Denver Broncos

CBS announced Tuesday one of the premier games on its 2022 schedule will see Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos visit Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day.

A separate telecast will also air on Nickelodeon similar to the ones the kids network has run during the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs the last two years.

We've got a present for fans of all ages.

The @Broncos and @RamsNFL will face off on Christmas Day in a showdown on CBS along with a slime-filled presentation on @Nickelodeon. pic.twitter.com/FehuLpV3fS

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) May 10, 2022

In April, NFL vice president of broadcasting Mike North confirmed on WGR 550 (via the Associated Press) the league would play a Christmas Day tripleheader for the first time despite the NBA's annual holiday slate.

"Christmas, when it falls on an NFL game day, we've had a lot of success there, all due respect to our friends at the NBA. It is something that our fans are interested in," North said. "If Christmas falls on a Sunday, it makes perfect sense."

The CBS game is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff, which means it'll be the middle game sandwiched between a 1 p.m. Fox clash and an 8 p.m. NBC contest.

Having the Broncos travel to L.A. on Christmas also eliminates one of the contenders for the league's annual opening night game, which is hosted by the Super Bowl champs.

The remaining contenders for that Week 1 matchup are likely the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders and San Francisco 49ers.

Meanwhile, the Broncos figure to have at least a few other prime-time games on their schedule following the arrival of Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks.

The nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback could find himself in the late-season MVP race on Christmas as he arrives to a passing offense with no shortage of weapons, led by Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler.

Denver also plays in the tougher conference, as the AFC is littered with high-end QBs, so it could be fighting for its playoff life in the final weeks of the regular season.

The Rams return most of the key players from last season's title team. While they should cruise to the postseason, they may be battling for the NFC's No. 1 seed down the stretch.

Between the star power and the potential for the matchup to hold a lot of meaning for both sides, the game should deliver terrific ratings for CBS.

There is one NFL team currently for sale, and it is reportedly going to generate quite the selling price.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Denver Broncos are expected to sell for more than $5 billion. That is an increase from previous expectations that the AFC West team would sell for approximately $4 billion.

In February, Ryan O'Halloran of the Denver Post reported the Broncos were "expected to easily break the current record sale price of $2.35 billion for a U.S. professional sports team set by the NBA's Brooklyn Nets."

The record price for an NFL franchise was $2.275 billion for the Carolina Panthers, but the increasing value of television deals and the availability of other revenue streams such as legalized gambling will surely contribute to Denver's sale.

Mike Klis of 9News reported the team has narrowed the list of candidates to five investment groups.

Included in that list is Rob Walton, who was a longtime chairman of Walmart, and his associates, as well as a group that includes Philadelphia 76ers co-governor Josh Harris. Todd Boehly, who is an investor in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers, is also one of the bidders.

The other two bidding groups prefer to remain anonymous.

The family of former Broncos owner Pat Bowlen, who died in 2019, will split the proceeds when the sale is finalized.

Florio reported the hope is for the process to be over before the start of the 2022 campaign.      

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 196

HAND: 8 1/4"

ARM: 31 7/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'5 1/2"

40-YARD DASH: 4.39

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Physical player who looks to disrupt the receiver's route and timing.

— Strong, secure tackler. He delivers a blow that gets the ball carrier down.

— Performs best in short-to-medium range in pass game.

— Shows good vision in zone with eyes on the quarterback.

NEGATIVES

— One-speed runner who lacks true burst and recovery speed.

— Can be slow to sink his hips at the top of routes. Struggles getting out of breaks at times.

— Panics and gets handsy downfield. Not comfortable playing the ball and man downfield.

