Broncos name Matt Russell vice president of player personnel, announce several other promotions By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post May 30, 2020 The Broncos announced several promotions within their team’s personnel department on Friday, led by the naming of Matt Russell as vice president of player personnel. The chief adviser to general manager John Elway for nearly a decade, Russell was previously the Broncos’ college scouting director (2009-12) and director of player personnel (2012-20). Russell, brought to the Broncos by then-coach Josh McDaniels in 2009, will continue to organize the team’s day-to-day college and pro scouting efforts and be heavily involved in trade talks. Elway will remain the final say on all personnel decisions. According to the Broncos, only New England and Dallas have had top-of-the-personnel-department continuity longer than the eight-year Elway-Russell partnership. “Matt gets better every year and I try to give him more responsibility every year,” Elway told The Post at the scouting combine earlier this year. “He does a great job with the scouts. He’s great to work with and he’s been a big help to me.” Russell has earned a stellar reputation around the NFL for his work as a scout for the Patriots and Eagles and his development within the Broncos’ front office. “Very well-deserved,” a team executive said Friday. “He’s been with the Broncos for a long time and has been loyal to the organization and has an excellent skill set of identifying players and understanding what it takes to build a championship team because of his playing and scouting experience.” Russell has assisted Elway in turning over a roster that has gotten younger throughout the depth chart. At the end of 2019, the Broncos had the league’s third-youngest roster (25 years, 264 days) and led the NFL in number of offensive players (14) and combined starts (88) among players with two of fewer years of experience. The Broncos have been widely praised for their draft work the last three years; as many as six Week 1 offensive starters were added in the draft. Russell, 46, played college football at Colorado (1993-96) and was a fourth-round pick by Detroit. After retiring because of a knee injury, Russell was a graduate assistant at CU in 2000 before joining the NFL scouting ranks, working for New England (2001 and ’03-05) and Philadelphia (2006-08). He has been a part of four Super Bowl-winning teams. Russell’s career appeared in doubt in July 2013 when he was arrested on charges of DUI, no proof of insurance, careless driving causing injury and having an open container when he rear-ended a

Breckenridge police SUV. He was suspended by the Broncos for one month and, in May 2014, was sentenced to seven months in jail. His work release allowed him to conduct business at the team’s facility. The Broncos also announced several other promotions/title changes, led by a merging of the team’s football technology and research departments. Mark Thewes was promoted to vice president of football operations and compliance. He will continue to serve as the team’s liason to the NFL office regarding collective bargaining agreement matters, roster management and scheduling. Thewes initially joined the Broncos in 2009 as assistant to the head coach (McDaniels). Tony Lazzaro was named senior director, football technology and research and he will lead the newly-merged technology and analytics departments. Lazzaro is in his 19th year with the Broncos. Darren Mougey was promoted to assistant director of college scouting, working with Russell and college scouting director Brian Stark. Mougey, who joined the Broncos as an intern in 2012, was most recently their western regional scout for three years and he will maintain those duties. Karl Schreiner was named director of football informations systems, responsible for building and maintaining the team’s internal systems. A graduate of Highlands Ranch High School and Metro State, Schreiner is in his fifth year with the Broncos. Scott Flaska was named senior manager, football analytics. Entering his fifth season with the Broncos, he graduated from Colorado and was previously a professional development program engineer for Northrop Grumman. Richard Hildebrand was named senior software engineer, contributing to the technology/research department’s software development. He is beginning his third season with the Broncos. And Emily Kuehler, an intern last year for the Broncos, was promoted to full-time status as a data scientist assisting the technology/research department.

Feeling healthy, Broncos tight end Jake Butt preparing to reward team’s commitment to him By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post May 30, 2020 One of the best parts of Broncos tight end Jake Butt’s offseason: He is ineligible to train at the team facility. Per NFL guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic, only players with existing injuries, like outside linebacker Bradley Chubb and tight end Austin Fort, can work in the team’s weight room. Butt is healthy after missing all of 2019 with left knee surgery, his fourth major knee injury since 2014. He was cleared late last season and has stayed that way. “My knee’s good,” he said in a phone interview Friday. “Doing everything running and lifting. This offseason has been a little bit weird for everybody, having to bounce around and train anywhere you can, but I’ve still been getting good work in, feel good about things and excited about playing ball again.” When the Broncos open the season Sept. 14 against Tennessee, Butt will have played only three meaningful games in the previous 1,351 days. A lot of watching (which was tough) and a lot of rehabilitating (which was really tough). This offseason, Butt altered his training tact. “Pretty much my whole life, I’ve never turned down any extra work,” he said. “Now I’ve had to adjust and be smarter about things. I just can’t go play basketball on the weekend. Sometimes, less is more, which goes against my DNA, but it’s something I’m trying to learn.” Butt said he is doing the same full workout plan as his teammates, with the focus on “strength training, speed and agility, movement, balance, things like that.” Adversity has been a constant for Butt since he arrived at Michigan. Playing for the Wolverines, Butt tore his right ACL in a spring 2014 practice and again in his final college game, the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2017. The Broncos drafted Butt in the fifth round (No. 145 overall) and he used his rookie year to rehabilitate. In 2018, he was sailing along during camp and the first three games, playing 97 snaps and catching eight passes for 85 yards. Week by week, it was expected his role would expand. But he sustained a torn left ACL in a mid-October practice. Another season over. Last year, Butt was managed during the offseason program and missed three weeks of camp (July 21-Aug. 11). He played 11 snaps in the Aug. 24 preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams and felt he had turned a corner. Soon after, though, on the team plane back to Denver, he experienced knee soreness and was shut down.

