will be led by newcomer Evan Engram, with Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins also in the mix. In 13 regular-season contests with the Broncos in 2024, Krull posted a 19-152-0 line on 23 targets. |
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Sam Ehlinger Sam Ehlinger Gets one-year deal with Denver
Wed, Apr 2, 2025, 12:13 PM
The Broncos signed Ehlinger to a one-year contract Wednesday, Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post reports.
Analysis: Ehlinger, who spent the first four years of his NFL career in Indianapolis, didn't see action in a single game in 2024, though he did operate as the team's emergency third quarterback on multiple occasions. He'll now compete to carve out a reserve role behind Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham in Denver. |
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Michael Burton Michael Burton Re-ups with Denver
Thu, Mar 27, 2025, 11:59 AM
The Broncos re-signed Burton on Wednesday, Aric DiLalla of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Burton suited up for all 17 regular-season games with Denver in 2024, mostly working in a special-teams role while contributing occasionally as a blocker on offense. He totaled seven carries for eight yards and a touchdown on the year, while also securing all 10 of his targets for 65 yards and an additional score. He'll spend the offseason competing to again secure the team's top fullback spot. |
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Evan Engram Evan Engram Catches on with Denver
Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 3:18 PM
Engram (shoulder) agreed to a two-year contract with the Broncos on Wednesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: The Jaguars released Engram in early March, about 11 weeks after he had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He may not practice this spring but should be ready by Week 1, at which point he'll be 31 years old and taking over as the top pass-catching tight end in an offense that sent just 13.1 percent of its targets to the position in 2024, the second-lowest rate in the league. That number will rise considerably if Engram stays relatively healthy, although he's unlikely to match his per-game volume from the past two seasons in Jacksonville, when injuries to Christian Kirk and other wideouts forced extra targets in the tight end's direction. |
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Trent Sherfield Trent Sherfield Headed to Denver
Tue, Mar 11, 2025, 7:16 PM
Sherfield is slated to sign a two-year contract with the Broncos, per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports.
Analysis: Sherfield is headed to Denver after having caught just eight passes for 83 yards and one touchdown with the Vikings during the 2024 campaign. He could have the chance to compete for one of the top receiver spots opposite Courtland Sutton and can add value on special teams as well. |
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Jarrett Stidham Jarrett Stidham Staying in Denver
Sun, Mar 9, 2025, 6:27 PM
Stidham and the Broncos agreed on a two-year, $12 million contract Sunday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Stidham will stick around Denver after spending the last two seasons with the team, most recently operating as the top backup option behind Bo Nix in 2024. The 28-year-old did not attempt a pass this past season and he'll likely remain the No. 2 option again in 2025. |
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Lucas Krull Lucas Krull Tendered by Denver
Tue, Mar 4, 2025, 11:06 PM
Krull was tendered by the Broncos on Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Analysis: Krull entered the offseason as an exclusive-rights free agent and he will now stick around Denver for a third season in 2025, earning $1.03 million. The tight end caught 19 of 23 targets for 152 yards in 2024 and he'll look to carve out a greater role for himself next season. |
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Bo Nix Bo Nix Healthy after offseason surgery
Tue, Feb 25, 2025, 2:38 PM
Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Tuesday at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine that Nix has already resumed working out at team facilities without limitations after having undergone a procedure earlier this offseason, Troy Renck of Denver 7 News reports.
Analysis: Nix's offseason surgery was unrelated to the back injury he dealt with during the 2024 season, Zac Stevens of TheDNVR.com reports. As a rookie, the 2024 first-round pick impressed, completing 376 of 567 pass attempts (66 percent) for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, while rushing 92 times for 430 yards and four touchdowns. Nix's impressive production on the ground helped bolster him into high-production territory for fantasy purposes, setting the stage for a potential step forward Year 2 as he grows more adept at commanding Payton's offense. The minor procedure Nix underwent after Denver's season ended caused him to miss the Pro Bowl, but he's already resumed working out without limitations and seems fully on track for the start of OTAs. |
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Adam Trautman Adam Trautman Has quiet season
Mon, Feb 17, 2025, 1:12 PM
Trautman finished 2024 with 13 receptions (on 22 targets) for 188 yards and two touchdowns in 17 regular-season games.
Analysis: Trautman's 13 grabs this season marked a career low for the Dayton product, while his 22 targets, 188 yards and two touchdowns were his lowest totals since arriving in Denver. Despite being the Broncos' No. 1 tight end, the 27-year-old spent most of the season in a timeshare with Lucas Krull and Nate Adkins. Trautman will enter 2025 in the second year of the two-year contract he signed last March before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2026. The 6-foot-5, 253-pounder likely will continue to play a similar role in head coach Sean Payton's system next season, severely limiting his fantasy potential once again. |
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Michael Burton Michael Burton Career-high 10 catches in 2024
Sun, Feb 16, 2025, 9:43 AM
Burton played in all 17 regular-season games in 2024 and finished with seven carries for eight yards and a touchdown while catching 10 passes on as many targets for 65 yards and a score.
Analysis: Burton didn't make the Broncos' 53-man roster at the end of training camp, but he was eventually signed to the active roster in mid-September after initially staying on the practice squad. He mostly served in a special teams role and didn't play more than 13 offensive snaps in all but one regular-season game (Week 18 against the Chiefs; 24 snaps on offense). On offense he was mostly used as an extra blocker in the running game, though he did manage to register a career-high 10 catches, three of which came in Week 16 against the Chargers when he also caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix. Burton will explore his options during the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. |
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Blake Watson Blake Watson Accumulates 23 yards in 2024
Sun, Feb 16, 2025, 9:32 AM
Watson logged four carries for 10 yards and added one catch (on two targets) for 13 yards across two regular-season games in 2024.
Analysis: The Broncos signed Watson as an undrafted free agent in late April. He earned a spot on the 53-man roster at the end of training camp, but he was waived in mid-October after being a healthy scratch in five of Denver's first six regular-season games. He opted to stick around on the practice squad and was elevated to the active roster for Week 16 against the Chargers. Watson will be on the Broncos' 90-man roster when the new league year begins March 12 and will look to earn a rotational spot in the backfield for the 2025 campaign. |
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Zach Wilson Zach Wilson Doesn't play in 2024
Sun, Feb 16, 2025, 9:27 AM
Wilson did not appear in a single regular-season game in 2024.
Analysis: Wilson spent the past three seasons with the Jets, who selected him with the second-overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Broncos in late-April and was given a chance to earn the starting quarterback job in training camp, which he and Jarrett Stidham eventually lost to rookie Bo Nix. Wilson served as the Broncos' emergency quarterback and did not see the field during the regular season and in Denver's lone playoff game against Buffalo. The Broncos opted to decline Wilson's team option for 2025, which means he will enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent, though he'll likely end up serving as the No. 2 quarterback at best wherever he ends up signing. |
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