Denver, CO
Keeler: Jonathan Taylor would look sweet in Broncos orange. But Colts’ Pro Bowl RB doesn’t solve Denver’s No. 1 problem: depth
Jonathan Taylor is a killer off-road tire, slightly worn, on a car with dodgy brakes. Uphill, the grip is incredible. Downhill, you’ll still be grabbing rosary beads.
The NFL’s leading rusher in 2021 wants a trade out of Indy, with the Colts reportedly, as of Monday night, willing to oblige. Meanwhile, the Broncos have run the ball this month like an F-450 Super Duty and pass-protected like a Peel P50. So far, coach Sean Payton has picked up largely where Week 17 of last season left off, leading with a strong ground game, in which Russell Wilson’s right arm is a side dish and not the main course.
In keeping with that theme, there’s a part of Broncos Country that could picture Taylor, a power back with sprinter’s speed, breaking tackles in orange and blue and keeping Patrick Mahomes bored on the sidelines. You could even tell yourself Taylor might be the new Beast Mode to old Russ, a formula that worked pretty darn well a decade earlier.
But have you looked at the price tag? Per ESPN.com, the Colts are seeking “a first-round pick or a collection of picks that equates to one.”
So to land Taylor, the Broncos would have to add to what’s already a position of strength — the running backs room — while cutting another big chunk out of a lopsided roster’s greatest weakness: depth. And draft-pick depth, in particular.
No thanks.
Even if backup tailback Jaleel McLaughlin didn’t come out of the weekend looking like the second coming of Darren Sproles, trading for Taylor, if those are Indy’s terms, should be a nonstarter for Broncos GM George Paton.
Dove Valley might have the will to plop a Pro Bowl runner next to Wilson. But it doesn’t have the capital — not in current cap room, not in future cap space, and sure as heck not in terms of draft picks, the most cost-effective way to improve or refresh a capped locker room. Much of the latter already got shaved off and shipped out in trades for Big Russ and for Payton.
As a result, for the first three rounds of the ’24 NFL Draft, Days 1 and 2, the Broncos have just two picks to play with. The average NFL franchise has 3.2 selections. Seven clubs already four picks or more stashed up for Rounds 1-3.
And while the Broncos have needs, tailback isn’t one of them. Javonte Williams needs time to get fully up to speed, but the way he moved past both the dropsies and butterflies against the Niners was plenty encouraging. Bonus: Payton can back that up with pure thunder (Samaje Perine) or greased lightning (McLaughlin), depending on the down, distance, mood or imagination.
Alas, doesn’t solve the Broncos’ biggest problem — nor what’s contributed, in part, to a pair of irrelevant, if galling, last-second road losses to the Cardinals and Niners. Namely, the pedigree, or lack thereof, on the bottom 40% of the roster.
The Broncos’ third team defense, per the team depth chart Monday, was composed of nine undrafted free agents and two sixth-rounders. The 49ers’ third-team offense, as projected by Ourlads.com, featured eight college free agents, a first-round pick, a third-round pick and a seventh-round pick. The Rams’ third-team offense is projected to feature seven undrafted free agents, a fourth-rounder, a seventh-rounder and two sixth-rounders.
Most NFL rosters take a dip when the two-deep gets dinged up.
The Broncos plummet.
Nor does it help that Taylor’s seeking a long-term contract extension as part of a potential swap. Based on OverTheCap.com’s math, the Broncos have $9.09 million of salary cap space to play with this fall, which was seventh-smallest in the league as of early Monday night. They’re projected to be over the cap by $17.66 million next year.
Jerry Jeudy’s rookie contract remains a relative bargain with a $4.83 million cap hit. After ‘24, though, all bets are off. Spotrac.com pegs No. 10’s value on the open market at $20.1 million, on average, over four years starting in 2025.
Speaking of bargains, Pat Surtain II’s four-year rookie contract expires after the autumn of 2024, with a fifth-year option for 2025. The top four cap hits for corners in 2024 average out to $25.8 million; the top four hits at the position for ’25 average out to $25.2 million.
Franchise cornerbacks, like elite left tackles and pass-rushers, don’t come cheap. Neither will Taylor, sadly. And when faced with those kind of mark-ups at tailback, the prudent call, ironically, is almost always the same. A hard pass.
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Denver PrideFest is back
Saturday-Sunday. Colorado’s biggest LGBTQ+ weekend returns June 28-29, with Denver Pride, a celebration that includes a massive festival, PrideFest at Civic Center park, a charitable 5K and of course the annual parade. That moves from East Colfax Avenue to 17th Avenue this year, stepping off at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday at Franklin Street and continuing to Lincoln Street. Organizers at the nonprofit The Center on Colfax expect about 100,000 attendees.
