Denver, CO
Broncos CEO Greg Penner on QB Bo Nix: “He’s got some incredible traits”
Bo-mania has sparked new life within the Broncos organization.
During a groundbreaking event for Denver’s renovation and expansion of team headquarters, team owner/CEO Greg Penner expressed his excitement for rookie Bo Nix taking over as the team’s starting quarterback.
“I’ve been impressed with his poise and maturity,” Penner said Thursday. “I think he’s got some incredible traits.”
When Nix, the 12th overall pick in last spring’s draft, was named starting quarterback last week, Penner said he had a “great” phone conversation with the 24-year-old.
Nix will be Denver’s 14th starting quarterback since Peyton Manning retired and the first rookie to start in a season opener since John Elway in 1983. The Oregon and Auburn product earned the job after completing 23 of 30 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns in two preseason appearances. He rushed for 29 yards on six attempts with no sacks or turnovers.
“All rookies are going to go through some ups and downs in their first season,” Penner said. “I told him, ‘We’re going to support you.’ I’m excited to see what he can do on the field and the rest of this roster.”
The potential surrounding Nix and Denver’s young roster has inspired optimism throughout the organization. Penner said it’s too early to call the offseason a success, but he was impressed with the moves made by head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton during free agency and the draft.
Penner noticed a different kind of enthusiasm, passion and intensity from the team on the first day of organized team activities. The mentality carried over into training camp and preseason.
“It’s a young team, but I’ve got high expectations for what we can accomplish,” Penner said.
Payton has repeatedly referenced a new energy going into his second season as Broncos head coach. Part of that, according to Penner, is that he, Payton and Paton have developed a real sense of partnership, respect and communication.
“He’s had a chance to reshape the roster in a way that he’s excited about,” Penner said. “It’s been great to see his approach.”
After Broncos president Damani Leech fielded questions about the Broncos Park upgrades — set to be completed by June 2026 — he expressed his own eagerness for the Broncos’ season-opener at Seattle next week.
The Broncos finished the preseason 3-0 and recorded the second-most points in the league (99) behind Chicago (115). Leech understands it’s important to temper one’s enthusiasm for games that featured primarily reserve players, but the way Payton operated the offense has him encouraged.
“It is exciting to see what we’re seeing on the field,” Leech said.
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.
Originally Published:
Denver, CO
Broncos RB Javonte Williams enters pivotal year feeling healthy, lean and ready to lower the boom
Sean Payton found himself watching running back film one day during the leadup to the 2024 NFL Draft.
He had a running back from North Carolina on-screen that he really liked. Powerful runner. Capable of breaking tackles. A pretty decent receiver even though he didn’t get a ton of targets in the passing game.
The guy averaged 7.3 yards per carry his junior year and 6.3 per carry for his career.
Payton and the Broncos, though, didn’t select him in April’s draft.
Turns out, they already had the player on their roster for the last three years.
Now it looks like they might have the best version of the player back on the field.
That’s Javonte Williams.
In a moment undoubtedly orchestrated by Payton, Williams stopped by to see the head coach at one point this spring while Payton had his college film on.
“It was kind of crazy seeing me in a North Carolina jersey and him watching that, but like I said, he knows what he’s talking about, so I’m going to listen,” Williams said.
The order: Trim up. Get back to the guy in the powder blues.
So Williams spent the summer cutting out snacks and nighttime eating, dropped 12 pounds to get down to 221, and showed up for training camp feeling lean and strong.
“I called him in and I said, ‘This is the runner I want,’” Payton said. “That player that I saw was versatile — outside, inside — and I think we’ve seen that from him in camp. I’m encouraged with his progress, and obviously, he’s healthier.
“He’s having a good camp.”
The fourth-year running back is entering a critical season in his career. The shelf life on NFL backs is notoriously short and seems to get shorter every year. Not only that, but Williams is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is now closing in on two full years since a devastating knee injury against Las Vegas on Oct. 4, 2022.
That not only ended his second pro season, but it also impacted his entire third year. He spent all of last offseason focused on recovery and pushing hard just to get back to the field.
“Last year’s offseason was pretty much just rehabbing and trying to regain strength,” he said. “Even trying to learn how to run again and things like that. This offseason, just being able to get away and focus strictly on football, drills, and moving.
“I feel like it was a huge benefit.”
Factor in a veteran offensive line, potentially a mobile quarterback in rookie Bo Nix and a set of running backs that overall has a combination of skill sets, and Williams should be at the tip of a running game spear that’s much sharper than a year ago.
One key area where the shed pounds and increased explosiveness could really help Williams: In the passing game.
Consider this: Williams had a career-high 47 catches in 2023. If it feels as though that flew under the radar, it’s in part because he turned those grabs into just 228 yards (4.9 per catch). According to Pro Football Focus data, only four of his catches and six targets out of 58 came past the line of scrimmage and outside the numbers. The rest were either behind the line of scrimmage, between the numbers, or both. When he catches the ball, there will be people around him and often in front of him.
Getting some burst back and trending back toward his early career ability to break tackles and make people miss could turn modest receiving numbers into solid ones very quickly.
The Broncos easily led the NFL in target share to running backs (31.9%) last year. And though quarterback Russell Wilson is gone, it stands to reason that the backs will be heavily involved in the passing game once again this fall.
Payton has a long history of it. Over 14 seasons in New Orleans — taking out an injury-scrambled 2010 — the back with the second-most touches on Payton’s Saints teams averaged 155 per year. He had nine seasons where a back finished with 70-plus catches. And though there may not be an Alvin Kamara on the Broncos’ roster, they have the kind of balance to meet or exceed last year when Williams (No. 17), Samaje Perine (No. 18) and Jaleel McLaughlin (No. 39) each finished in the top 39 in the NFL in targets among running backs.
