Denver Broncos

With the benefit of hindsight, Melvin Gordon says he would have handled his holdout with the Los Angeles Chargers last year differently. 

Speaking to reporters Friday, Gordon explained he may have avoided holding out altogether. 

"I probably would come back, more so because of my legacy and what I'm trying to do as a player and the mark I'm trying to leave," he said. 

Gordon was in a stalemate with the Chargers last summer as he sought a long-term extension. His holdout lasted into the regular season, causing him to miss the first four games. 

Even when Gordon returned to the lineup, his performance suffered a steep decline from 2018.

The Wisconsin alum had 1,375 yards from scrimmage, 14 total touchdowns and averaged 6.1 yards per touch two years ago. 

In 12 games last season, Gordon's 908 yards from scrimmage, nine total touchdowns and 4.5 yards per touch were his lowest totals since his rookie campaign in 2015. 

The Chargers committed to Austin Ekeler as their primary running back, giving him a four-year extension on March 6.

Gordon agreed to a two-year deal with the Denver Broncos worth $16 million on March 20. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the 26-year-old had a better offer from another team, but being able to play in the same division as the Chargers put Denver over the top. 

With the Denver Broncos officially announcing they signed running back Melvin Gordon, NFL Network's James Palmer reported the expectation is that "Gordon will be Denver's bell cow" out of the backfield. 

That would mean Gordon leapfrogs Phillip Lindsay, who has run for 2,048 yards and 16 touchdowns through his first two seasons.

Gordon, on the other hand, watched his stock fall precipitously in 2019.

He blinked first in his contract standoff with the Los Angeles Chargers, reporting to the team in September without securing a long-term extension.

Cost of a holdout:

Melvin Gordon will be subject to $1.2 million worth of fines while losing out on $989,118 worth of base salary for the first three games.

Gordon still earn $4,615,882 of base salary for the rest of this season. He will be a free agent, with plans to move on.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 26, 2019

The 26-year-old was then outplayed by Austin Ekeler on the field, running for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games. His 3.8 yards per carry were the second-lowest of his career.

The Chargers re-signed Ekeler to a four-year, $24.5 million extension, while Gordon got $16 million over two years from the Broncos.

Broncos head coach Vic Fangio discussed his team's new-look backfield on Wednesday.

"Exactly how that will look remains to be seen," Fangio said (h/t Broncos Wire's Jon Heath). "But it's pretty common right now in the NFL that most teams have two backs that do a bulk of the ball-carrying or playing the running back position, divvying up the third-down responsibilities."

Palmer's report and Fangio's comments highlight why fantasy football owners should demonstrate caution when the time comes to drafting either Gordon or Lindsay.

Balancing the workload between the two could be Denver's best move but limit their individual fantasy returns.

Plus, it's tough to gauge how good Gordon will be in 2020. He averaged 1,457 yards from scrimmage between 2016-18. With the benefit of a full offseason to practice and prepare for the regular season, the two-time Pro Bowler could enjoy a return to form.

In general, steering clear of Lindsay or Gordon on fantasy teams might be advisable, especially until it gets closer to the season.

Denver Broncos general manager John Elway has donated $50,000 to the Colorado COVID Relief Fund, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

News of Elway's personal donation came after the Broncos organization pledged $500,000 to the fund.

The 59-year-old Elway has been the Broncos' GM since 2011, and he was a Hall of Fame quarterback for the franchise from 1983-98.

There has been over 487,000 reported cases of COVID-19 worldwide, leading to more than 22,000 deaths, per CNN. That includes over 69,000 cases and more than 1,000 deaths in the United States.

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in the suspension of most major professional sports leagues, but the NFL has moved forward with its offseason, which means Elway has been a busy man.

In addition to free agency going ahead as scheduled, the NFL draft is still set to occur from April 23-25. Although the draft will no longer be held in front of a live crowd in Las Vegas and there are some limitations in place—such as a lack of in-person visits with the prospects—Elway is undoubtedly hard at work in preparing for the draft.