2021 STATISTICS

12 Games, 43 Tackles, 2 INT, 5 PBU

NOTES

— Two-year starter

— Did not play during 2020 season (COVID-19 year)

— 3-Star Cornerback, per 247Sports

OVERALL

Damarri Mathis is a physical cornerback who doesn't shy away from contact. As a cornerback who likes to get his hands on receivers, he does his best when playing in off coverage with his eyes on the quarterback. He shows good vision and reaction to the routes that develop in front of him. When playing in man, Mathis routinely gets bumped off at the top of routes and is slow to sink his hips and react. When running downfield, he is limited in his top-end speed, causing him to get overextended and off balance. Mathis tends to panic when playing the ball downfield, mostly choosing to play the man and not locate the ball—often leading to a penalty or giving up a catch.

Playing into Mathis’ physicality, he performs well in the run game. He has willingness to tackle with quick reads and reaction to the play. He is a secure tackler who limits extra yards when able to front the ball carrier up. Mathis will need a specific scheme to help highlight his skills, and if given that, he still needs to improve his coverage skills.

GRADE: 5.6 (7th Round: ​​Backup/Draftable)

OVERALL RANK: 274

POSITION RANK: CB33

PRO COMPARISON: Kevin Peterson

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly is among the five prospective bidders to purchase the Denver Broncos, according to Brandon Sapienza of Bloomberg.

Other non-binding bids have been made by Josh Harris, who is a principal owner of the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers, and Walmart heir Rob Walton. The other two bids are not currently known.

All bidders will reportedly have in-person meetings with Broncos executives at the beginning of May, per Sapienza.

The Broncos were first put up for sale Feb. 1 by the estate of Pat Bowlen. A legal battle held up the potential sale with Edgar Kaiser Jr. estate holding the right of first refusal until a settlement was reached last week, per Mike Klis of 9News.

Team president and CEO Joe Ellis said last month that there is a "realistic timetable" for the team to be sold by the start of the 2022 season. 

Walton was an early favorite to purchase the team while reportedly planning a bid higher than $4 billion, per Josh Kosman of the New York Post. It would be the largest sale ever for a sports franchise.

Last year, the Broncos were valued at $3.2 billion by Forbes, tied for 25th among all sports teams worldwide. 

Boehly was part of the Guggenheim Baseball Management group that spent $2 billion on the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012. He also purchased a stake in the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021.

The businessman is in the running to purchase Chelsea of the Premier League and is considered one of the three remaining bidders, via James Olley of ESPNFC.

Harris is also among the Chelsea bidders with a group led by Sir Martin Broughton. Harris and David Blitzer currently own a stake in fellow EPL club Crystal Palace.

It's unclear whether either party would be able to purchase both the Broncos and Chelsea.

Walton would still be a difficult bidder to defeat for the Broncos with an estimated net worth $69.2 billion, per Bloomberg, making him the 17th richest person in the world.       

Denver Broncos offensive tackle Garrett Bolles believes Russell Wilson is exactly the leader that the franchise needs, comparing him to some of the best leaders the NBA has ever seen. 

“You talk about some of the greatest athletes—Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan—the type of mentalities those athletes have—that’s what he has," Bolles said, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. "He’s so focused all the time, ready to rock and roll, and it’s what we needed here.”

Wilson has always been valued as a leader by his coaches and teammates. After a comeback win against the Green Bay Packers in the 2015 NFC Championship Game, his former Seahawks teammates praised his leadership qualities. 

“His leadership on the sideline, continuing to keep guys in it, was huge,” Jermaine Kearse said at the time. “His power of positivity is huge. When you can stay positive in situations like that, it’s kind of hard to just crumble. That just shows the type of leader he is and the type of belief that he has in his teammates and in this team.”

The Seahawks went on to lose the Super Bowl that year to the New England Patriots, but Wilson consistently led his team to the playoffs during his Seattle tenure. The Seahawks went on to reach the postseason in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021.

In addition to being a leader, Wilson has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league since entering in 2012, and the Broncos need his combination of leadership and skill to help get them back to the playoffs. 

Last season, the 33-year-old completed 64.8 percent of his passes for 3,113 yards and 25 touchdowns against six interceptions in 14 games. He also rushed for 183 yards and two scores. 

