AFC West

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill said Friday he did everything in his power to remain with the Kansas City Chiefs but the team wouldn't come close to his contract request.

Hill and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, detailed the period leading up to the blockbuster offseason trade on the wideout's new podcast, It Needed To Be Said, saying a conversation with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid failed to yield the desired outcome.

"I'm like, 'Hey Coach, yo like, I ain't even gotta be the highest-paid, for real. I just want to be put in like a realistic position that's like realistic for me and my family,'" Hill said. "I don't gotta get $30 million. At least get me 25, 26. ... Numbers wasn't even close to that."

Rosenhaus added Reid asked Hill directly whether he wanted to stay in Kansas City, which the six-time Pro Bowl selection confirmed was the case, but the Chiefs' offer still came up "millions of dollars short" in guaranteed money.

In March, Reid said the Chiefs made an "aggressive" proposal in an effort to keep the superstar receiver but it became clear the sides wouldn't be able to reach an agreement.

"I love Tyreek Hill," Reid told reporters. "There's no rift between Tyreek Hill and myself. I thought he deserved an opportunity if that's where he wanted to go. He's a family man that has a few kids and he's got to be able to support them now and down the road, and this gives him an opportunity to do that."

The 28-year-old Georgia native was dealt to Miami for five draft picks, including a 2022 first-round selection. The Chiefs flipped that choice, No. 29 overall, to the New England Patriots as part of a deal for the No. 21 pick, which was used to select Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie.

Meanwhile, Hill signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the Dolphins after the trade that included $72.2 million in guarantees.

While it was a bit surprising the Chiefs decided to move on from Patrick Mahomes' longtime favorite target, the front office made a series of moves—signing JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and drafting Skyy Moore—to help fill the void.

That new pass-catching trio combined with Travis Kelce, Mecole Hardman and Josh Gordon should ensure the K.C. passing attack remains one of the NFL's most productive groups.

As for Hill, he's going to face a lot of pressure to help accelerate the development of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who's facing a potential make-or-break year in his quest to establish himself as a franchise quarterback.

Having Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Mike Gesicki at his disposal gives the 24-year-old University of Alabama product all the necessary tools for success.

The Chiefs and Dolphins aren't scheduled to face off in the regular season, but a playoff matchup could be on the horizon if Tagovailoa breaks through and Mahomes helps Kansas City survive the AFC West, the league's deepest division.

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams told reporters that it's "apples and oranges" when asked to compare his current quarterback, Derek Carr, and his ex-signal-caller, the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers.

"That's a tough question," Adams said (h/t Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk). "I mean, it's tough to compare. It's really apples and oranges there. I mean, it's just such a different ball game. Obviously, you have Aaron, who is cemented as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. That's just like comparing me to Jerry Rice. It'd be tough to do because Jerry's put together what he's done and it's undeniable respect for him. And me, I'm still going. There's still a lot that I've got to do to be mentioned with Jerry and I'm aware of that. And I think Derek is also aware of that, from a big-picture."

Adams played with Carr at Fresno State before the Green Bay Packers picked up the ex-Bulldog in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played with Rodgers for eight seasons before being traded to the Raiders during this offseason.

As far as career accomplishments go, Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks the game has ever seen. He's a four-time NFL MVP and 10-time Pro Bowler with 448 touchdowns and just 92 interceptions since becoming the full-time starter in 2008.

Carr has been good in his own right since entering the league in 2014, making three Pro Bowls along the way. While Rodgers has clearly been the better quarterback, Carr is consistently among the top half of the league's signal-callers at worst year after year.

He notably finished 14th in quarterback rating and ESPN's QBR stat last year, per Pro Football Reference.

The story of Carr's career is far from being finished after just eight seasons in the league, and Adams feels that he and Rodgers are similar in terms of "talent and ability":

“But as far as talent and ability, I mean, it's really similar, if I'm keeping it real. Derek's arm strength—they throw the ball a lot different. Like, Derek is going to fire it in there and you're going to know that thing's coming quick. And Aaron's got the ability to just tighten that core up and just flick the ball to you. So the release is a lot different, but being able to get the ball to you late if they see you coming out of a break—not many quarterbacks can get it to you before you get to the sideline if you're outside the numbers already."

Adams also praised their mental aspects to their games, saying that the two quarterbacks "obsess over it and they know everything that’s going on out there."

