Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are reportedly the team most interested in acquiring Aaron Rodgers if the Green Bay Packers trade their disgruntled quarterback. 

"The Denver Broncos continue to be the team I hear that are going to be the most interested [in Aaron Rodgers] and are going to put the most in front of the Green Bay Packers to try to make this trade go down," ESPN's Dianna Russini said Tuesday on Get Up. 

The Broncos already traded for Teddy Bridgewater this offseason but only gave up a sixth-round pick in that deal. They did not select a quarterback in the 2021 NFL draft even though Justin Fields and Mac Jones were both available at No. 9 overall. Denver instead selected cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

The Packers have been steadfast in their stance they will not trade Rodgers, even though the reigning league MVP has been equally strident in saying he no longer wants to play for the franchise. General manager Brian Gutekunst has made several public comments in the media in recent days, saying he has no plans to trade Rodgers.

"I had no [trade] discussions with any team. I received one call from a team Thursday night, after all the news came out. I said no. That was the end of the conversation," Gutekunst told Peter King of NBC Sports.

Rodgers' displeasure with the franchise dates back to the 2020 NFL draft, when Gutekunst chose to punt high-leverage rounds rather than target immediate-impact players. He traded up to draft quarterback Jordan Love in Round 1 and grabbed backup running back AJ Dillon and backup tight end Josiah Deguara in Rounds 2 and 3, respectively.

Selecting Love as a long-term replacement for Rodgers appears to be the biggest sticking point. Rodgers was blindsided by the move, and Gutekunst acknowledged the team failed to properly communicate with its franchise quarterback.

The Broncos would provide an interesting landing spot for Rodgers, given their heavy investment in skill-position players in recent seasons. Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, Dalton Risner, Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler have all been selected in higher rounds of recent drafts and found success. The Broncos also traded up in the 2021 draft to select running back Javonte Williams in Round 2.

It's the exact type of investment the Packers have not made for Rodgers in recent seasons. 

Jonathon Cooper will have a group of supporters no matter how he fares with the Denver Broncos.

After Denver selected the Ohio State pass-rusher with a seventh-round pick in Saturday's NFL draft, a number of children from his neighborhood arrived to congratulate him:

.@JonathonCooper7 just got drafted by the Broncos

Some kids from his neighborhood pulled up to congratulate him ❤️

(via @OhioStateFB)pic.twitter.com/BYfOmYSYUd

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) May 3, 2021

Cooper may end up being one of the late-round steals from the 2021 draft. After all, he was a key part of the defensive line rotation for the Buckeyes as they won the Big Ten title and reached the College Football Playoff National Championship Game this past season.

While he missed most of the 2019 campaign with injury, he was a veteran leader for the team inn 2020 and delivered in the biggest moments.

He had a sack in the Big Ten title game win over Northwestern, a sack in a showdown between highly ranked teams in the win over Indiana and a sack and forced fumble in the CFP win over Clemson.

And the neighborhood children are ready to cheer for him as he looks to parlay that collegiate success into a spot on an NFL roster.

The Denver Broncos are going to let their quarterback situation sort itself out.

Head coach Vic Fangio told reporters Saturday that Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater would split time 50-50 during OTAs and training camp. 

Lock served as the primary signal-caller for Denver in 2020, making 13 starts in his second year in the league. The Broncos acquired Bridgewater from the Carolina Panthers via trade Wednesday. 

In 2020, Lock—the team's second-round pick out of Missouri in 2019—threw for 2,933 yards and 16 touchdowns but led the league with 15 interceptions. Conversely, Bridgewater threw for a career-high 3,733 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first action as a starter since the 2015 season.

In that 2015 campaign, the then-second-year QB earned a Pro Bowl nod by collecting 3,231 yards and 14 touchdowns. 

“I think Drew is going to look good here in the offseason when we do hit the field. And I’ve been an admirer of Teddy Bridgewater for many years," Fangio said. 

The Broncos seem to be content with the situation as it stands, considering they could have added either Ohio State's Justin Fields or Alabama's Mac Jones when they selected at No. 9 overall. But they chose cornerback Patrick Surtain II, and Fields went at No. 11 to the Chicago Bears and Jones to the New England Patriots at No. 15.