Elway won two Super Bowls as a quarterback and has led the Broncos to one Super Bowl championship as a GM.

There's no question that the Kansas City Chiefs are the kings of the AFC West. And the AFC as a whole. And the National Football League.

Hoisting a Lombardi Trophy will do that for you.

However, as the division's other teams gear up to take a run at downing the Chiefs in 2020, one franchise is quietly building a team that is capable of competing with them and joining the upper echelon in the AFC.

That team is the Denver Broncos.

In recent years, the Broncos have been driven by defense. It was the defense that propelled them to a victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. And under a head coach in Vic Fangio who has long been known as a mastermind on that side of the ball, it's the defense that will serve as the backbone of the team this season.

The Broncos were a respectable 12th in the NFL in total defense in 2019, and given the additions the team has made, it's reasonable to predict improvement in that regard in 2020.

Broncos general manager John Elway didn't even wait for free agency's legal tampering window to open before making changes. With longtime stalwart Chris Harris Jr. set to hit the open market, Elway was aggressive in replacing him, agreeing to a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars that brought 2017 Pro Bowl cornerback A.J. Bouye to Denver. Like Harris, Bouye's 2019 season wasn't his best. But he's two years younger than Harris and a better fit as a boundary cornerback.

Denver will get a second potential impact addition on the back end in 2020 with the return to health of cornerback Bryce Callahan. Callahan's first season in Denver in 2019 ended before it began, compliments of a foot injury. But when he's healthy, the sixth-year pro is one of the better slot corners in the game.

And the Broncos franchised safety Justin Simmons, who is coming off a season with a career-high 93 tackles that resulted in a second-team All-Pro nod. While it may not quite be the "No Fly Zone" secondary of Denver's Super Bowl run, it's a fine defensive backfield.

Elway used a trade to bolster the front seven as well. The Broncos sent a seventh-round pick in the 2020 draft to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for veteran defensive lineman Jurrell Casey. The 30-year-old, who has quietly been one of the best 3-4 ends in the NFL for several years, has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last five seasons. A ferocious edge-setter and stout pass-rusher capable of playing both end and tackle, Casey told Dylan Scott of KOAA-TV that he feels he's playing the best football of his career.

"You're going to turn on my film, you'll see that," Casey said. "I'm running to the ball, downfield, I'm getting into the backfield and being disruptive."

With both Derek Wolfe and Shelby Harris hitting free agency, finding a quality replacement was a priority for Denver. Elway did that and then some.

If youngster Dre'Mont Jones steps up opposite Casey, Denver's front seven could be a big area of strength in 2020. That's especially true when you consider that a linebacker corps that consists of two solid inside players in Todd Davis and Alexander Johnson and two stud edge-rushers in Von Miller and Bradley Chubb was already the best group at that position in the AFC West.

As Ryan O'Halloran wrote for the Denver Post, as good as Denver's defense might be in 2020, Fangio is well aware that it will only get the team so far if the Broncos can't improve an offense that ranked 28th in the NFL in scoring in 2019.

"[The Chiefs have] lost eight games in the last two years; all of those games except one, the other team has scored 31 of more points," Fangio said. "That paints a little picture for you. You've got to be able to slow them down somewhat, which to some degree we did a little bit [in '19]. But obviously you're going to have to score some points."

It's that offense for which Elway cracked open the checkbook.

The biggest free-agent signing the team has made in 2020 came on the offensive front, where Elway handed $44 million over four years to Graham Glasgow. The 27-year-old Glasgow, who spent the first five years of his career in Detroit, has extensive experience playing both guard spots and center. Per Aric DiLalla of the Broncos website, Glasgow has surrendered just one sack over the last two seasons.

While the loss of center Connor McGovern opened a hole on Denver's O-line, Glasgow more than fills it. It's a nice bump for a Broncos line that ranked 25th in the NFL in pass protection last year, according to Football Outsiders.

The other major offensive signing was a bit more puzzling. With Phillip Lindsay (who has rushed for over 1,000 yards in both of his NFL seasons) and Royce Freeman already on the roster, running back didn't appear to be an area of need for the Broncos. Denver added one anyway, inking Melvin Gordon III to a two-year deal.