The Raiders are looking to build off a 10-7 season that ended in the AFC Wild Card Round. Adding Adams can only help as the offense appears to be in great shape with a pass-catching trio of the ex-Packer, wideout Hunter Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller in the mix.

The Packers finished first in the NFC standings before falling to the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. Losing Adams is tough for the Packers as they search for a return trip to the playoffs, but they did add an exciting rookie in North Dakota State wideout Christian Watson in the draft.

Los Angeles Chargers owner Dean Spanos is being sued by his sister Dea Spanos Berberian.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter and Kimberley A. Martin, Berberian filed a lawsuit in California on Friday for alleged misogynistic behavior and repeated breaches of fiduciary duty.

The lawsuit calls for Spanos to be removed from the family trust that owns 36 percent of the Chargers.

Spanos was also named in another lawsuit filed by his nephews. Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times reported in January that Dimitri and Lex Economou, Berberian's sons, accused him of redirecting money from the family trust.

Their lawsuit alleges that Dean and Michael Spanos, Dean's brother and Chargers vice chairman, changed the trust four years ago that resulted in money shifting from the trust "to themselves personally."

According to Schefter and Martin, Berberian is accusing her brothers of repeatedly acting "out of their deeply-held misogynistic attitudes and sense of entitlement as the men in the family ... and to rationalize their pitiable behavior which she believes is intended to teach her that a woman has no rights, no matter what any trust instrument might say."

Her lawsuit also states Dean and Michael "believe to their cores that ... men are in charge and women should shut up."

Berberian filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court last year to force Spanos to put one-third of the Chargers' ownership stake up for sale because of mounting debts and expenses in excess of $350 million.

"Every day that passes increases the risks that the charitable beneficiaries and the Spanos family legacy will suffer irreparable financial and reputational damage," the petition said.

The petition included a letter in which Spanos vowed to hire an investment bank that would allow any member of the family to sell their stake in the Chargers.

Alex Spanos purchased a majority ownership stake of the Chargers in 1984. He gradually bought out other investors to bring his ownership stake up to 97 percent prior to his death in 2018.

Following Alex's death, his four children—Dean, Dea, Michael and Alexandra Spanos Ruhl—each received a 15 percent ownership stake in the team. The family trust owns 36 percent of the franchise, with the remaining 4 percent controlled by people outside the family.

A new contract for tight end Darren Waller is reportedly on the Las Vegas Raiders' to-do list after they signed wide receiver Hunter Renfrow to a multiyear extension Friday.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Waller was "expected to be a priority" even though he has two seasons left on his four-year, $29.8 million contract.

Waller, who began his career with the Baltimore Ravens in 2015 as a sixth-round draft pick, enjoyed a breakout season for the Raiders in 2019 with 90 catches for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns. He backed that up with 107 grabs for 1,196 yards and nine scores in 2020, earning a Pro Bowl nod.

After emerging as one of the NFL's top tight ends, he missed six games last season because of back and knee injuries. It marked his first absences since 2018 and caused a drop in production to 55 receptions for 665 yards and two TDs.

In turn, now might not be the best time for Waller to agree on a contract extension. If he can bounce back with another highly productive year in 2022, he'd be in line for a more substantial raise next offseason.

The 29-year-old Georgia Tech product said Tuesday he's focusing on getting ready for the season, not the contract talks.

"I just focus on enjoying it while I'm here, whether I'm here 10 years or who knows how long; I'm just being present here," Waller told reporters. "My agent's job is to do that stuff and I just focus on the football part."

His $6.8 million in projected earnings for 2022 ranks 14th among tight ends, per Spotrac. Eight players at the position are slated to bring in between $10 million and $12.5 million, but the Ravens' Mark Andrews reset the market in September with a deal that'll pay him $19 million this year, well ahead of any other tight end.

Waller may have to decide between an immediate raise that could bring him near the top of that second-tier group and betting on himself to return to peak form this season, which could help him strike a more lucrative deal in 2023.

Either way, he's set to line up alongside Davante Adams, who Las Vegas acquired in a blockbuster deal from the Green Bay Packers in March, and Renfrow to give the Raiders one of the best pass-catching trios in the NFL.

Vegas will need every ounce of that playmaking talent to keep pace in an AFC West overflowing with star power and potential Super Bowl contenders.

The Las Vegas Raiders and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow have reached an agreement on a contract extension, the team announced.

Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the new two-year, $32 million deal includes $21 million in guaranteed money for Renfrow, who earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2021.

The 26-year-old Clemson product has developed into one of the league's premier slot receivers since the Raiders selected him in the fifth round of the 2019 draft.

After posting solid numbers across his first two seasons—1,261 yards and six touchdowns in 29 games—he enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2021 to the tune of 103 catches for 1,038 yards and nine scores in 17 contests.

The Raiders reached the playoffs with a 10-7 record, but they still went through a coaching change in the offseason as longtime New England Patriots assistant Josh McDaniels took over as their new head coach.

Renfrow told Tashan Reed of The Athletic he's happy with the direction of the offense under McDaniels and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi.

"Sometimes I can get a little too creative, so they're doing a great job of, 'This is why we're doing it, and we've got to stay within the framework and the parameters that we put in place,'" he said. "I've loved being a little more process-driven and detailed."

Renfrow, who received a strong 80.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season, will likely see his target share drop in 2022 following the arrival of Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers.

That said, the trio of Adams, Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller should give the Raiders one of the NFL's most productive pass-catching trios and could push quarterback Derek Carr, who ranked fifth with 4,804 passing yards last season, toward the top spot in that category.

Even if Renfrow's targets drop somewhere into the 80s, which would be a middle ground between his 2020 and 2021 seasons, he'll remain a vital part of the offense, especially on third down.

The new Denver Broncos ownership group has had discussions about bringing Peyton Manning on in an advisory role, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Per Schefter, the role could lead to Manning becoming part of the ownership group and having equity in the franchise.

The Broncos announced Tuesday that the franchise has been sold to the Walton-Penner family, led by Walmart heir Rob Walton. The sale reportedly totaled $4.65 billion, per Mike Klis of 9News, a record for any U.S. sports franchise.

Manning spent the final four years of his playing career with the Broncos, leading the team to a Super Bowl title after the 2015 season before retiring.

The Hall of Famer also won Comeback Player of the Year in 2012, his first year with the organization. In 2013, he won his fifth career MVP award while setting NFL records with 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdown passes. The Broncos reached the Super Bowl that year before losing to the Seattle Seahawks.

Though Manning spent the majority of his career with the Indianapolis Colts, his success during a brief stint in Denver earned him a spot in the team's Ring of Fame last year.

The 46-year-old now has a chance to play a role within the organization as it heads into a new era.

Manning, who earned nearly $250 million during his playing career and plenty more through endorsements, could soon also own a share of a team he starred for as a player.

The Denver Broncos will start anew in many ways in 2022. They have new ownership, an incoming coaching staff and a fresh face of the franchise in quarterback Russell Wilson.

Rob Walton, the Walmart heir, bought the Broncos for $4.65 billion, and his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner, and son-in-law, Greg Penner, will become the "top two day-to-day Broncos bosses," per 9News' Mike Klis.

What could be the first order of business on the football side? Well, the Broncos' new ownership group should buy into head coach Nathaniel Hackett's plan to "Let Russ Cook."

Somehow, critics (many of them Seattle Seahawks fans and rival AFC West fanbases) have talked themselves into the thought that Wilson belongs in the category of washed-up NFL stars.

Okay, now let's get back to reality.

In September, Wilson will be ready to put on a Broncos jersey like an apron and chop up defenses like the most talented restaurant cook in Denver. He hears the doubters, and Mr. Unlimited will use that motivation to bounce back from a statistically down season.

While different people have varying interpretations of what it means to "Let Russ Cook," which is something Seahawks fan Zach Whitman started in response to Seattle's 24-22 Wild Card loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 2019, Hackett summed it up succinctly.

When asked about how he'll run the offense, Hackett said via Klis, "It's going to be what Russell likes to do."

While that doesn't seem like a sound plan, the Seahawks actually had some success when they allowed Wilson to take an aggressive approach, which is exactly what Whitman highlighted when he talked about the genesis of the idea.

Through the first eight weeks of the 2020 season, Wilson threw for 26 touchdowns and just six interceptions. As an early MVP candidate, he lit defenses on fire, but the offense fell flat in the second half of the campaign. Wilson tossed 14 touchdown passes and seven interceptions from Weeks 9 and 17.