Butt had surgery to take out 30-40% of his meniscus. The Broncos had the option of returning him from injured reserve, but opted to keep him sidelined. The Broncos have stood by Butt through the injuries. “I don’t know a lot of people that have been through my situation and the team would still be hanging there with them in Year 4,” he said. “It really speaks a lot for the organization and what they think of me and I’m very appreciative. It’s not a guarantee — they’re not telling me I’m making the team by any stretch or rolling out the red carpet. I still have to go out there and work and earn it. “But the fact they’re standing by me and giving me an opportunity, it obviously means the world to me and I’m going to try and go out there and prove them right and prove myself right.” Butt faces a difficult task. The Broncos signed Nick Vannett and drafted Albert Okwuegbunam, and Butt, Fort, Noah Fant, Jeff Heuerman, Andrew Beck and Troy Fumagalli all return. “You look around the tight end room and I don’t see a single weak spot,” Butt said. “There are a lot of talented guys. Guys with experience, some younger guys and everybody brings their own thing to the table. There isn’t a single person in that room who feels they can relax or take a day off because there is so much talent and somebody will pass you.”

NFL Journal: League erred in not adding fourth-and-15 option instead of low-percentage onside kick By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post May 30, 2020 News: The NFL tabled a vote on giving teams the option of trying a fourth-and-15 play from their 25-yard line in lieu of an onside kick attempt. View: The league squandered a chance to spice up the game. Imagine a team in a playoff game scores with less than two minutes remaining to cut their deficit to seven points. They convert the fourth-and-15 instead of trying the low-percentage onside kick and force overtime or at least make a thrilling final drive. Great theatre, but evidently too bold for the league’s owners, who were undoubtedly influenced by their head coaches. Only 10.5% of onside kick attempts were successful in 2019 because of rules limiting overloading pursuing players on one half of the field. Thus, the fourth-and-15 option should have been easily adopted. Thing is, how often would coaches have elected to go for it on fourth-and-15? Looking back at the Broncos’ 2019 season, not often. Choosing the option has two motives: Staying alive in a game or putting a team away. The Broncos had only one end-of-game situation where fourth-and-15 made sense. In Week 1 at Oakland, they scored with 2:15 remaining to cut the Raiders’ lead to eight points. Coach Vic Fangio opted to play defense and the Raiders ran out the clock. What would have been interesting is how often coaches would have taken the option to put a team away in the first three quarters. I found four opportunities last year if Fangio was inclined: Week 5 at the Chargers. The winless Broncos led 17-0 with 5:17 remaining in the first half. Put a home team away? Sure. Week 6 vs. Tennessee. The Broncos led 13-0 with 4:56 left in the first half and Titans coach Mike Vrabel was preparing to give up on quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Broncos’ defense was playing lights out (eventual 16-0 win), so choosing fourth-and-15 would have been a good gamble. Week 9 vs. Cleveland. Two chances following big plays that had Mile High rocking — after Noah Fant’s 75-yard touchdown catch, which made it 14-3 with 12:34 left in the second quarter, and after Phillip Lindsay’s 30-yard touchdown run to make it 24-12 with 1:06 left in the third quarter.

Week 16 vs. Detroit. An 11-play drive cut the Lions’ lead to 13-10 with 10:23 left in the third quarter. The Lions were playing at altitude … after a long drive by the Broncos … and with a rookie quarterback (David Blough)? Go for it, Vic. (For a barometer on the chances of success, I looked at the Broncos’ 2019 third-down chart: They were 1-of-19 when needing at least 15 yards on third down.) Around the league Tag updates. Eight players who were placed under the franchise tag have signed their tenders. Broncos safety Justin Simmons is one of six players who haven’t signed their tender (his is worth $11.441 million), meaning he can’t participate in the team’s offseason meetings. Last month, general manager John Elway said contract negotiator Rich Hurtado and Simmons’ agent, Todd France, have exchanged proposals. Hurtado previously worked at France’s agency. Before Hurtado was hired, one league executive didn’t expect a quick Simmons-Broncos resolution. “They’re not going to get anything done until (the) July 15 (deadline) because Todd’s history is that he purposely drags it out until franchise deadline day to force your hand to do what he wants to do,” the executive said earlier this offseason. That may still be the case, but the absence of any on-field workouts lessens the urgency for both sides. Flacco’s new role. For the first time since he was a rookie for Baltimore in 2008, old friend Joe Flacco will enter training camp as a backup after signing with the New York Jets. Twelve years ago, Flacco started camp as the No. 3, but rocketed up the depth chart when Troy Smith and Kyle Boller were injured. Flacco started until midway through 2018. During a conference call with Jets reporters on Thursday, Flacco was asked about his short stay with the Broncos (a 2-6 record and eventual neck surgery). “It’s definitely disappointing when you go out there and you don’t win games right away like you want to,” he said. “But you learn a lot of things from it. Sometimes, things don’t go the way you want them or the way you expect them to. But you have to be able to push forward and put those things behind you and move ahead with the best mindset possible and that’s what I’m trying to do.” Perfect spot for Jano. When the Broncos decided they no longer needed a full-time fullback, they traded Andy Janovich to Cleveland. Along with Minnesota and San Francisco, the Browns represented the ideal destination for Janovich. As the Vikings’ offensive coordinator last year, current Browns coach Kevin Stefanski used C.J. Ham on 359 snaps, second-most among NFL fullbacks behind San Francisco’s Kyle Juszczyk (396). “When I really started digging into researching them, that’s when I found out what I was going to get into,” Janovich said on the Browns’ website. “I was like, ‘Yeah, this is going to be good.’ After learning everything that’s going on, I’m more than excited to be a part of the Browns and the offense they’re installing. It’s something I’ve been in before and I excelled in so I’m really excited about it.”

Footnotes. It was good to see the NFL smarten up (finally) in allowing assistant coaches to interview for coordinator spots without team approval; head coaches have long blocked moves if their assistant was under contract. The same for personnel people who can’t be blocked for general manager interviews. … It was amusing to hear the narrative nationally that Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey is focused on winning and not the upcoming money from an expected contract extension. Ramsey, remember, arrived at Jaguars training camp last summer in a Brinks truck. For No. 20, money is always No. 1 and that’s perfectly fine, just don’t profess to say it isn’t a part of the equation. … A new bylaw adopted Thursday: Teams can designate three players to return from injured reserve so long as they’re on the initial 53-man roster.