According to Mike Klis of Denver's 9News, Fangio also dodged questions about the availability of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has reportedly told people within the organization that he does not want to return in 2021. 

If the Green Bay Packers do trade Aaron Rodgers, the Denver Broncos could be a potential destination for the reigning MVP.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler explained the situation Sunday on SportsCenter:

"Indications are that Aaron Rodgers wants to be out West, so we have to start with the Denver Broncos. They have left all of their options on the table by not drafting a quarterback over the weekend. GM George Paton says he likes Drew Lock, he likes Teddy Bridgewater, he's comfortable moving forward with those two. But if Aaron Rodgers is on the table, I think he'll at least look into it.

"Denver's a team that other people around the league are watching very closely. And Paton was long in Minnesota and watched Aaron Rodgers torch them twice a year in the NFC North. So, he'll at the very least be intrigued. And this is a team with a lot of weapons: three good receivers, running backs. Rodgers would be intrigued by them."

Adam Schefter of ESPN previously reported Rodgers does not want to return to the Packers next season, although general manager Brian Gutekunst has said the team doesn't plan on trading him.

Green Bay picked quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 draft as Rodgers' eventual replacement.

Moving Rodgers to the Broncos would at least get him outside the conference without also creating an unstoppable juggernaut that would be a threat to the Packers.

It would still be an intriguing landing spot for the veteran despite the fact that Denver went just 5-11 last season. Drew Lock struggled under center in 2020 in his second season, producing a 75.4 quarterback rating that was the fourth-worst among qualified players. Replacing him with Rodgers, who led the NFL with a 121.5 rating, makes this a much different team.

The Broncos have an exciting group of skill players that includes Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant, Melvin Gordon and 2021 second-round pick Javonte Williams at running back.

Though the defense finished 25th in scoring last season, it should be much better next year after investing in the secondary with the additions of Kyle Fuller, Ronald Darby and first-round pick Patrick Surtain II. A healthy Von Miller would also strengthen the front seven.

Peyton Manning was 36 years old when he began his second act with Denver in 2012, kicking off a four-year span that included an MVP award, two trips to the Super Bowl and one title. The 37-year-old Rodgers could have similar success in the same location.

HEIGHT: 6'3 5/8"

WEIGHT: 301 lbs

      

POSITIVES

—Has played in both the defensive interior and the defensive edge in the SEC.

—His size can give offensive linemen problems.

—Has the frame to play 4-technique at an NFL level.

—Arm extension is great and a trait he can build around.

         

NEGATIVES

—Foot speed on the edge is bad, to the point where he cannot be the end man on the line of scrimmage.

—Likely cannot play the edge in the NFL.

—May already be maxed out athletically as a run down-only player.

—Was rotated often for a player of his size at Mississippi State.

       

2020 STATISTICS

34 TKL, 8.5 TFL, 3 SK, 1 INT, 1 FF

      

NOTES

—Has gained over 60 pounds since his prep days.

—Tore his ACL in 2018, leading to a medical redshirt.

       

OVERALL

Marquiss Spencer is a big end who may project best as a 3-4 defensive end or a base end in a 4-3 under defense. His foot speed limits him on the edge, while his size limits him on the interior. Lining up head-up on a tackle is his best role, but the NFL is asking for those types of players less and less in their one-gap defensive world. On the flip side, the same is true at the college level, as Spencer is one of the few players in this class with draftable ability whose best position is 4-technique.

       

GRADE: 6.8/10 (Round 5)

OVERALL RANK: 187/300

POSITION RANK: DL16

PRO COMPARISON: Red Bryant

       

Written by B/R NFL Scout Justis Mosqueda

HEIGHT: 6'2 5/8"

WEIGHT: 253 lbs

         

POSITIVES

—Sets a hard edge. He's an underrated run defender.

—He's playing his best ball as his career pushes forward, including the Senior Bowl.

—He has NFL size.

—His timed drills show potential for more athleticism than shown on tape.