While on the I AM ATHLETE podcast, wide receiver DK Metcalf told retired NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall that the offense became too predictable under head coach Pete Carroll, and defenders made sure not to give up the deep ball on play-action passes downfield:

What happened to Seahawks offense, explained (quickly) by DK Metcalf pic.twitter.com/dQBwmSPFPr

— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) January 25, 2021

Last season, the Seahawks didn't do much cooking aerially, throwing the second-fewest pass attempts. On top of that, Wilson missed three games after he broke his finger in Week 5 and struggled with inconsistencies upon his return, throwing for zero touchdowns in three contests between Weeks 10 and 18.

Why would the Broncos go back to a plan that only worked through the first half of a season two years ago?

Because unlike his situation in Seattle, Wilson has an offensive-minded head coach in Hackett, who can make some on-the-spot game-day tweaks to the passing attack. Keep in mind that the Seahawks fired offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer following the 2020 campaign. Last season, they hired a first-time play-caller in Shane Waldron.

Hackett has his first head-coaching job, but his NFL play-calling resume goes back to the 2013 season when he was with the Buffalo Bills. As an offensive coordinator, he helped lead the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game with a unit that ranked fifth in scoring and sixth in yards for the 2017 term.

Though Hackett didn't serve as the lead play-caller under Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, he earned the respect of four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers:

"We gotta great coaching staff on both sides of the ball & I think this is a little overdue for Nathaniel Hackett.. he is a great coach & a fantastic teacher"@AaronRodgers12 on the Packers coaching staff getting interviewed for head coaching jobs #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/r5884KipGX

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 11, 2022

In areas where the Seahawks offense went stale, Hackett can refresh the scheme to keep defenses guessing and still allow Wilson to take full command of an aggressive attack.

Based on Rodgers' thoughts about his relationship with Hackett from November 2020, the Broncos have a head coach who can build a strong rapport with his lead signal-caller on and off the field.

"There's nobody in the building that brings me more joy or is more fun to be around than Nathaniel Hackett. He's become such a close confidant and friend besides a fantastic coach. I just really, really can't express enough how important he is to our team in so many ways."

Rodgers suggested that Hackett had a way to keep him engaged and teach the game, which makes it a lot easier to take constructive criticism and direction.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Carroll and Wilson had a rocky relationship that The Athletic's Mike Sando, Michael-Shawn Dugar, and Jayson Jenks chronicled up until the last offseason when trade rumors swirled around the former Seahawks quarterback.

With that peek behind the Seahawks' curtain, no one should be surprised that Wilson waived his no-trade clause to find out if the grass is greener in Denver.

Of course, Carroll has a more prominent position in Seattle than Hackett held in Green Bay, but Wilson has a head coach who probably isn't going to battle him in a power struggle over control of the offense. Based on Hackett's comments during organized team activities, he wants his star signal-caller to take full charge.

"It's all about the command of the system. We want to build this thing completely around him and make sure that he's comfortable and watch him come alive. I think he did some awesome things [in practice] utilizing his athleticism, and at the same time, being just a pure drop-back passer."

Wilson has earned the right to have a strong influence over an offense. He's a nine-time Pro Bowler with a ring and two Super Bowl appearances as the starting quarterback of the Seahawks.

While we can make the argument that those Seahawks clubs won with an iconic defense (the Legion of Boom) and a power run game that featured Marshawn Lynch, Wilson kept the club in playoff contention long after the departure of its star defenders and Beast Mode. During his 10-year run in Seattle, the club missed the playoffs twice.

Within a few months, Wilson has already embraced a leadership role, and he's drawn comparisons to Peyton Manning when he played for Denver between 2012 and 2015, according to wide receiver Courtland Sutton (h/t ESPN's Jeff Legwold).

"His knowledge of the game is to a different level. It comes to him so easy, he wants everyone around him to understand it the way he understands it. ... [But] you all can feel it, we all can feel it, the juice is just different. I wasn't here when Peyton Manning was here, but everyone who was here when Peyton was said the juice is similar. ... Everyone understands we have to operate at a different level, a different standard."

Sutton is just one of many teammates that will allow Wilson to put together five-star performances as the maestro in the Broncos' huddle. Despite Denver's unsettled and underwhelming quarterback situation, the fifth-year wideout had a 2019 Pro Bowl season and averages 15.2 yards per catch. Two years removed from a torn ACL that sidelined him for all but one game, he's an underrated go-to receiver.