If fans aren’t able to attend Broncos games, Melvin Gordon will be reminded of Chargers days By Staff Denver Post May 30, 2020 At least one NFL player won’t have a big adjustment if games are played this fall without fans. Running back Melvin Gordon joined the Broncos in March after playing five years for the Chargers, including three seasons in Los Angeles. Appearing on a video chat with Marcus Cromartie (Gordon’s teammate at Wisconsin) that was posted on Twitter, Gordon said when asked about playing in empty stadiums: “We didn’t have fans, anyway.” Particularly since the franchise’s move to Los Angeles, visiting fans often outnumbered Chargers fans at the StubHub Center. “To be honest, we didn’t have many Chargers fans at the game,” Gordon said. “Much loyalty and love, but we didn’t have many so I’m not missing anything (if fans can’t attend games).”

Broncos make promotions in personnel department By Alexander Kirk KUSA May 30, 2020 Denver Broncos President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway announced on Friday several promotions within the team’s personnel department. Matt Russell Matt Russell has been promoted to vice president of player personnel. Russell has overseen the Broncos' day-to-day operations in the pro personnel and college scouting departments since 2012 as director of player personnel. The Broncos said Friday that Russell will continue to assist Elway and initially joined the Broncos as director of college scouting in 2009. Mark Thewes Mark Thewes has been promoted to vice president of football operations and compliance. Thewes joined the Broncos as assistant to the head coach in 2009 before spending the last eight seasons as the director of team administration. Tony Lazzaro Tony Lazzaro has been named senior director, football technology and Research. The Broncos said Lazzaro will lead the team’s Football Information Systems and Football Analytics departments, which provide information and research to football operations. Darren Mougey Darren Mougey has been promoted to assistant director of college scouting. Mougey, previously the team’s western regional scout, will work closely with Russell and College Scouting Director Brian Stark on all areas of the college scouting process while also maintaining his responsibilities evaluating the Western region, according to the Broncos. Karl Schreiner Karl Schreiner has been promoted to director, football information systems. The Broncos said Friday that Schreiner designs, builds and maintains all internal systems supporting personnel, coaches, trainers, and the strength and conditioning staff. Scott Flaska Scott Flaska has been named senior manager, football analytics. Flaska works with the Broncos' football operations departments to design and implement data-driven research and solutions. Richard Hildebrand

Richard Hildebrand has been promoted to senior software engineer. Hildebrand contributes to the Broncos' software development. Emily Kuehler Emily Kuehler has been promoted to data scientist. Kuehler assists the Football Technology and Research Department with data collection and analysis.

Broncos promote 8 in personnel, create new group that blends tech and analytics By Nicki Jhabvala The Athletic May 30, 2020 The Broncos’ offense wasn’t the only thing reorganized this offseason. Friday, the team announced promotions for eight people among its personnel staff, including John Elway’s longtime No. 2 Matt Russell, and the creation of a new department. The changes were the final pieces to a restructuring that began in the early months of the year when the Broncos parted with longtime director of football administration, Mike Sullivan, and director of football analytics, Mitch Tanney. After Sullivan’s departure, Rich Hurtado became the team’s lead contract negotiator with the title vice president of football administration. But to fill the void left by Tanney, Elway said the Broncos planned to restructure its analytics staff. That restructure turned out to be the football technology and research department, which essentially marries the analytics and football information systems (FIS) departments. This new team of five is tasked with providing the data-driven research and information to the football operations staff. Tony Lazzaro, a Colorado State grad entering his 19th season with the Broncos, was named senior director of the football technology and research department after spending the last 11 seasons leading the FIS group. He now oversees: • Karl Schreiner, the director of football information systems, who is in his fifth season with the team. The Highlands Ranch High and Metro State grad designs, builds and maintains all internal systems for the personnel staff, coaches and trainers. • Scott Flaska, the senior manager of football analytics who is also in his fifth season with the Broncos. Flaska has a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado and previously worked under Tanney as the team’s lead football analyst. • Richard Hildebrand, a senior software engineer. Hildebrand was hired in 2018 and has been instrumental in developing the team’s in-house software. • And Emily Kuehler, a data scientist who was an intern with the team in 2019. Kuehler graduated from Stanford and worked as a quantitative research assistant at the school from 2017-18. The lines are often blurred between the Broncos’ video, football information systems, IT and analytics departments, who work closing in the building and maintenance of the platforms used by the football operations and coaching staffs. For the Broncos’ remote draft in April, some 40 people within the organization were involved in the setup and coordination of custom digital workspaces in the homes of Elway, Vic Fangio, Russell and others to select the team’s 17-player rookie class.

“We had been looking at going the whole digital route anyway for the war room and I think Tony’s been ready for a little while to pull that trigger,” Russ Trainor, the Broncos’ senior vice president of IT, told The Athletic ahead of the draft. “…There’s no off-the-shelf NFL football software that you can buy, so everything is developed in-house. So that system, it’s multiple systems kind of tied together, but that’s all developed in-house. John likes his views, Matt likes his views and coach likes his views, so it’s all customizable.” Russell was promoted to vice president of player personnel, but his day to day isn’t expected to change as he oversees the team’s pro personnel and college scouting departments. Though the bump in title (and presumably pay) coupled with Elway’s remaining two years on his contract, gives the impression that Russell is the Broncos’ general manager in waiting. The team, however, says the promotion had nothing to do with any succession plan for the Broncos’ front office. Rather, he deserved to be recognized and his title better encapsulates his role and standing within the organization. Russell joined the Broncos in 2009 as their director of college scouting and had been the director of player personnel since 2012. His tenure alongside Elway is the third-longest among top personnel folks within a team, behind Dallas’ Jerry and Stephen Jones (31 years) and New England’s Bill Belichick and Nick Caserio (11 years). The duo has helped the Broncos to five AFC West titles, two AFC Championships and a Super Bowl 50 victory. In Russell’s 19 seasons working in NFL personnel (New England from 2001-05, Philadelphia from 2006-08), he’s been a part of 11 playoff teams who have totaled five conference championships and four Super Bowl victories. “Matt has always been a big part of it and he’s always had a big voice,” Elway said ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft. “He’s been right there. He’s running the personnel side, so he’s heavily involved on the pro side as well as the college side and the draft. Matt has always had a big voice with me and he’ll continue to have that.” Mark Thewes was promoted to vice president of football operations and compliance after previously serving as the director of team administration. Thewes, who first joined the team in 2009 as the assistant to Josh McDaniels, is now the liaison between the Broncos and the NFL to ensure the team is in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement, its roster management, reporting, scheduling, officiating and discipline. And in the scouting department, Darren Mougey was moved up from Western regional scout to assistant director of college scouting. Mougey has steadily climbed the ranks since joining the Broncos as an intern in 2012, and recently drew interest from other teams. Mougey was a four-year starting quarterback at San Diego State and participated in training camps with the Falcons and Cardinals before starting his career in scouting. In his new role, Mougey will continue to handle his scouting duties for the west region while also working closely with Russell and Brian Stark, the Broncos’ director of college scouting, on the team’s overall evaluation of college prospects.

