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Let's dive into the Broncos' quest for a "joker" and how the last two offseasons set Sean Payton up to go on a thorough search for this elusive and must-have weapon, shall we? It's the Broncos Brain Dump with yours truly:

submitted 13 hours ago • 2 comments

"It was a dream come true." Cherry Creek and @texasfb.bsky.social product Gunnar Helm, who grew up a Broncos fan, talks about his formal meeting with the Broncos at the Combine:

submitted 20 hours ago • 0 comments

Michigan TE Colston Loveland, on his meeting with the Broncos at the #NFLCombine: "We were just really chopping up film, talking ball, talking shop," Loveland said. "I feel like it was a good meeting."

submitted 22 hours ago • 0 comments

Sean Payton and the Broncos need a "joker." But the task of finding one isn't easy, as GM George Paton notes. "There's just not many of those guys in the league, really. There aren't," he said. "And you can count them on, your hand, one hand, how many there are. So, it's unique. ..."

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

There’s shrimp somewhere under there!

submitted 2 days ago • 2 comments

Broncos HC Sean Payton offered this reminder today: When you start a new year in the NFL, you don't pick up where you left off. "Certainly you're more confident," he said. "The experience has helped a number of players, but, you know, the journey begins."

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Regarding free-agent RB Javonte Williams, Broncos GM George Paton says, "There's a chance we bring Javonte back, and I think Javonte is one of the best pass protectors in the league. And I think he's -- he's still young and he's still ascending, another year removed from the injury." ...

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

New Jets GM Darren Mougey worked for nine seasons under John Elway, so it should come as no surprise that the former Broncos executive has adopted one of Elway's most famous phrases from his time as Broncos GM -- the goal to "win now -- and from now on."

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

Today is Bo Nix's birthday, which also calls to mind the fact that Teddy Bridgewater & Drew Lock share a birthday: Nov. 10. On Nov. 10, 2021, Vic Fangio pointed out Bridgewater's birthday, at which point @mikeklis9news noted it was Lock's birthday, too. Fangio: "It is Drew's."

submitted 3 days ago • 3 comments

Where Broncos tight ends ranked as a group in 2024: Targets: 30 Receptions: 30 Receiving yards: 30 First downs: 32 TD catches: T-13 A year ago, they ranked 30th, 32nd, 32nd, 32nd and T-19th, respectively. This is why pass-catching TE is a major need:

submitted 4 days ago • 3 comments

Shout-out to one of our Orange & Blue Today viewers, Sharon, who sent us some stickers -- including this one with two words we hear from Sean Payton often, which have slipped into my conversation more than I care to admit: "relative to":

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Cecil Lammey calls his shot on the 2025 Broncos: "This is a postseason team ... they'll make the playoffs." But I take a not-so-fast approach: "I can't sit there and put the playoff spot for next year in Sharpie ... I'm not gonna do it."

submitted 5 days ago • 4 comments

How can Bo Nix help the Broncos DEFENSE -- yes, the defense -- improve? Discussing on Orange and Blue Today:

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Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network goes full-throttle on his comp for Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr.: "It's sacrilegious to say it because he's now going into the Hall of Fame, but he's like a mini-Antonio Gates, just with his movements, just how he kind of moves around." 👀 👀 👀

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Canada has a coach & 3 key players from the NHL team I've followed since 1992 (TB) ... & Hart & Conn Smythe Trophy winners from the local team I respect, plus a key cog in Toews. Pulling for 🇨🇦 is an easy call for me, sorry.🤷‍♂️ (And now I'll duck to avoid a barrage of objects.)

submitted 7 days ago • 3 comments

Can Sean Payton get his "joker" on Day 2 of the draft? NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah says yes, and offers three possibilities: Texas RB Jaydon Blue, Central Florida RB RJ Harvey and Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr., who he says moves like a "mini Antonio Gates."

submitted 7 days ago • 1 comment

The notion that the Broncos got some kind of unique free-agency boost by the salary cap going up today is nuts. EVERYONE gets a boost. EVERYONE gets the cap increase. Let's be reasonable and not be in fan-service/excited-headlines-for-SEO-purposes mode here.

submitted 8 days ago • 2 comments

The NFL salary cap is going up at least $22 million, so @cecillammey.bsky.social asks, "Mase, do you think it washes away the Russell Wilson deal?" Me: "I mean ... if that gets you through the night, sure." More:

submitted 8 days ago • 2 comments

Broncos defensive lineman D.J. Jones is set to hit free agency next month, but teammate Zach Allen would love to see the team re-sign Jones. "He's one of my favorite teammates ever, both off the field and on," Allen said last month. "What he does for us on first, second down is huge." ...

submitted 10 days ago • 2 comments

A few weeks ago, Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin talked about how he did in regards to a goal he had last offseason: to improve in pass protection. "That was one of my goals, to be 100% in pass protection. I can say that I was," McLaughlin said.