—Speed-to-power potential as a pass-rusher is there.

       

NEGATIVES

—Foot speed is not great on film.

—Play strength is not enough to base his game around at the moment.

—Will not be a defensive end who is able to chase down a play as an unblocked end man on the line of scrimmage.

        

2020 STATISTICS

24 TKL, 3.5 TFL, 3.5 SK, 1 PBU, 1 FF

         

NOTES

—State Defensive Player of the Year in Ohio as a senior.

—Was named a team captain in 2019 and 2020.

—Started every game he was available for in the past three seasons.

—Medically redshirted in 2019 because of a high-ankle sprain that required surgery.

       

OVERALL

Jonathon Cooper had a non-traditional college career, as injury and a COVID-19-shortened season worked against his breakout, but the former highly recruited prep put together a solid 2020 against future NFL offensive tackles on film.

His athletic measurables do not match 1:1 with his film but may signify an upside that was unreached in 2019 and 2020 because of his ankle injury. Cooper consistently got better as his college career developed, even stretching through Senior Bowl practices, which is a sign that the arrow on his career is only moving up.

At the moment, Cooper warrants a late-round selection as he attempts to show that his flashes are not a fluke. He could fight for a roster spot in camp.

         

GRADE: 6.45/10 (Round 6)

OVERALL RANK: 247/300

POSITION RANK: EDGE30

PRO COMPARISON: Kylie Fitts 

         

Written by B/R NFL Scout Justis Mosqueda

HEIGHT: 5'9 3/4"

WEIGHT: 185 lbs

      

POSITIVES

—Smooth athlete with fluid hips and speed to blanket receivers.

—Instincts for game and position.

—Very good technique.

—Sneaky defender who is able to finish receiver routes and get his hands on the ball.

—Great body position to push receivers off their line.

       

NEGATIVES

—Lack of size becomes a factor when tackling in the open field.

—Bigger receivers may get position on him at times.

—Routinely gets beat on inside breaking routes.

      

2019 STATISTICS

47 tackles, 4 INT, 8 PBU

     

NOTES

—Opted out 2020 season

        

OVERALL

Vincent is an extremely athletic player with elite ball skills. Versatile with an opportunistic play style. What he lacks in size, he makes up for with great patience and timing with the ball in the air. Showing the ability to use his speed and instincts, Vincent can be quite a playmaker at times.

With that said, Kary did struggle against some of the better receivers in 2019 (DeVonta Smith, Van Jefferson, Kyle Pitts). Despite the lack of size, he shows a feisty play style with a high motor and nose for the ball. Ultimately, Vincent will be a Swiss Army knife for some lucky defensive coordinator and should come off the board early.

        

GRADE: 7.9/10 (potential NFL starter, Round 2)

OVERALL RANK: 51/300

POSITION RANK: CB7

PRO COMPARISON: Denzel Ward 75 percent/Tyrann Mathieu 25 percent

      

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 211

     

POSITIVES

— Long, tall outside-only WR.

— Delivers on length and athleticism in the red zone. Shows flashes of being a true ball-winner on 50-50 balls and creates touchdowns. 

— Flashes good feet and body control on underneath routes. Able to consistently turn tightly on his route breaks.

— Well built and a fluid enough athlete to adjust to throws and box out defenders on throws like back-shoulder go balls. Shows adequate play strength after the catch and will flash a stiff-arm. Has a frame that would allow for even more growth. 

       

NEGATIVES

— Not very physical or consistently competitive in play and will ball-watch. Will take charges from defenders when blocking in the run game. 

— Acceleration is just OK and requires buildup speed due to long legs.

— Below average with the ball in his hands. Lack quickness to make defenders miss in tight spaces. 

— Will body-catch throws over the middle because he's seemingly worried about where defenders are coming from.

     

2020 STATISTICS

11 G, 47 rec., 760 yards, 16.2 avg., 4 TD

      

OVERALL

Seth Williams is a tall ball-winning WR who can have a role in the red zone for whichever team drafts him because of his feel for space and ability to win 50-50 balls. Williams is a fluid athlete and flashes good body control and foot quickness when asked to work underneath on shorter routes or when adjusting for throws away from his body.