Broncos announce several football personnel staffing changes By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com May 30, 2020 On the heels of another successful free-agency period and NFL Draft, President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway announced a series of changes to the team's personnel department. Eight members of the Broncos' staff were promoted, including former Director of Player Personnel Matt Russell. Russell, now the team's Vice President of Player Personnel, has overseen the day-to-day operations of both the pro personnel and college scouting departments since 2012. He has worked directly with Elway to make personnel decisions during the last nine seasons, and the Broncos have won five AFC West titles, two AFC Championships and a Super Bowl during that span. Elway and Russell's eight years together as the team's top two football decision-makers ranks third in the NFL. Jerry and Stephen Jones (Dallas, 31 years) and Bill Belichick and Nick Caserio (New England, 11 years) are the only active pairings who have worked together longer. The Broncos ended the 2019 season with the third-youngest roster in the league and featured a pair of Pro Bowlers on the league's second-youngest offense (Phillip Lindsay, 2018; Courtland Sutton, 2019). The Broncos also have had three other All-Rookie selections in the past two years, as Bradley Chubb (2018), tight end Noah Fant (2019) and Dalton Risner (2019) all made the cut. Denver also traded up to select Drew Lock in the second round of the 2019 draft. "Matt has always been a big part of it and he's always had a big voice," Elway said of Russell during the week that Denver selected Fant, Risner and Lock. "He's been right there. He's running the personnel side, so he's heavily involved on the pro side as well as the college side and the draft. Matt has always had a big voice with me and he'll continue to have that." Russell first joined the Broncos in 2009 as the team's director of college scouting after previous stops in New England (2001, 2003-05) and Philadelphia (2006-08). Now entering his 19th season working in the NFL, Russell has helped build 11 playoff teams and four Super Bowl champions. Mark Thewes, formerly the team's director of team administration, also joined the ranks of the team's vice presidents. He is now Denver's Vice President of Football Operations and Compliance, and he will continue to coordinate the team's football operations departments and serve as a liaison to the league office to ensure compliance on the collective bargaining agreement, roster management, scheduling and other key matters. Darren Mougey, meanwhile, will work closely with Russell and College Scouting Director Brian Stark as the team's new Assistant Director of College Scouting. Mougey previously served as the team's western

regional scout. He will continue to maintain his responsibilities in that region while also assisting in the overall college scouting process. The Broncos also announced changes to their Football Information Systems and Football Analytics departments. Tony Lazzaro, entering his 19th season with the team, will now lead those efforts as the Senior Director, Football Technology and Research. The departments will assist football operations in their decision-making via technology and data analysis. Karl Schreiner will join Lazzaro in that effort as the team's Director, Football Information Systems. Schreiner designs, builds and maintains internal systems to support personnel, coaches, trainers, equipment and strength staff members. Scott Flaska, entering his fifth season with the team, will serve as Senior Manager, Football Analytics. He has worked with football operations on data-driven research. Richard Hildebrand is now a Senior Software Engineer with the team and contributes to the team's Football Technology and Research Department's software development. Emily Kuehler, who assists the Football Technology and Research Department with data collection and analysis, has been named a Data Scientist for the team. Elway, who continues to lead the Broncos' football operations, enters his 10th season as the team's lead football decision-maker.

2020 vision: Looking ahead to Denver's Week 6 matchup vs. the Miami Dolphins By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com May 30, 2020 The Broncos' regular-season opener isn't for another few months, but over the next few weeks, DenverBroncos.com will take an early look at each game on the Broncos' 2020 schedule. We don't know how injuries could impact each contest, but we'll present the pressing storylines, matchups, questions and more. It's never too early to start talking football. We continue with Denver's Week 6 game against the Miami Dolphins. Storylines to monitor: After a season of whispers that the Dolphins would "Tank for Tua," they indeed ended up with the Alabama quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft. All eyes will be on Tagovailoa this preseason as he fights for playing time, and it wouldn't be a shock if he's in the lineup by the time the Dolphins head to Denver in Week 6. A trip home after two consecutive road games will be a welcome respite for the Broncos, and their game against Miami is the only one in a three-game stretch that comes against a team that didn't make the playoffs in 2019. Many believe that Miami is still a season away from contending, but after adding a slew of talented free agents — including cornerback Byron Jones — this group should be much improved from a year ago. Denver can't overlook this matchup with a home game against Kansas City coming up next. Among the reunions to watch: Tackle Ja'Wuan James should face his former team for the first time after signing with Denver in free agency in 2019. Player to watch: CB Byron Jones We're not sure if Tagovailoa will be on the field for this Week 6 matchup, but if Jones is healthy, he definitely will be. The former Cowboy joined the Dolphins in free agency, and he was widely viewed as the top option on the market. A one-time Pro Bowler, Jones posted his best season in 2018 when he recorded 14 passes defensed. Jones hasn't been very ball productive, though. He has just two interceptions in his career and none over the last two seasons. As the team's No. 1 cornerback, it seems likely that Jones would draw Courtland Sutton in coverage. At 6-foot-4, Sutton would have a noticeable size advantage over the 6-foot Jones. Can Sutton and Drew Lock take advantage of that matchup? Or will the Broncos need to look elsewhere in the passing game on this

