NFL Insider Highlights 4 Draft Prospects Who Might Fill That Function
Sean Payton was employed because the Denver Broncos head coach heading into the 2023 NFL season. He inherited a group in the course of a seven-year playoff drought and a high-priced quarterback who wasn’t definitely worth the contract.
After two years on the job, Payton has the quarterback he desires and made the playoffs as a Wild Card in 2024. Now he desires to discover a “Joker” so as to add to his offense, and one NFL insider has 4 prospects who might fill that position.
Sean Payton Needs Versatile Weapon, Albert Breer Has 4 Guys Who Might Match
Payton’s tenure in Denver received off to a rocky begin as he was saddled with Russell Wilson and his large five-year, $245 million contract. Payton and Wilson didn’t click on from the soar, and the quarterback was launched after the 2023 season.
In final yr’s draft, the Broncos shocked the soccer world by deciding on Bo Nix at No. 12 general, and Payton shortly made the gamble repay. Nix threw for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions as a rookie. He added 430 yards and 4 touchdowns on the bottom en path to ending third in Offensive Rookie of the 12 months voting.
So, the place do Payton and the Denver offense go from right here? In a Tremendous Bowl week interview on “Up & Adams,” Payton stated, “I’d say we want a joker. A joker is usually a tight finish or a working again…that must be elite receivers.”
Sports activities Illustrated’s Albert Breer not too long ago broke down who has crammed that position prior to now and which prospects would possibly get a first-round name from the Mile Excessive Metropolis.
Breer wrote, “The Tremendous Bowl all the time has an absolute mess of sponsored interviews with little or no substance, however Sean Payton dropped a invaluable little piece of knowledge to Kay Adams in the course of the week.
“And that was that he felt just like the Denver Broncos wanted to discover a ‘joker’ for the offense—which, briefly, means a queen on the chessboard that may be moved round to mess with the protection at will.”
He talked about how Payton crammed that position with the New Orleans Saints with Reggie Bush, Jeremy Shockey, Jimmy Graham, and, most not too long ago, Alvin Kamara. Payton doesn’t need gamers who’re locked into their place however relatively guys who will be matchup nightmares by continuously shifting across the formation.
Who does Breer suppose suits the versatile position?
“I believe there are a handful of fellows who, underneath Payton’s tutelage, may very well be that sort of man. The one which’s most evident, to me at the very least, could be Michigan tight finish Colston Loveland, who can play all around the formation, and develop into the focus of an offense. Miami tight finish Elijah Arroyo is one other in that style, massive, lengthy, athletic, and toeing the road between his listed place and simply being a supersized wideout.
“Ohio State tailback TreVeyon Henderson could be within the Bush–Kamara class—a do-everything again who can flip a routine play into an explosive play on a dime. And Mizzou receiver Luther Burden III hasn’t absolutely tapped into his potential but, and should have some rising as much as do. However he’s explosive with the ball in his palms, and received it a number of other ways in faculty.”
Denver’s offense did nicely with what it had in 2024, coming in at No. 16 in PFSN’s Offense+ metric, however the group wants to provide Nix extra weapons this offseason.
The 4 prospects talked about by Breer can all match the “Joker” position, and to some extent, PFSN’s Joe DeLeone agrees. In his newest mock draft, DeLeone has Loveland going to the Broncos at No. 20 general.
DeLeone wrote, “Bo Nix confirmed so many constructive indicators in his rookie yr that he is usually a high-floor starter for the Broncos for a really very long time. With their protection being the spine of their success, it’s time so as to add weapons for Nix.
“Colston Loveland is a really dynamic tight finish prospect with the lengthy pace to separate excessive and the change of route to frustrate linebackers over the center.”
There’s a transparent imaginative and prescient for what Payton desires so as to add this offseason, and Broncos followers ought to hope he will get his want.