The Broncos haven't reached the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 in 2016. They have rotated through a number of quarterbacks since then, including Drew Lock, Case Keenum and Brock Osweiler.

Considering there have already been reports about Wilson getting an extension with the Broncos, it's reasonable to believe he'll be the quarterback in Denver for the next several years. 

The Denver Broncos are in position to become an AFC contender with ex-Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson calling the shots, and wide receiver Courtland Sutton said the team must "operate at a different standard" with the nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion in town.

"You all can feel it, we all can feel it," Sutton said Tuesday (h/t Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk). "The juice is just different. ... Knowing that we have a guy that has been at the top of that mountain before, has won a Super Bowl before, does know what it's like to be at the highest level and lead his team to the Super Bowl."

The Broncos went 7-10 last year, but that doesn't tell the whole story. They outscored their opponents 335-322 and were 7-6 in mid-December, and three of their last four losses came by five or fewer points. Denver also had the No. 3 scoring defense in the NFL.

With Wilson, the Broncos are positioned for a better season.

Denver is favored to make the playoffs at -150 ($150 bet to win $100) and tied for seventh on the Super Bowl winner ledger at +1600 with the Los Angeles Chargers, per DraftKings Sportsbook.

However, the AFC West looks loaded with the six-time defending division champion Kansas City Chiefs, a 9-8 Los Angeles Chargers team that reloaded on defense (cornerback J.C. Jackson, edge-rusher Khalil Mack) and a 10-7 Las Vegas Raiders team that added superstar wideout Davante Adams via trade.

The expectations are clearly high even though the Broncos reside in what might be the toughest division in football, but Wilson and Co. could be up for the task as the team looks for its first playoff appearance since its 2015 Super Bowl-winning season.

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The fractured relationship between the Seattle Seahawks and Russell Wilson has led to the nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback reportedly being traded to the Denver Broncos.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the Seahawks have agreed to trade Wilson to the Broncos.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the full details of the deal:

• Broncos get: QB Russell Wilson, fourth-round pick
• Seahawks get: two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, QB Drew Lock, DL Shelby Harris and TE Noah Fant

According to Schefter, Seattle will receive Denver's first-round pick in 2022 (No. 9 overall), Denver's own 2022 second-round pick (No. 40 overall), Denver's first- and second-round selections in 2023 and Denver's 2022 fifth-round pick in exchange for its 2022 fourth-round selection.

Russell Wilson now has signed his no-trade provision and passed his Broncos’ physical, per sources. It’s official on his end.

The other players involved in the trade still have to pass their physicals. But the teams now will start the process to confirm the trade with the NFL.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2022

Wilson made several surprising comments last offseason that suggested there might be a problem with the Seahawks. The 32-year-old said in February 2021 on The Dan Patrick Show that he wanted more of a role in the team's personnel decisions.

"It think it helps to be involved more," Wilson told Patrick (h/t Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper). "I think that dialogue should happen more often."

Patrick reported after the interview that Seahawks management was "not happy" with Wilson for speaking publicly about his frustrations.

"The current situation is not sustainable," Patrick added. "That's what I was told."

Per Michael-Shawn Dugar, Mike Sando and Jayson Jenks of The Athletic, some of Wilson's frustration stemmed from a meeting the star quarterback held with coaches prior to a Thursday night game against the Arizona Cardinals midway through the 2020 season:

For some time, Wilson has sought — even pushed — for influence within the organization regarding scheme and personnel. In the meeting, he outlined his own ideas for how to fix the offense. His suggestions were dismissed, multiple sources told The Athletic — another reminder to Wilson that the Seahawks did not see him the same way he saw himself, as a player who had earned greater control over his situation, his future, his legacy.

Despite the apparent unhappiness, Wilson's agent, Mark Rodgers, told Schefter in February 2021 his client hadn't demanded a trade.