Sunday? If Sutton gains the upper hand, the Broncos' offense could thrive in this October matchup at Empower Field at Mile High. The question mark: Can Denver take care of business at home? There are no guaranteed wins in the NFL, but it's safe to say that the Broncos need to get this one against the Dolphins. According to ESPN's Mike Clay, the Broncos have a win probability of 77 percent against Miami, which is Denver's highest win probability of any game for the coming season. In the NFL, good teams take care of the games they're supposed to win. That game, though, comes on the heels of a two-game road trip against the Jets and Patriots and precedes a game against Kansas City. The Broncos can't afford to let the outcome of past or future games impact this one in Denver. Head Coach Vic Fangio and the team's leadership will need to keep the Broncos focused to ensure there is no letdown. An opposing view: Travis Wingfield, a staff writer for the Miami Dolphins, on which rookies besides Tagovailoa could play major roles this season: "There are paths to playing time for each of the rookies, and it starts with the 18th pick of the draft in Austin Jackson. He has a shot to start at left tackle from Day 1 while second-round pick Robert Hunt will compete for a job at either right guard or right tackle. Noah Igbinoghene has the athletic ability and change-of-direction skill set to play either outside or in the slot and his competitive nature stands out above all. The expectation is that the entire class will compete for work whether as starters or in rotational roles. Last season, Miami got contributions from a variety of rookies from first-round pick Christian Wilkins to undrafted players in Preston Williams and Nik Needham." The last meeting: The Broncos and Dolphins have met just three times over the last decade, and while the Broncos hold a 2-1 edge in the last three games, the Dolphins dominated in the teams' last meeting. Miami earned a 35-9 win at the newly opened Hard Rock Stadium in 2017, as the Dolphins' defense recorded two safeties and an interception return for a touchdown. One bright spot: Justin Simmons recorded his only career touchdown as he returned a Jay Cutler pass 65 yards for a touchdown.

'Tua Time' in Denver? Dolphins staff writer Travis Wingfield details whether Tagovailoa could start Week 6 game vs. Broncos By Aric DiLalla DenverBroncos.com May 30, 2020 As the Broncos approach the season, we're chatting with reporters who cover each of the team's opponents. We continue with Travis Wingfield, a staff writer for MiamiDolphins.com Aric DiLalla: What was it about Tua Tagovailoa that made him the right choice for the Dolphins with the fifth-overall pick? Travis Wingfield: "Tagovailoa fit the core tenants that both [Dolphins head coach] Brian Flores and [general manager] Chris Grier [look for] in a quarterback. An infectious personality and work ethic that galvanizes the huddle, locker room, and team is essential. Tua's accuracy to all levels of the field, in addition to his ability to manipulate the pocket and quickly get off the spot, satisfy the on-field requirements." AD: What is the team saying about their plan for him? Should Broncos fans expect to see him in Week 6? TW: "Ryan Fitzpatrick is the starter. Every player will have to compete for the right to get onto the football field, so the best players will play. We saw it last year in Flores' rookie season and there's no reason to expect that to change. After the 2019 season, Fitzpatrick earned the right to enter camp as the lead man." AD: If Ryan Fitzpatrick is under center, what are your expectations for him? TW: "Fitzpatrick told us [the media] last year at camp that he feels he's playing the best ball of his career, and his recent performances validate that claim. Attacking vertically, making plays with his legs, and elevating the play of his teammates were all achieved in 2019 and should remain the goal for 2020. He's also the quintessential veteran voice in a young quarterback room and has communicated his desire to help his position-mates." AD: Which of the team's other draft picks do you think could make a big impact this season? TW: "There are paths to playing time for each of the rookies, and it starts with the 18th pick on the draft in Austin Jackson. He has a shot to start at left tackle from Day 1 while second-round pick Robert Hunt will compete for a job at either right guard or right tackle. Noah Igbinoghene has the athletic ability and change-of-direction skill set to play either outside or in the slot and his competitive nature stands out above all. The expectation is that the entire class will compete for work, whether as starters or in rotational roles. Last season, Miami got contributions from a variety of rookies, from first-round pick Christian Wilkins to undrafted players in Preston Williams and Nik Needham." AD: The Dolphins were busy in free agency, and Byron Jones headlined that group. Is there anyone else you think will be a major contributor?

TW: "The Dolphins did well to fill out needs in free agency and did so without over-extending the team's resources. Ereck Flowers is a plug-and-play left guard; the same is true of Ted Karras at center. On defense, Kyle Van Noy offers the flexibility to rush from any gap and provide Miami with an intelligent, sound run defender. On that note, both Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah have the power and length to significantly upgrade Miami's run defense and edge rushing production." AD: It's still very early, but what are your initial impressions of Miami's game in Denver? TW: "Playing in Denver is always a difficult task. The quarterback situation, as is typically the case, could provide a major swing in the expected outcome. Is Drew Lock going to ascend from his strong finish to 2019? If he does, then the game becomes even more challenging given the Broncos' plethora of offensive weapons and a difficult defense to crack under Vic Fangio."

Mile High Morning: Pro Football Focus selects Garett Bolles as Broncos' most underrated player By Ben Swanson DenverBroncos.com May 30, 2020 The Lead Garett Bolles has had his share of struggles, but Pro Football Focus says he may have had a better season than most fans would've imagined. Though the fourth-year left tackle's reputation is marred by penalties, PFF's Ben Linsey says that standing doesn't quite match what their analytics say. "While it's fair to harp on the penalties for Bolles after he ranked among the top-three offensive linemen across the league in penalties in each of the past three seasons, the negativity surrounding Bolles has gone too far," Linsey wrote. "It's hard to say he qualifies as a bust. Looking at qualifying left tackles since 2017, Bolles' overall grade of 77.1 puts him at 15th out of 37 total players." Though Bolles did record his most penalized season in 2019 (17 total penalties, including seven that were declined or offsetting), it was also his best season, according to PFF. And, when Drew Lock became the starting quarterback, he made marked improvement. Prior to Lock's first start in the Broncos' Week 13 win over the Chargers, Bolles averaged a PFF grade of 64 and 1.27 penalties per game. In the five games after that, Bolles' average grade increased to 75.3 and his penalty-per-game average was more than halved to 0.6. That span also included the highest-graded game of Bolles' career. His 93.6 grade against the Lions was the second-highest in the NFL in Week 16. Bolles also hasn't missed a game in his career, and even though his play has been inconsistent at times, he has provided an element of consistency over the past three years when injuries have so often struck other tackles. "He was there every play. I don't think he missed a play this year. We talked about availability—he was there," President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway said on Dec. 30 after the season ended. "He got off to a slow start, but I think that he continued to get better and better and better as the year went on. We did a better job helping him, too. I think [G Dalton] Risner did a nice job at left guard helping him and working together. That cohesion there was good. … The hard thing is that Garett is under the microscope. He's under the microscope and any time they say '72,' it brings down the whole stadium. That happens. He got himself in that position, so we'll continue working at it." Bolles will have a chance to retain his starting role protecting Lock's blind side, but Elway later said during the 2020 NFL Draft that there will be a competition for the spot.