With that said, Sutton doesn't have to become a star in the passing attack because the Broncos have great depth at wideout.

Jerry Jeudy, who caught 52 passes for 856 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie, will attempt to rebound from an injury-riddled 2021 campaign in which he missed seven games. Going into his third year, he still has a lot of upside. If Jeudy avoids a major issue with his groin, he'll benefit from a significant upgrade at quarterback.

On the boundary opposite Sutton, Tim Patrick will probably round out a strong 11 personnel group. Over the past two seasons, he's hauled in 104 passes for 1,476 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Wilson will have two big red-zone targets in Sutton (6'4", 216 lbs) and Patrick (6'4", 212 lbs), who can put a lot of pressure on defenses while in striking distance of a touchdown. Meanwhile, Jeudy brings speed and slot versatility—KJ Hamler can potentially do the same after taking notes from Seahawks wideout Tyler Lockett.

While on the mend from a torn ACL, Hamler took time to see how he could mimic Lockett, which would put him in a good position to produce with Wilson under center, per The Athletic's Nick Kosmider.

"I’m a big fan of Tyler’s game and me and him have talked a lot. I’ve just been picking his brain, like, ‘How does Russ handle these situations?’ It’s being a sponge, absorbing knowledge from two Pro Bowl guys. I put on Tyler’s film and I’m like, ‘OK, he did this and he did that.’ And then it’s, ‘OK, I can do all this.’ I’ve just got to go out there and play and get back on the field.'”

With only 35 receptions for 455 yards and three touchdowns through 16 games, Hamler will go into the 2022 season as the X-factor in the offense, capable of making explosive plays.

Wilson can spice up the offense with throws to a pair of tight ends in Albert Okwuegbunam and rookie third-rounder Greg Dulcich. He also has a running back duo in Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III, who combined for 71 receptions for 529 yards and five touchdowns last year.

With a steady offensive line that could return three primary starters and welcome back interior offensive lineman Graham Glasgow from a season-ending injury in Week 9, Wilson has all the ingredients to serve up big point totals all year.

Now that Wilson has an offensive head coach calling the shots, he can become a better lead chef. While Carroll is known for his concerted effort to establish the run, Hackett seems more inclined to "Let Russ Cook."

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.

Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils governor Josh Harris was reportedly willing to pay $5 billion for the NFL's Denver Broncos had he been granted assurance that it would have been the winning bid.

According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Harris didn't get that assurance and ultimately didn't bid $5 billion out of fear that the Walton-Penner group would surpass his bid and drive the price up.

Harris reportedly decided against that since he has plans to buy a different NFL franchise in the future and didn't want to inflate the price by bidding too high on the Broncos.

Ultimately, the Walton-Penner family agreed to purchase the Broncos for $4.65 billion on Tuesday, per ESPN's Jeff Legwold, establishing a new record sale price for a North American sports franchise.

The Walton-Penner group, led by Walmart heir Rob Walton; his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner; and her husband, Greg Penner, are set to buy the Broncos from the Bowlen family should the sale get approved.

Approval will take between 60 and 90 days, and it requires 24 "yes" votes from the NFL's other owners. ESPN's Adam Schefter (h/t Legwold) noted that the sale isn't expected to hit any snags.

In the Broncos, the Walton-Penner group is acquiring one of the most successful franchises in NFL history.

The Broncos are 15-time AFC West champions, eight-time Super Bowl finalists and three-time Super Bowl champions, including their most recent title in 2015.

While Denver has missed the playoffs in each of the past six seasons, there is reason for optimism in 2022 and beyond following the acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks.

Harris is still in search of his first major championship as governor of the NBA's Sixers, NHL's Devils and English Premier League's Crystal Palace.

Harris purchased the 76ers in 2011. They have become a perennial playoff team over the past five seasons, but they haven't made it out of the second round of the playoffs during that time despite the presence of All-Star center Joel Embiid.

Meanwhile, the Devils have just one playoff appearance and no playoff series wins since Harris purchased them in 2013.

After a long legal battle over the transfer of ownership, the Denver Broncos have been sold to the Walton-Penner family, the franchise announced Tuesday.

The Denver Broncos and the Walton-Penner family have entered into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire the team.

Statements: pic.twitter.com/tMcfuAifeS

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 8, 2022

Mike Klis of 9News reported that the Walton-Penner family won with a bid of $4.65 billion, which broke the record for a U.S. sports franchise.