Schefter did note that if the Seahawks decided to explore trade options, Wilson would only consider playing for the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints.

The 2020 season looked like it was going to be Wilson's MVP year. He threw for 2,151 yards and 26 touchdowns with a 71.5 completion percentage in the Seahawks' first seven games.

The second half of the season was a step back, though, as Wilson had 2,061 passing yards, with 14 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 66.6 completion percentage over the final nine games. He was picked apart by the Los Angeles Rams defense in the NFC Wild Card Game, finishing 11-of-27 for 174 yards and two touchdowns.

The Rams sacked Wilson five times and hit him 10 times in a 30-20 victory.

Wilson missed games for the first time in his career during the 2021 season. He had to undergo finger surgery that kept him out for three games. The North Carolina State alum had a fantastic start to the year with a 72.6 completion percentage, 1,196 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception in five starts.

He finished the season with 3,113 yards, 25 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 64.8 completion percentage in 14 starts. Seattle missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and finished last in the NFC West with a 7-10 record for the first time in Wilson's career.

Wilson has been one of the NFL's best quarterbacks since being selected by Seattle in the third round of the 2012 draft. The Wisconsin alum has thrown for at least 30 touchdowns five times and 4,000 or more yards four times in the past nine seasons.

Two-time defending MVP Aaron Rodgers is sticking around in Green Bay. 

BREAKING: According to my sources.. @AaronRodgers12 will officially be returning to the Green Bay Packers.

There is no deal in place currently but there is said to be a Cap Friendly deal on the way.

Retirement was a real consideration & in the end

🗣 HE IS BACK WITH THE PACK pic.twitter.com/1lpdcLxyPL

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 8, 2022

Hey everyone, just wanted to clear some things up; YES I will be playing with the @packers next year, however, reports about me signing a contract are inaccurate, as are the supposed terms of the contract I “signed”. I’m very excited to be back 💪🏼 #year18❤️

— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) March 8, 2022

Oh, and Russell Wilson has reportedly been traded to the Denver Broncos, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

That takes the two top potential targets for quarterback-needy teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers off the table, leading to the question: Which player will they pursue now? 

Will they make a move for Jimmy Garoppolo? Will they turn to free agency, pursuing players like Jameis Winston, Teddy Bridgewater, Marcus Mariota and Mitchell Trubisky? Or perhaps the NFL draft, where Kenny Pickett, Malik Willis, Matt Corral and Sam Howell are considered the top prospects?

While players like Rodgers and Wilson are now off the table, Garoppolo is very available in San Francisco with Trey Lance waiting in the wings. 

From NFL Now: The #Steelers will look everywhere when it comes to replacing Ben Roethlisberger. Everywhere. pic.twitter.com/2o80nxal6u

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 3, 2022

With the Aaron Rodgers situation finally settled, chances for a quicker resolution to the Jimmy Garoppolo matter increase.

Any team on the vet QB market was at least interested in what would happen with Rodgers, and that’s now settled

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) March 8, 2022

49ers’ QB Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to soon undergo shoulder surgery that would sideline him until this summer, sources tell ESPN. It is not expected to impact his trade status and Garoppolo still is likely to be traded this month, per sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 1, 2022

Garoppolo is probably the safest option among the quarterbacks available for teams in need at the position. He'd hardly be a poor consolation prize for the Steelers.

Of the free-agent group, Trubisky is the name to watch out for, with Fowler reporting he's very much on Pittsburgh's radar.

One name has come up more than any other in the QB conversations I've had over the past week. pic.twitter.com/9nogl8FHpQ

— Robert Mays (@robertmays) March 6, 2022

Winston seems likely to return to New Orleans, while Mariota and Bridgewater are backup plans at this point. 

One former #NFL exec spoke to me about Jameis Winston.

“Everything I’ve heard leads him back to the #Saints. They firmly believe he can be their QB for the next three to four years and compete with him leading the way. However, watch out for the #Steelers as a suitor as well.”