"Garett's going to compete for a job like everybody else on the football team," Elway said. "The bottom line is [G/T] Eli Wilkinson will be back. They're going to compete for jobs like everybody else. I think it's our job on the personnel side to give Vic and his staff the best players we can to create that competition. That's what our job is to do on the personnel side."

Around the AFC West: Expensive decisions loom for Chiefs and Chargers By Cecil Lammey 104.3 The Fan May 30, 2020 The NFL is still planning on beginning the regular season on time. Right now, facilities are opening around the league, but the coaching staffs have not yet taken up shop. That should be happening soon, as the NFL gets things back on track. Players are left on their own to work out and stay in shape during this virtual offseason. In addition to working out, players are doing Zoom meetings with their coaches and teammates while they are at home. Sometimes when working out, players get banged up – and we already have some players in this division that have had to be shut down for the year because of it. Let’s take a spin around the AFC West to see what the competition is up to. *** Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs and superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes have begun contract negotiation on an extended deal. Mahomes had his fifth-year option picked up and is under the team’s control through the 2021 season. In the final year of his contract, Mahomes is set to make almost $25 million for that one year. His new contract could pay him twice that amount annually. The Chiefs are in a Super Bowl window so long as Mahomes is their quarterback and he’s not going anywhere. The team will have to be creative in the way that they structure this deal, but Mahomes will get a deal that makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history. That deal could be here sooner rather than later. While there seems to be positive movement in the contract negotiations for Mahomes, things seem to be trending the other way for franchise-tagged defensive lineman Chris Jones. He has been in touch with the team during Zoom meetings, but reports indicate there has been little traction in long-term contract negotiations between Jones and the team. The two sides have until mid-July to get a new deal done. It’s going to be difficult for the Chiefs to afford both a new deal for Mahomes and a new deal for Jones – especially because they currently only have $4.8 million in effective salary cap space according to OverTheCap.com. *** Las Vegas Raiders Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has been working out with some of his teammates at a Las Vegas Park, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Rochelle Richards. Wide receivers Zay Jones and Hunter Renfrow, plus tight end Darren Waller, are among the players working out with Carr. It’s a common

occurrence around the league if teammates live near each other. While there are no team workouts with facilities just opening, players can meet on their own and put in some work to build chemistry. Carr has created great chemistry with his teammates, especially late in games. He was 72.3 percent accurate on his throws in the fourth quarter of games in 2019 – the best such mark of any qualified quarterback last season. Working out with his teammates on his own should continue to keep that chemistry strong. This should greatly benefit him as he battles Marcus Mariota for the starting job in training camp. On Thursday, Raiders tight end Nick O’Leary was placed on the Non-Football Injury list ending his season before it even begins. Initial speculation was that O’Leary must have injured himself working out on his own. Later Thursday, it was revealed that O’Leary was placed on the list due to an illness. He signed a one-year deal with the Raiders but was just there as a fourth-string blocking option. Let’s hope he gets healthy and can resume his playing days in the NFL. The Raiders are stacked in the tight end room with Waller, Jason Witten and Foster Moreau. *** Los Angeles Chargers Chargers cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said he has been learning both the outside cornerback spot as well as the nickel back position during offseason meetings. Harris is the team’s No. 3 cornerback behind Casey Hayward and Desmond King. All three of those players are incredibly talented and versatile players who can thrive on opposing quarterbacks. Harris can be a dangerous slot corner, but it’s clear the Chargers may have plans to move him around the formation from time to time. This is nothing but bad news for quarterbacks who have to go up against this Chargers defense in 2020. Chargers tight end Hunter Henry told reporters that he is “fine” playing under the franchise tag for the 2020 season, although he would still like to agree to a long-term contract extension with the team. Henry said that contract talks have already taken place, although there have been no recent discussions. Like Jones and the Chiefs mentioned above, the two sides have until mid-July to figure something out. Chargers fifth-round pick wide receiver Joe Reed is expected to be used as a gadget player lining up in the slot, out wide and in the backfield. Reed forced 15 missed tackles on 77 receptions last year at Virginia, per Pro Football Focus. I liked Reed on film with the Cavaliers and I was excited to see him at the East-West Shrine Bowl earlier this year. The Broncos showed interest in him during that week of practice, but instead he goes to a division rival. Reed is buried on the depth chart right now behind guys like Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. However, he’s an interesting developmental player to keep an eye on in 2020 and beyond.

