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Tag: damarri mathis

  • Broncos roster cutdown tracker: Will George Paton flip anymore Broncos for draft capital?

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    This Broncos roster, both by Sean Payton‘s own admission and by plain sight, is the deepest it’s been in Payton’s three-year tenure.

    That is an undeniable positive. It also will lead to some excruciatingly tough decisions, with players who’ve put together strong camps nonetheless likely to land on the waiver wire.

    “I was taught at a young age, the most significant thing is the right 53,” Payton said in early August. “So that’s what keeps you up at night — making sure we’re finding that group.”

    Broncos 53-man roster projection: Who will make Sean Payton’s last cut?

    The Broncos’ brass will have long hours this week as cut day dawns, with teams required to reduce their offseason rosters from 90 players to 53 by 2 p.m. MT Tuesday. The team can elect to sign a maximum of 16 players to their practice squad if they clear waivers, and the Broncos have until 11 a.m. ET Wednesday to claim players off waivers who’ve been cut by other teams.

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    Luca Evans, Parker Gabriel

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  • Broncos WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey takes blame after Bo Nix’s early interception caromed off his hands: “It’s a mistake on me”

    Broncos WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey takes blame after Bo Nix’s early interception caromed off his hands: “It’s a mistake on me”

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    BALTIMORE — The Broncos didn’t lose because of their second offensive snap of the day.

    They didn’t get beat by 31 points because of one single mistake.

    But when Denver got the ball first, they also couldn’t afford to turn it over against high-powered Baltimore.

    That’s just what happened, though, when rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s first pass of the day caromed off Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s hands and into the waiting arms of Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington.

    “It was a little roll-out and I tried to go make a play,” Humphrey said afterward. “I obviously didn’t and that’s on me. I know better. I’ve got to put two hands up, you know what I mean. I’ve got to move past it and move forward and on to next week.

    “It’s a mistake on me.”

    Nix hadn’t thrown an interception since a Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. All six of his picks, now, have come in Denver’s four losses. In those games, he has two touchdown passes. In Denver’s five wins, Nix has six touchdown passes.

    It’s the second straight week that Denver’s first possession ended because of a turnover on a play to Humphrey. He fumbled last week on a catch that eventually resulted in a Carolina touchdown drive. This week the Broncos defense actually forced a Baltimore punt, but the Ravens proceeded to score on seven straight drives after that.

    Sutton’s big day. Courtland Sutton is doing it all. And then some.

    The Broncos receiver not only logged his second straight 100-yard receiving outing — the first time in his career he’s gone back-to-back in that department — but he also threw a fourth-down touchdown pass to quarterback Bo Nix on a trick play.

    “We called it at the right time,” Nix said. “We knew they were going to be in (Cover) 0 funnel and the guy actually made a good play of retreating and trailing. Courtland looked pretty good again on that play.”

    In a Week 7 win at New Orleans, Sutton had no targets for the first time in his career. In two games since, Denver’s top pass-catcher has 15 catches (21 targets) for 222 yards.

    He’s also completed a pair of passes for 30 total yards and a touchdown.

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • Broncos like young core of cornerbacks, edge rushers, but there’s still room to add at both positions

    Broncos like young core of cornerbacks, edge rushers, but there’s still room to add at both positions

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    After Broncos general manager George Paton fielded nearly a dozen questions about the quarterback position during the team’s pre-draft news conference Thursday afternoon, he was asked about other areas of need.

    Throughout the draft process, many experts have had Denver drafting an edge rusher or cornerback with the 12th pick. And though Paton is confident in the depth at both positions, he didn’t shy away from the possibility of adding to either spot.

    “You are always looking at those types of positions,” Paton said. “If someone falls in your lap, you’re going to take them.”

    It’s hard to find quality edge rushers and cornerbacks, Paton reasoned. Players like Von Miller don’t walk through the doors every day. But at the same time, the talent the Broncos have at both position groups is young with room to grow.

    Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, who is entering his third season in the league, had eight sacks in 2023 after recording 1.5 as a rookie. Jonathon Cooper had a team-best 8.5 sacks, while Denver should benefit from having Baron Browning at full strength entering the new year.

    At cornerback, Patrick Surtain II, 24, has established himself as one of the best in the league. Meanwhile, Ja’Quan McMillian played at a high level in the nickel spot during his sophomore campaign.

    But questions remain. How will Drew Sanders fare if Denver switches him from inside linebacker to the edge? Can Damarri Mathis bounce back after getting benched in the middle of last season? Will Riley Moss be able to live up to the team’s expectations after playing three snaps at outside cornerback as a rookie?

    In a division where the Broncos have to face two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert twice a year, they might not be able to afford to take that gamble, especially since they have the potential to draft a premier player at either position in the first round.

    “Whether it’s quarterback, edge or cornerback, you know what they are. They are a premium,” Paton said.

    When veteran Fabian Moreau took over as Denver’s starting cornerback, he held his own. But there were moments where he lacked the speed to keep up with certain wide receivers. Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell — who could be available at No. 12 — does, and he can make plays on the ball. He completed the 40-yard at the scouting combine in 4.33 seconds while recording 18 pass breakups in his final season with the Rockets.

    Denver used its last first-round pick to draft Surtain in 2021, and it traded up to take Moss in the third round of last year’s draft. But the possibility of having two lockdown cornerbacks could be intriguing for a defense that finished 22nd in passing yards allowed (233.6 per game) last fall.

    When it comes to edge rushers, NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said in a conference call on Thursday that he thinks Alabama’s Dallas Turner, Florida State’s Jared Verse and UCLA’s Laiatu Latu are the top three players. Depending on how the top of the draft shakes up, either one could fall into Denver’s lap.

    Even though Bonitto and Cooper improved, the Broncos were 29th in pressure percentage (18.2%), 20th in sack percentage (6.8%) and tied for 21st in team sack totals (42), according to Pro Football Reference.

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    Ryan McFadden

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