Mike Ozanian of Forbes previously reported that the estimated winning bid was around $4.5 billion.

A sale has been expected for some time, especially in the aftermath of a Jan. 11 ruling by Denver County District Court Judge Shelley I. Gilman that determined a right of first refusal agreement between previous owners Pat Bowlen and Edgar Kaiser was "no longer valid or enforceable in any respect."

The Pat Bowlen Trust announced Feb. 1 that the Broncos were up for sale:

The Pat Bowlen Trust announced today the beginning of a sale process for the Denver Broncos.

Joe Ellis: “Whoever emerges as the new owner will certainly understand what the team means to our great fans and this community.” pic.twitter.com/ubfPc4TjID

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) February 1, 2022

Per Andrew Beaton of the Wall Street Journal, Kaiser maintained a right of first refusal as part of his original sale of the Broncos to Bowlen in 1984.

The clause came up in 2004 when Kaiser claimed Bowlen violated the agreement by offering a 10 percent stake in the franchise to John Elway. A jury ruled in Kaiser's favor, but an appeals court overruled the jury.

Despite the ruling, Elway elected not to invest as a minority owner at that time.

Bowlen, who had Alzheimer's disease, relinquished control of the franchise to Joe Ellis in 2014. Bowlen died at age 75 in 2019.

Ellis began his NFL career as Broncos director of marketing from 1983 to 1985. He spent eight seasons in the league offices as vice president of club administration and stadium management before returning to the Broncos in 1998.

Since 2014, Ellis has been Denver's president and CEO.

Under Bowlen's ownership, the Broncos made 18 playoff appearances and won 13 division titles, seven AFC championships and three Super Bowls.

In August, Forbes' Mike Ozanian and Christina Settimi estimated the Broncos' franchise value at $3.75 billion. It is the 10th-highest valuation among all 32 NFL teams.

Despite high-profile competition in the bidding for the Broncos, it's hard to argue against the credentials that Rob Walton and the Walton-Penner family bring to the table for the franchise and the NFL.

The son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Rob served as chairman of the retail giant for 23 years after his father's death in 1992.

Walton's family is familiar with sports team ownership. Luke Patterson of Sports Illustrated noted that Walton's cousin Ann is married to Stan Kroenke, who owns the Los Angeles Rams and a number of other sports franchises.

Per Forbes, Walton is the 17th-wealthiest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $68.6 billion.

While the Broncos have missed the playoffs in the past six seasons since winning Super Bowl 50, they are in prime position to be a title contender in 2022. Their roster boasts a lot of talent at skill positions, including Patrick Surtain II, Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton.

General manager George Paton solved the quarterback question this offseason by acquiring Russell Wilson in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks.

Colin Kaepernick worked out for the Las Vegas Raiders two weeks ago, and starting quarterback Derek Carr appears to be supportive of the possibility that he'll be added to the roster.

When asked if Kaepernick would be welcomed to the Raiders locker room, Carr told reporters, "We'd get along great."

The Raiders and Kaepernick have been circling each other for months now. In April, team owner Mark Davis said he'd welcome Kaepernick to the team, but he left the decision up to the front office and coaching staff.

"I believe in Colin Kaepernick," Davis said. "He deserves every chance in the world to become a quarterback in the National Football League. I still stand by it. If our coaches and general manager want to bring him in or want him to be the quarterback on this team, I would welcome him with open arms."

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on May 25 that Kaepernick completed a workout with the Raiders, which was his first official workout with any team since he was banished from the NFL. He had visited with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017, but didn't work out for the team.

The 34-year-old hasn't played in the league since 2016, the year he began kneeling during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice and police brutality.

Kaepernick has been working towards a potential comeback, and he expressed that he would be open to returning to the league as a backup quarterback.

"I know I have to find my way back in," Kaepernick said on the I Am Athlete podcast. "So, yeah, if I have to come in as a backup, that fine. But that's not where I'm staying. And when I prove that I'm a starter, I want to be able to step on the field as such. I just need that opportunity to walk through the door."

The Raiders' current backup quarterback is Nick Mullens, and the team also has Jarrett Stidham and Chase Garbers on the roster. It's no secret that Kaepernick would be an upgrade over any of them, but it remains to be seen if Las Vegas is willing to take a chance on him.