Gordon's 2019 season was forgettable, but the 26-year-old has three seasons with over 1,300 total yards, 224 career receptions and 47 total touchdowns. The Broncos now have arguably the deepest group of tailbacks in the NFL. They are well-positioned to rotate fresh, talented runners with regularity. To ground-and-pound an opponent to dust.

Every one of these moves can only help Drew Lock's chances for success in 2020. The second-year signal-caller showed flashes as a rookie, but he remains a work in progress. The improvements on defense will help keep the Broncos in games. A better offensive line and punishing ground game will help take pressure off Lock to try to carry the offense.

Of course, Lock will need to step up in 2020—the Broncos are going to have to score significantly more than 17.6 points per game to contend for a playoff spot. But Lock is not going to have to stand on his head every Sunday for the Broncos to move the football.

This doesn't mean that the Broncos are ready to take a run at dethroning the Chiefs. As is the case with approximately 32 NFL teams, the Broncos could use another cornerback and more help on the offensive line. The team also needs a wide receiver to pair with youngster Courtland Sutton, but just about every mock draft out there has the team addressing that position in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

The Broncos still have work to do. But substantial progress has already been made with a team that wasn't that far away in 2019—the gap between 7-9 and 10-6 isn't as wide as many think.

Elway has received his share of criticism as Denver's general manager—much of it justified. But he's done a good job adding talent in free agency to a team that quietly turned it on over the second half of last year, winning four of five to close out the season.

And in doing so, Elway may just be building the AFC's next sleeping giant.

The question now is how long it takes the Broncos to wake up.

       

The Denver Broncos will re-sign outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu on a one-year contract, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday night.

The 27-year-old joined the Broncos on Oct. 1 after Bradley Chubb suffered a partially torn ACL that ended his season after four games.

Attaochu recorded 3.5 sacks and 21 tackles (14 solo) in 12 games (five starts).

The San Diego Chargers used a second-round draft pick on Attaochu in 2014. The Georgia Tech product played for the Chargers through the 2017 season, notching 10 of his 15.5 sacks with the team, including a career-high six in '15.

Attaochu spent the 2018 season with the New York Jets after a brief stint with the San Francisco 49ers from March to September, appearing in 11 games (zero starts) and recording two sacks. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in April, but they released him Sept. 1.

Attaochu will enter 2020 as depth behind Chubb and three-time All-Pro outside linebacker Von Miller.

The Denver Broncos have shaken up their backfield by reportedly agreeing to a contract with running back Melvin Gordon III.  

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Gordon turned down a better offer from another team to accept a two-year, $16 million deal from the Broncos and a chance to play against the Los Angeles Chargers twice every season.

The reported addition of Gordon to a stable of running backs led by Phillip Lindsay has potentially huge ramifications for fantasy players in 2020.  

           

Broncos Offensive Depth Chart

QB: Drew Lock, Brandon Allen, Brett Rypien

RB: Phillip Lindsay, Melvin Gordon III, Royce Freeman, Devontae Booker

WR: Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, DaeSean Hamilton, Diontae Spencer

TE: Jeff Heuerman, Noah Fant, Troy Fumagalli

         

Lindsay has been one of the NFL's best success stories over the past two years. Undrafted out of Colorado in 2018, he's posted more than 1,000 rushing yards in each of his first two seasons.

However, one significant reason the Broncos likely wanted Gordon is his ability as a receiver, as Rich Hribar of Sharp Football noted:

Frustrating split potential, but Gordon has an edge on all of the money touches. Lindsay was completely phased out of the passing game last year as the season went on, catching 18 passes for 54 yards over the final 11 games of 2019. https://t.co/j7pKTtktXf

— Rich Hribar (@LordReebs) March 20, 2020

Lindsay has recorded 35 receptions in each of the past two years, but last season, only 10 of those came after Week 8.

CBS Sports' Dave Richard painted a bleak picture of Lindsay as a receiver in 2019:

Phillip Lindsay ...