In 2020, Vic Fangio has to prove that he’s the right man for the job By John Davis 104.3 The Fan May 30, 2020 Behind second-year quarterback Drew Lock, the Broncos appear to have what’s been missing since Peyton Manning and Gary Kubiak left Denver. That is a winning culture. For the Broncos to return to credibility and have postseason success, the pressure falls on another second-year man, however. That man is head coach Vic Fangio. In his second season with the Broncos, Fangio needs to build a culture of success. He has to prove himself to be a top coach in the NFL. It may seem like building a winning culture takes time. That may be true. Unfortunately for Fangio, time is not a luxury for head coaches in Denver. Mike Shanahan and John Fox both created winning cultures by their second season. And it’s time for Fangio to do the same. Shanahan and Fox followed an almost identical path in their first three years as head coach of the Broncos. Lucky for Broncos fans, those first three years for each man provided some of the most exciting, successful and memorable seasons in franchise history. Dan Reeves was fired after the 1992 season. It may not have ended well, but Reeves was wildly successful as the Broncos head coach. Replacing him was no easy task. The Broncos settled on defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. From 1993 to 1994 the Broncos regressed. Under Phillips, the team looked unprepared, despite having talent on the roster. The team started 1994 with an 0-4 mark and from that point on, it was clear Phillips was not the guy. After just two seasons, Phillips was fired and replaced with Mike Shanahan. Shanahan was coming off a Super Bowl winning season as offensive coordinator of the 49ers. Things began to change with Shanahan in charge. When Shanahan arrived in Denver, the team had been getting beat up on by the Raiders for years. That was about to change. In Shanahan’s first game against the Raiders, the Broncos shut out their rival on “Monday Night Football,” winning 24-0. It wasn’t just the score that had fans excited. The Broncos were literally fist-fighting the Raiders on the field. Even the nicest guy ever, Mike Pritchard, was out there letting his hands fly. It was a different team.

That “Monday Night Football” victory was a sign that Shanahan’s team wasn’t scared of anybody. That night, the Broncos beat up on a Raiders team that prior to that season had been dominating them. In Week 2 of the 1995 season, the Broncos visited Dallas to play the Cowboys. The Cowboys were the eventual Super Bowl champions that year, winning their third championship in four years. The Cowboys were by far the best team in the league. The Broncos lost the game 31-21. They spent the entirety of the game losing, but found levels of success. The game proved that the Broncos were not quite there as an elite team, but they were on their way. The 1995 Broncos finished 8-8, a one game improvement from 1994. The record didn’t matter. The team looked better and they had young talent emerging from all areas. The Broncos looked like they were ready to take the next step. In 1996, under Shanahan, the Broncos took off. The team would finish 13-3 and secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Everybody knows the season ended with that awful loss to the Jaguars, but the Broncos were elite again. In 1997, Shanahan’s third season as head coach, the Broncos won Super Bowl 32. The 8-8 season in 1995 was the foundation for the following three seasons. Shanahan improved the culture of the team and laid the groundwork for what would become the greatest run in Broncos history. In 2011, The Broncos hired John Fox after a little less than two seasons under Josh McDaniels. McDaniels replaced Mike Shanahan in 2009. Similar to Phillips replacing Reeves, McDaniels was tasked with following in the footsteps of a very successful head coach. The result was a total disaster. McDaniels didn’t last two seasons. The Broncos were 8-8 in 2009 and then managed to finish 4-12 in McDaniels’ second season. McDaniels created a culture of hostility and mistrust. For the first time in a long time, the Broncos were irrelevant. That’s why the hiring of Fox will always remain John Elway’s most-underrated decision. Fox was the antithesis of McDaniels. He was experienced, even keeled, likable, wasn’t a jerk, had friends and most of all, knew how to lead a football team. Fox’s first season with the Broncos stunned the league. The team doubled the win total from the previous season at 8-8 and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs. The team caught fire in the middle of the season with Tim Tebow at quarterback. A team that was the laughingstock of the league in 2010 was the most clutch team in 2011. That team won four games in overtime. After a rough 2-5 start, the Broncos team that was blown out regularly in 2010 was playing to the very last second, and winning, in 2011. Late in that season, the Broncos were blown out by the Patriots, but had some early success. Much like the 1995 Broncos against the Cowboys, the Broncos weren’t quite there, but there were reasons to believe the team could eventually compete with the best in the league.

In 2012, under Fox, the Broncos took off. The team would finish 13-3 and secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Everybody knows the season ended with that awful loss to the Ravens, but the Broncos were elite again. Many would attribute that big jump, rightfully so, to the arrival of Peyton Manning. It’s important to remember that Fox was a big reason Manning decided to come to Denver. The culture Fox created was perfect for Manning and what he was looking for in his new team. In 2013, the Broncos were back in the Super Bowl. Yes they lost, but in only three seasons, Fox took a 4-12 team to the Super Bowl. Eventually, the Broncos would win a Super Bowl with Gary Kubiak, but Fox deserves credit for re-directing the franchise. Fox was the perfect guy to replace McDaniels but happened to be the wrong guy win the Super Bowl. Shanahan and Fox both went 8-8 in year one, 13-3 with a devastating playoff loss in year two, and finally a Super Bowl appearance in year three. The ability to bounce back from the losses to the Jaguars and Ravens were very telling to how Shanahan and Fox lead their teams. Within one year, both Shanahan and Fox had the Broncos looking and playing much different. From day one, both coaches created an environment built around team play and winning. Vic Fangio’s first year was incomplete as far as culture is concerned. There were clashes with staff and there was talk of disconnect with players. Neither of those things were discussed in Shanahan and Fox’s first year. Better communication with his staff and players will be crucial for the Broncos to play competitive next season. With all the bumps along the way, the Broncos finished the 2019 season strong. Much of that can be placed on the emergence of Drew Lock. I think it is only fair to give Fangio credit, as well. The Broncos were bad to awful for large parts of 2019. Games against the Chiefs and Bills were some of the most embarrassing in team history. However, the team didn’t fold. As much as Lock was the catalyst, Fangio was able to keep the team together long enough for the strong finish. The Broncos final record in 2019 is irrelevant because Fangio’s squad had one thing in common with Shanahan’s 1995 Broncos and Fox’s 2011 Broncos. The season ended with optimism. I find it highly unlikely, unreasonable and unfair to expect Fangio to take the big second year leap that was witnessed with Shanahan and Fox. It is reasonable to expect a big jump in the quality of play we see from the Broncos in 2020. Fangio will be in his second season and the roster is vastly improved. If the Broncos play undisciplined and unprepared, there are no excuses. Fangio’s team needs to take on an identity. Shanahan’s teams ran the ball at will, Fox’s teams played to the strength of Manning and Kubiak’s team beat up opponents on defense. All of this was geared toward winning. Fangio’s team needs an identity beyond losing close games. Since Super Bowl 50, the Broncos have lacked identity and culture. It starts with the head coach. Fangio needs to prove he can be more like Mike Shanahan, John Fox and Gary Kubiak rather than Wade Phillips, Josh McDaniels and Vance Joseph.