At Civic Center park, tens of thousands more will sample local food and drink, visit vendors, support LGBTQ nonprofits, and dance and sing to entertainment from top DJs, drag queens and kings, including Pattie Gonia, Detox, Vanessa Vanjie, and CHIKA. Admission is free; visit denverpride.org for more information about the 5K and the parade. — John Wenzel
Buntport’s “Handlers”
Friday-Sunday. The sharp players at Buntport Theater brought back an audience favorite this month. “The Book Handlers,” which debuted in 2018, is a satirical comedy about anti-intellectualism, and takes its inspiration from an essay by Irish author Brian O’Nolan. In it, he proposes a service for wealthy people who buy fancy books, but never read them; the book handlers would come in to make the tomes look well-read, worn and even dog-eared.
The show has been running since June 13, and will close on Sunday, June 29. But in the meantime, you can catch one of the final three showings on Friday and Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., or on Sunday, at 2 p.m. The theater is located at 717 Lipan St. and there is a name-your-own-price option. Go to buntport.com for tickets and information. — Jonathan Shikes
Denver Dog Fair
Saturday. The National Western Complex on Saturday, June 28, will be filled not with cowboys and horses but a puppy kissing booth, “celebrity” dogs, a furry fashion show, and more as part of the Denver Dog Fair. After entertaining dogs and their humans — and adopting out 187 pups at last year’s event — the fair from Dana Cain Events returns with dog-related vendors, competitions, demos and more.
Admission: $20 for humans, with kids 5 and under free (a family four-pack goes for $72). Dog tickets cost $5 per pup. Free parking. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday at the National Western Complex Expo Hall’s Stadium Arena, 4655 Humboldt St. in Denver. Visit denverdogfair.com for more. — John Wenzel
See the sea lions
Open now. Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (formerly just Denver Zoo) this month unveiled a huge, beach-themed update to its popular sea lion habitat — one of the highest-visibility, most photographed and most popular parts of the 80-acre City Park institution.
The zoo’s California sea lions update replaces Northern Shores, “which started housing sea lions in 1987, and offers significant upgrades for the animals and guests, including a 16-foot viewing window that allows guests to observe the sea lions’ natural movements and behaviors underwater,” officials wrote. It also features new saltwater pools and filtration systems, further supporting the animals’ health.
Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at 2300 Steele St. in Denver. Admission: $26 for adults, $23 for seniors, and $19 for ages 3-15, with kids under 2 free. Online timed ticket reservations are required for entry. Visit denverzoo.org for more information. — John Wenzel
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Originally Published:
The Denver Police Department is looking into planned “takeover” events after it said hundreds of teens gathered at a mall and started multiple fights.
According to the DPD, around 300 juveniles gathered in the area of the Northfield Mall around 6 p.m. Sunday before entering different businesses, physically fighting amongst themselves and causing disturbances. Officers said they dispersed the group, but some separated into smaller groups and began causing disturbances around Central Park Boulevard and 46th Street.
Authorities said there was no damage reported. Although two small items were reported stolen from one of the businesses, police said it’s unclear if that was related to this group. No arrests were made.
DPD said they’re aware of plans for similar “takeover” events and are making plans to minimize their impact. They encouraged anyone with information on the events to contact them at (720) 913-2000 or, in the case of an emergency, call 911.
DENVER — After months of negotiations, including a marathon 18-hour session that ended Tuesday morning, Denver Public Schools (DPS) and the union that represents more than 4,000 educators reached a tentative agreement on a new contract.
The agreement came with the help of mediators, after the school district declared an impasse in negotiations in May.
If approved, the contract will provide Denver teachers with a $1,000 annual cost-of-living increase, a one-time $1,000 bonus for the current year, and additional percentage raises based on experience and education.
One of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association’s (DCTA) goals was to raise the starting salary for teachers. New DPS teachers will now earn $57,666, still below what several neighboring districts pay new teachers. The top salary for experienced DPS educators with their doctorate in the 2025-2026 school year will be $124,233.
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Check out the graph below to view starting salaries for teachers around the Denver metro in 2025
The two sides also signed a Memorandum of Understanding that if DPS seeks a mill levy override from voters in 2025 or 2026, then teacher pay will be discussed as a potential use for that money.
Jennifer Holtzmann, a special education teacher who attended the bargaining sessions, said while pay is still a concern for all Colorado teachers, she was encouraged by other provisions in the agreement surrounding class sizes and workloads. The agreement also includes language that will allow teachers to use time off for mental health.
“Just the acknowledgment that teachers experience burnout and might just need to take a day or half day, even,” Holtzmann said.
DPS agreed to work towards reducing elementary school class sizes, setting a cap of no more than 30 students in K-5 classrooms starting in 2026, down from the current cap of 35.
DCTA President Rob Gould said the union will post specific details on the contract “wins” in the coming days so that teachers are ready to vote on it when they return to work in August. He said the salary increases will cost the district approximately $24 million in the first year and $18 million in years two and three.
DPS issued a news release on the tentative agreement, with a statement from DPS Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero.
“We are proud to have reached what we feel is a fair and forward-looking agreement that honors the critical work our teachers do every day,” Marrero said.
If the agreement is ratified by both the DCTA and the DPS Board of Education, it will go into effect beginning September 1, 2025, and remain in place through August 31, 2028.
Denver Public Schools, teachers union reach tentative agreement on contract
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