-53rd out of 54 RB qualifiers in @PFF pass blocking efficiency
- 0.93 yards per route run
- six drops

— #AskFFT (@daverichard) March 20, 2020

That indicates Gordon could become a major factor in Denver's offense. He is coming off a disappointing year with the Los Angeles Chargers that saw him set career lows with 162 carries and 612 rushing yards.

But Gordon's contract holdout may have affected his performance. The two-time Pro Bowler missed all of the preseason and the first four games of the regular season trying to get a long-term extension.

A full training camp and preseason could help him return to his level of play from 2016 to 2018, when he averaged 287 touches, 1,457 yards from scrimmage and about 13 touchdowns per season.

Lindsay has just one receiving touchdown in 31 career games. Gordon had 10 receiving touchdowns from 2016 to 2018.  

Second-year quarterback Drew Lock could have a breakout campaign in 2020 after a promising showing late last season. The former Missouri star threw for 1,020 yards with seven touchdowns and a 64.1 completion percentage in five starts.  

The Broncos don't have a deep stable of receivers for Lock to throw to. Courtland Sutton had 1,112 yards and six touchdowns, but no other wideout currently on the roster had more than 297 yards and one touchdown.

Even if Lindsay gets the bulk of the carries for the offense, Gordon will make his presence felt as a receiver in 2020. He could also take a lot of the touches given to Royce Freeman, who only averaged 3.8 yards per attempt on 132 carries last season.

Melvin Gordon III is reportedly heading to the Denver Broncos.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the free-agent running back agreed to a contract worth $16 million for two years with $13.5 million guaranteed.

Rapoport noted Gordon had a better offer on the table from another team, but "the lure of playing in the same division" as his former squad, the Los Angeles Chargers, appealed to him.

Gordon had been seeking a new deal since last year. He held out of training camp and into the regular season before returning in Week 5 without a new contract.

The 2015 first-round pick had mixed results when he was on the field in 2019, totaling 908 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns in 12 games. While he had big weeks, the 3.8 yards per carry and the 51.0 rushing yards per game were the lowest since his rookie season.

Despite the inconsistency, the 26-year-old has proved he can be an elite weapon out of the backfield.

The two-time Pro Bowler averaged 1,457 yards from scrimmage and 12.7 touchdowns from 2016 to 2018. The 6'1", 215-pounder can pick up yards between the tackles, especially near the goal line, or make big plays as a receiving threat.

Though he lost out on snaps and touches last season to Austin Ekeler, who will presumably take on a full-time role in Los Angeles, Gordon can take advantage of a fresh start to once again become a featured runner.

If the Wisconsin product can stay healthy—he's only played one 16-game season in five years—he can be a key playmaker to help bring diversity to Denver's backfield.

Gordon can be a change of pace from Phillip Lindsay, who has run for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. He's also very good as a receiver, which can go a long way toward helping the development of second-year quarterback Drew Lock.

Joe Flacco's time in Denver has come to an end after the Broncos officially waived the quarterback with a failed physical designation. 

James Palmer of NFL Network reported the move will save the Broncos around $10.5 million in cap space.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported the news on Thursday morning.

This move comes after The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala reported Tuesday that the Broncos reached a two-year agreement with ex-Detroit Lions quarterback Jeff Driskel to be their backup. 9News' Mike Klis then reported that the expectation was for Flacco to be released "by end of week" in a corresponding move.

The Broncos traded a fourth-round draft pick in 2019 to acquire the longtime Baltimore Raven in February 2019, yet the move appeared to be a stopgap until rookie Drew Lock was ready to take over the offense. 

Flacco started the first eight games of the season while Lock was on injured reserve with a thumb injury and compiled a 2-6 record with 1,822 passing yards, six touchdowns, five interceptions, eight fumbles and a QB Rating of 85.1.

An injury to his neck forced him to the bench and gave Lock an opening to take over. During the final five games of the season, the 23-year-old passed for 1,020 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions while going 4-1 and solidifying himself as the future of Denver's offense. 