2023 Broncos RBs in the passing game
Mobile users, tap here to see the chart.
Player | RB Rank | Target | Catches | Yards |
---|---|---|---|---|
Javonte Williams | 17 | 58 | 47 | 228 |
Samaje Perine | 18 | 56 | 50 | 455 |
Jaleel McLaughlin | 39 | 36 | 31 | 160 |
* Pro Football Reference data
2023 RB target share by team
Mobile users, tap here to see the chart.
Top fives | RB/FB target share |
---|---|
Denver | 31.89% |
San Francisco | 23.57% |
Atlanta | 23.56% |
N.Y. Jets | 23.56% |
Pittsburgh | 23.13% |
|
|
Bottom five | RB/FB target share |
Minnesota | 14.92% |
L.A. Chargers | 14.84% |
Indianapolis | 14.73% |
Jacksonville | 14.14% |
L.A. Rams | 12.84% |
* Compiled using PFF data
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.
Originally Published:
Denver, CO
Broncos Urged to Trade for Falcons 2nd-Round Safety
With the Denver Broncos roster being whittled down to 53 players as the regular season quickly approaches, this is still a roster with as many questions as answers. One area on the depth chart with a lot of uncertainty is the safety position.
After years of stability with Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons as the starters, Denver now has a handful of relative unknowns set to protect the back end of the defense. Across the league, the safety position appears to have been greatly devalued, as evidenced by how long it took Simmons to sign with a new team, and for how little money-wise.
Outside of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers retaining Antoine Winfield Jr., there were more expensive safeties cut this offseason than signing new big contracts. The Broncos did “reload” at safety after moving on from Simmons by signing 26-year-old Brandon Jones to a three-year, $20 million contract. Still, overall Denver went young and inexperienced at the safety position.
Unfortunately, Jones missed almost the entirety of training camp and preseason with a hamstring issue. He did go through pre-game in the preseason finale, and we heard that he “feels great,” but after Jones, the assortment of P.J. Locke, JL Skinner, Devon Key, and Keidron Smith are more or less unproven.
Given the devaluation of the safety market and the Broncos’ obvious questions at the safety position, perhaps the front office might work the phones to look for an additional option. At least, that’s what Bleacher Report‘s Alex Kay thinks, as he urged the Broncos to pursue a trade with the Atlanta Falcons for starting safety and former second-round pick Richie Grant.
“The Broncos could make a run at Richie Grant to shore this weak point up. Grant, a second-round pick in 2021, has spent the last two seasons starting for the Atlanta Falcons but may soon be relegated to the bench following the emergence of DeMarcco Hellams. With Jessie Bates III also locked in as a surefire top safety for the Falcons, Grant could be expendable.
“Given Grant’s cheap, expiring contract—he’s only owed a shade over $3 million in base salary on the final year of his rookie deal—and age (26), this move works as both a budget one-year rental and potential tryout for a new deal this coming spring,” Kay wrote.
What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!
The Broncos are obviously a team in transition with financial constraints following the Russell Wilson release, but Kay argues the Broncos “should be on the lookout for serviceable talent at a cheap cost who can help this rebuilding squad contend again.” Specifically, the secondary, outside of superstar cornerback Patrick Surtain II, could use further fortification for the 2024 season.
Denver could address the cornerback opposite Surtain, especially now that Damarri Mathis is set to miss some time. However, cornerback is a more expensive position with fewer options. Riley Moss is auditioning now for a long-term spot, but Kay believes that “the most concerning is at the safety spot, where Brandon Jones and P.J. Locke are projected to start and little of note in terms of depth behind them.”
Would the Broncos look to make a move at safety? For the cost projected from Kay, acquiring Grant for a 2025 sixth-round selection, there is little risk in adding someone with so much starting experience to the back end of the defense, given the uncertainty of the position. There is also something poetic about Denver adding Grant, who lost his starting spot in Atlanta due to the Falcons signing Simmons.
Grant has been hit or miss during his time in Atlanta but has accumulated 2,338 defensive snaps during his three years in the league. Grant would likely compete with Locke for the starting spot opposite Jones. Grant would also provide insurance should Jones’ hamstring injury do what many hamstring injuries tend to do and linger.
The Broncos could be on the lookout for a number of positions to add to the roster before Week 1’s bout in Seattle. Linebacker, tight end, offensive line depth, and safety seem the most likely spots Denver may peruse outside of its initial roster. If Grant were available for such a cheap cost and the Broncos’ brass assessed the contract as acceptable, the trade would make some semblance of sense.
Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
Denver, CO
Several Broncos change jersey numbers ahead of 2024 regular season
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As the Broncos begin to prepare for the regular season, four players across the team’s active roster and practice squad have changed their jersey numbers.
Wide receiver David Sills V and running backs Audric Estime, Blake Watson and Tyler Badie have all switched their numbers.
As always, numbers are subject to change ahead of the start of the regular season.
See below for a look at their new numbers:
-
Connecticut6 days ago
Oxford church provides sanctuary during Sunday's damaging storm
-
Technology1 week ago
Breakthrough robo-glove gives you superhuman grip
-
News1 week ago
Video: Protesters Clash With Police Near the Democratic National Convention
-
News1 week ago
Ex-officer convicted in George Floyd's killing is moved to new prison
-
News1 week ago
Video: Biden Delivers Keynote on First Night of D.N.C.
-
News1 week ago
Video: D.N.C. Holds Enthusiastic Roll Call to Nominate Harris
-
Politics1 week ago
Former teacher reveals which students suffered 'the most' under Walz's pandemic-era guidelines
-
World1 week ago
Panama deports 29 Colombian migrants from Darien Gap under US deal