— Evan Massey (@massey_evan) March 5, 2022

Two other names to keep an eye on: Deshaun Watson and Carson Wentz. The status of the former depends entirely on his legal situation. Until that's resolved, it's hard to imagine any team trading for him. 

As for Wentz, ESPN's Chris Mortensen has reported that Wentz expects to be released or traded, though Fowler added that the Indianapolis Colts have remained "coy" on his future prospects and head coach Frank Reich gave him a vote of confidence during the NFL Scouting Combine. 

"I believe in him," he told reporters. "I stuck my neck out for him. I stuck my neck out for him last year. I was a big part of that decision to get him here, and so I believe he's going to continue to have a lot of success at quarterback—that might be here, it might not be here. That decision has yet to be determined, but I still believe in the person, and I still believe in the player."

If he's put on the market, however, he'd be an interesting option for the Steelers. 

But it would also be Wentz's third team in as many years. His upside is higher than everybody mentioned outside of Wilson and Watson, but he hasn't lived up to that billing since he was an MVP candidate in 2017. Of course, that season ended for him when he tore his ACL and had to watch backup Nick Foles lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl title. 

Wentz has never returned to that level of play. Betting on him to ever do so is a risky one at this point.

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton wants Melvin Gordon back next season.

It turns out the feeling is mutual.

"I have been wanting to come back. I would love to win championship in Denver. I made a lot of great relationships with the guys. I feel like we have a really good team. To leave a talented team and go somewhere else would suck," Gordon told Troy Renck of Denver7. "It’s a job unfinished. And we need to finish the job. I would love to stay. I talked with George. We spoke on it. He told me he thinks highly of me. I really like the way he runs things and does things."

Paton told reporters Tuesday that he's had "really good discussions" with Gordon, who is set to become a free agent this month. Gordon spent the last two seasons in Denver after playing his first five with the Los Angeles Chargers.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Gordon rushed for 918 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021 while splitting carries with rookie Javonte Williams.

With Gordon and Paton telegraphing their desire to stay together, it seems almost certain the veteran will be back in 2022. It just remains to be seen if he'll be back with the same workload or at the same price point. The Broncos paid Gordon $16 million over the last two seasons. It seems unlikely they'll want to meet an $8 million-per-season price point for a back that turns 29 in April.

The more likely scenario is Gordon returning on a lesser salary while playing a clear 1B role to Williams, who was excellent nearly any time he was given an extended workload last season.

The Broncos are set to be aggressive in building a playoff-caliber team for 2022 after hiring Nathaniel Hackett as their new head coach, Paton's first coaching hire since taking the general manager job last year. It's expected they will be heavily involved in the sweepstakes for a veteran starting quarterback.

Denver Broncos team president John Elway will reportedly be taking on a new role in 2022.

According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, Elway will serve as an outside consultant to general manager George Paton next season. Elway had held Paton's position for 10 years before stepping down last year.

Elway previously expressed a desire to be a part of the Broncos' new ownership structure. The legendary quarterback said that he wanted to remain with the team that's been such a big part of his life.

"The Broncos have been in my life for 40 years, so I'd love to be a part of it," Elway said in January. "So it's a matter of seeing how everything plays out and what's going to happen. I'm sure there will be a lot of things going on, but I would definitely like to be involved."

Klis stated that Elway's potential spot in the new ownership group "won't be determined until after the financial advisors working on the sale of the Broncos settle on a controlling owner."

Elway spent his entire 16-year playing career with the Broncos and led the team to five Super Bowl appearances with two title wins. The first-ballot Hall of Famer returned to the organization in 2011 as general manager, helping to construct a roster that made two more Super Bowl appearances and won the title in 2015.

The Broncos went 7-10 last season and finished in last place in the AFC West. The team hired former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as its new head coach. Denver will have the ninth overall pick in the first round of this year's NFL draft.