That left Flacco as a backup with a massive contract for the second time in as many years after Lamar Jackson supplanted him in Baltimore. 

Flacco signed a three-year extension worth $66.4 million in 2016 that will pay him more than $20 million per year through 2021. That made trading the quarterback difficult. 

At 35 years old, it remains to be seen just how intense the market is for his services. He hasn't posted a QB Rating above 90 since 2014, which was also the last time the Super Bowl champion won more than nine games in a season as a starter.

Originally drafted by Baltimore 18th overall out of Delaware in 2008, his career reached a crescendo in 2012 when he led the Ravens to a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, winning the game's MVP award in the process. 

The Denver Broncos have joined the group of sports teams and athletes helping those in need during the coronavirus pandemic, donating $500,000 to the Colorado COVID-19 Impact fund.

The team announced the news on Twitter:

This is a challenging time for everyone, but we will get through it together.
#Broncos President & CEO Joe Ellis announces the team has donated $500,000 to the Colorado COVID-19 Impact fund.

How you can help: https://t.co/a9zOhCfCdL pic.twitter.com/2ambBDnGTo

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) March 18, 2020

The sporting world has ground to a virtual standstill as the crisis continues. Per CNN, the United States has 4,356 confirmed cases of the virus as of March 18.

As a result, the NFL has decided to cancel all public events surrounding its draft in April:

The NFL has canceled public events surrounding the draft next month in Las Vegas because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

The league announced that it still plans to proceed with the draft on April 23-25 and televise the event. More ⬇️ https://t.co/vgsO0QAF3p

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 16, 2020

But while the games have stopped, sports figures have not sat idle. Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill took to Instagram to announce he had donated 6,000 meals to people affected by virus-related closures and challenge his teammates to do the same.

Per Jessica Golden of CNBC, athletes like Stephen Curry, Shaun White, Sir Nick Faldo, Michael Phelps, Jimmie Johnson, David Ortiz and Simone Biles have all committed to the Athletes for Relief fundraiser to donate money to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

Manchester United star Paul Pogba used his birthday to raise money, pledging to match and double the amount if his fans could raise £27,000, per Mirror's David McDonnell.  

The Denver Broncos have reportedly acquired defensive tackle Jurrell Casey in a trade with the Tennessee Titans, the Titans announced on Thursday  

Mike Klis of 9News first reported the news.

Tennessee will receive a seventh-round pick in exchange for the 30-year-old, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

As Rapoport noted, "Tennessee had quietly been open to offers for Casey."

Casey has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last five seasons, totaling 51 sacks in his nine years with the Titans.

Despite his on-field impact, his salary helped force the trade for minimal return:

Told #Broncos will be taking all of Casey's future $$:
--Casey due to count $13.4 mil against cap this yr, $13.9 next year and $13.9 in 2022.
--$5.45 million of 2020 salary would have been gtd on 3/22, per @spotrac.com.
--Broncos' willingness to take $$ explains 7th-rd pick only.

— John Glennon (@glennonsports) March 18, 2020

The Titans could have a numbers crunch after reportedly signing quarterback Ryan Tannehill to a four-year extension worth $118 million. The team also used the franchise tag on Derrick Henry, which will be worth $10.3 million in 2020 if the two sides don't agree to a new deal.

That left Casey as an odd man out even though he totaled 44 tackles and five sacks from the interior defensive line last season.

He was a key part of the defense that held the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens to a combined 25 points in two upset wins in the playoffs, leading the Titans to a surprise run to the AFC Championship Game.

Denver will hope his skill set further improves a defense that finished last season 10th in the league in points allowed and 12th in yards allowed.

With both Derek Wolfe and Shelby Harris entering free agency, Casey provides much-needed help on the defensive line.

The Broncos reportedly traded fullback Andy Janovich to the Cleveland Browns for a 2021 seventh-round pick Tuesday, per Klis. The team essentially flipped a fullback who wasn't going to be used under new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur for a potentially dominant defensive tackle.