It’s important to note, Red Miller and Gary Kubiak didn’t even need three seasons to take the Broncos to the Super Bowl. They each did it in their first year as head coach. Dan Reeves didn’t coach the team to the Super Bowl until his sixth season, but he had only one losing season leading up to that point. Next season, Fangio doesn’t need to lead the Broncos to the Super Bowl to prove he’s worth keeping around. That’s a big ask. He just needs to prove that one day he will lead the Broncos to the Super Bowl. In Denver, head coaches get two seasons to leave an impression on the franchise. If the team is not on the right track by year two, the organization moves on. Fangio must prove it in 2020.

NFL coronavirus: Broncos' Melvin Gordon says playing without fans would be normal for Chargers By Patrik Walker CBS Sports May 30, 2020 There's clearly no love lost between Melvin Gordon and the Los Angeles Chargers. The rift began with the running back refused to report to training camp and the start of the 2019 regular season until his contract demands were met, but they never were, and risking tarnishing his brand in a contract year -- he ultimately returned to the field. Meanwhile, the Chargers tabled all talks with Gordon and that included pulling away an offer that was reportedly worth upwards of $10 million annually, but Gordon repeatedly made it known at the start of the offseason he wanted to remain with the club. His tone changed quickly when they decided to award Austin Ekeler a four-year, $24.5 million contract extension, signifying the end of Gordon's time in Los Angeles. The two-time Pro Bowler went on to sign a two-year deal with the rival Denver Broncos worth $16 million -- a far cry from what he was financially aiming for last August -- and is wasting no time taking digs at his former team. Recently, when asked by former NFL cornerback Marcus Cromartie about the possibility of playing in fan-less stadiums due to potential COVID-19 (coronavirus) regulations, Gordon swung a haymaker at Chargers supporters. "We didn't have fans anyway," Gordon said with a laugh. "I'm just going to be honest -- we didn't have many Chargers fans at the games. We didn't have many, so I'm not missing anything. I'm not really missing out on much." It's not the first knock Gordon has made against them, noting how the offensive system in Denver is better than the one he took snaps for in L.A. "It really didn't play out to my strengths, especially the first couple years there," Gordon said. "I kinda just had to adjust and make it work. It kinda wasn't a system built for me. But I feel like Denver kinda runs my style of football and I think it's a great fit." This is all sure to go over well in Gordon's return to L.A. to play the Chargers in Week 16, assuming the shiny new SoFi Stadium is permitted to fill to max capacity at that point. To be fair, it's not the first time Chargers fans have been called out on their absence, with Philip Rivers having done so as recently as the 2019 season. Rivers was a staunch advocate for keeping the organization in San Diego, noting how rabid the fanbase was in that city. So by the time he realized he could hardly hear in his battle last season with the Raiders, on his own field, his frustrations had already runneth over. The Chargers lost that game, by the way. "I think we definitely have gotten used to [the lack of fan support]," said an agitated Rivers at the time. "... It's tough. That didn't have anything to do with the outcome of the game, but being someone who remembers what it used to be like at home games -- it's pretty bad, you know. I appreciate the Chargers fans that are out there, but it's disheartening to say the least.

"I don't think all our guys understand that. ...The guys that have been here for a long time certainly know what it used to be like [in San Diego]." Both Rivers and Gordon are now gone, the former taking up residence with the Indianapolis Colts, and the City of Los Angeles is hoping the opening of a new stadium will eventually have fans showing up in droves -- along with consistent success from both the Chargers and the Rams. The latter hasn't had an issue filling seats the last couple of years, but their L.A. brethren can't genuinely say the same. It seems Gordon isn't afraid to point it out, either, but while Broncos fans often show up to support their home team; any absence in 2020 wouldn't be voluntary. It'd be thanks to COVID-19, which could keep droves of fans around the league out of stadiums this season.

Broncos’ front office changes include a promotion for Matt Russell By Michael David Smith Pro Football Talk May 30, 2020 The Broncos are making some changes to their front office, including a promotion for John Elway’s second in command. Elway has announced that Matt Russell has been promoted from Director of Player Personnel to Vice President of Player Personnel. He’ll continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of the pro personnel and college scouting departments. He and Elway have been the top two decision makers in Denver for almost a decade now. “Matt has always been a big part of it and he’s always had a big voice,” Elway said in a statement. “He’s been right there. He’s running the personnel side, so he’s heavily involved on the pro side as well as the college side and the draft. Matt has always had a big voice with me and he’ll continue to have that.” Other moves in Denver included Mark Thewes being promoted to Vice President of Football Operation and Compliance, and Darren Mougey being promoted to Assistant Director of College Scouting. The Broncos also beefed up their analytics department with Tony Lazzaro getting the title of Senior Director, Football Technology and Research. Others in that department include Karl Schreiner as Director of Football Information Systems, Scott Flaska as Senior Manager of Football Analytics, Richard Hildebrand as Senior Software Engineer and Emily Kuehler as Data Scientist.

Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little is battling cancer By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk May 30, 2020 Broncos running back Floyd Little, who entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame a decade ago, has been diagnosed with cancer. Via Syracuse.com, former teammate Pat Killorin has organized a fundraiser to help Little fight what Killorin said is an aggressive but treatable form of the disease. “No doubt it will be the toughest fight of his life,” Killorin wrote at a GoFundMe page created to raise money for Little. “Although he has lived a full life admired and enjoyed by many, Floyd doesn’t believe he has yet written, with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the final play of his life.” A three-time All-American at Syracuse, Little played his entire pro career with the Broncos. He led the NFL in rushing in 1971 and in rushing touchdowns two years later. At the conclusion of his career, Little reached No. 7 on the all-time rushing list. He’s a charter member of the Broncos’ ring of honor, and his No. 44 was retired by the team.