He also shows adequate play strength, with some blocking flashes and a stiff-arm thrown in when he has the ball in his hands but overall does not consistently make defenders miss because of average lateral quickness. Williams lacks consistency and sustained competitiveness in his game.

Some of his frustrations on film are understandable because of his QB play, but there is a lack of sustained fight when blocking or after getting jammed repeatedly that is concerning, as the road only gets harder at the next level.

Williams is going to be a bit of a developmental player for whichever team drafts him, as he will need to continue work on his route tree and just overall play consistency. He might not be a great fit on special teams early on, but he might show more competitive edge with a better situation around him. He has a path and upside to being a true starting X WR in the NFL but will need a good team fit for him to find it.

     

GRADE: 7.3/10 (Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 123/300

POSITION RANK: WR18

PRO COMPARISON: Kevin White 

     

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice

HEIGHT: 5'11 7/8"

WEIGHT: 205

                 

POSITIVES

—Active player. Fills run well and does a good job blitzing.

—Strong player. Uses strength well in the run and pass game.

—Has good cover skills in both man and zone.

—Very good center-field player. Reads quarterbacks' eyes well and attacks the ball in the air.

                

NEGATIVES

—Lacks long speed. Ball-carriers can pull away if out of position.

—Poor eye discipline at times. Can get caught with play actions and misdirection.

—Inconsistent tackling. Tackles can be broken or he falls off of some.

                 

2020 STATISTICS

8 Games: 42 tackles, 1 Sack, 4 INT, 4 PBU, 1 FF

              

NOTES

—Ejected from the Michigan game in 2020 for throwing a punch.

                 

OVERALL

Johnson is an active player who was able to excel at multiple levels within the Hoosier defense. His stats jumped up in the 2020 season, where he had almost two times the number of tackles than the previous season in which he played four more games. He showed the knowledge and understanding to play in multiple coverages.

He performs best when he is able to read the quarterback's eyes to bring him to the ball. Although he has only above-average play speed, Johnson uses his instincts, ball skills, and good burst out of breaks in man coverage. At times he can have poor eye discipline and overaggression in the run game. Johnson will have to shore up his tackling but can add depth to a room while finding his role.

GRADE: 7.6/10 (Potential NFL Starter - Round 3)

OVERALL RANK: 81/300

POSITION RANK: S3

PRO COMPARISON: John Johnson III 

                 

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

If the Green Bay Packers change their mind on an Aaron Rodgers trade, there is at least one team prepared to engage them in talks for the three-time NFL MVP. 

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Denver Broncos are a potential destination for Rodgers if Green Bay decides to trade him:

The #Broncos are a possible destination for Aaron Rodgers if the #Packers trade him, which they say they won't. Also, they didn't take a QB on Thursday. Not unrelated. pic.twitter.com/qcMSmWvUEn

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 1, 2021

When ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Thursday that Rodgers informed some members of the organization that he didn't want to play for the Packers anymore, speculation about possible landing spots began. 

Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Rodgers' wish list as of Wednesday included the Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders. 

San Francisco general manager John Lynch said after the first round of the 2021 NFL draft on Thursday night that the team did inquire about Rodgers. 

"I don't know about you guys, but when the MVP of the league might be available—and I didn't know that, I'm just reading the tea leaves like everybody else and saying, 'Hold on, is something going on here?' Yeah, we inquired. And it was a quick end to the conversation. It wasn't happening," Lynch told reporters.

Per Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, Rodgers is willing to consider all options, including a prolonged holdout or retirement, if the Packers don't fire general manager Brian Gutekunst. 

One interesting nugget from Rapoport's report is that Rodgers' potential availability led the Broncos to keep "their options open" when they didn't take a quarterback such as Justin Fields when they made their first-round draft pick at No. 9 overall. 

Denver opted to select Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II with that choice. 

Rodgers has spent his entire 16-year NFL career with the Packers. He ranks second in franchise history with 51,245 passing yards and 412 passing touchdowns.