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments

It's the Thunderdome Draft! TreVeyon Henderson, Devin Neal, Brashard Smith AND Jacory Croskey-Merritt at RB. Elijah Arroyo, Luke Lachey AND Oronde Gadsden II at TE. Plus 2 D-linemen, 2 safeties, a LB, a WR and an edge. Not all will make it. Camp competition would be amazing.

submitted 12 days ago • 2 comments

In the 12 seasons that @profootballfocus.bsky.social has kept special-teams DVOA -- 2013 through the present -- new Broncos ST coordinator Darren Rizzi's special teams have ranked in the NFL's top 10 on eight occasions, including four times in the top 5.

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So, should the Broncos consider MOVING UP from the No. 20 overall pick in the NFL Draft to get Jeanty? Cecil Lammey and I break down the pros and cons on Orange and Blue Today:

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Auburn tight end Rivaldo Fairweather had the longest wingspan of any receiver or tight end at the Shrine or Senior Bowls. But despite a strong Shrine Bowl week, he was a Combine snub. @CecilLammey and I caught up with him at the Shrine to talk about his draft prospects:

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

The Broncos offensive line ranked No. 1 in the NFL in pass-block and run-block win rates in 2024, per ESPN Analytics. And all five starters from that unit are under contract for 2025. "That's a pretty cool deal," RT Mike McGlinchey said. ...

submitted 16 days ago • 1 comment

"Awesome," @NFLonFOX's @PSchrags said when asked about Bo Nix's rookie season, adding, "He's knocking on that door for that second tier. If Jayden Daniels doesn't have the best rookie season ever, we're doing all these flips about Bo Nix right now."

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No team has ever come back to win a playoff game when being shut out in the first half while allowing at least 17 points, per Pro Football Reference. Teams in this scenario are 0-43 all-time in the postseason.

submitted 18 days ago • 6 comments

The Chiefs have 45 penalty yards in the first half tonight, more than they had in 10 of their previous 19 full games so far this season.

submitted 18 days ago • 2 comments

The Chiefs got booed so much when taking the field, you’d think the #SuperBowl was in Denver!

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@masedenver.bsky.social “The Broncos are getting some hits. If you get another draft with hits, then buckle up. If you’re Kansas City, buckle up because this team’s comin’.” Damnit, Mase! You gonna need to help fix the wall in my house that I just ran through. 😂🤣🟠🔵🏈👍🏼

submitted 19 days ago • 0 comments

How long does NFL on Fox broadcaster and Hall of Fame member Terry Bradshaw want to keep going? "I said, 'If we can get to the next Super Bowl, I'll be 80.' I think that's time. And that's 80 years old, and that's pushing it," he said this week.

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Jay Glazer of Fox, on Bo Nix's relationship with Sean Payton: "And what I love, too, is Bo doesn't take his crap. And that's what you need, because Sean will wear you out. Sean will fire his coaches 9 times during the game & then act like afterwards, it's like, 'Oh, did I really do that?'"

submitted 19 days ago • 0 comments

Terry Bradshaw of @NFLonFOX said he spoke with Sean Payton this week in New Orleans ... and learned from the chat that Bo Nix is even more than Payton thought he'd be. Said Bradshaw: "He [Nix] is faster than [Payton] thought he was. Stronger than he thought he was. Bigger than he thought he was."

submitted 19 days ago • 1 comment

Did ANYONE expect Bo Nix to be this good, this soon? Discussing with Frank Schwab of Yahoo! Sports:

submitted 19 days ago • 3 comments

NFL on Fox's Peter Schrager, on how close the Broncos are to matching the dominant Chiefs in the AFC West: "It is a huge gap ... I don't think they're a year away; I think they're two years away, but Sean's got them going in the right direction."

submitted 20 days ago • 3 comments

As I walked to a late dinner in New Orleans, I was trying to put my finger on the aroma that permeated the streets in the French Quarter. And I think I figured it out: It smells like the concourse of Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum at a Raiders game.

submitted 21 days ago • 7 comments

Pat Surtain II winning DPOY makes me irrationally angry that Champ Bailey was NOT the DPOY in 2006. That year Bailey had more interceptions (10) than receptions allowed (4). He lost to Jason Taylor, who had 13.5 sacks. The voting was borderline criminal.

submitted 21 days ago • 5 comments

Fox Sports' @JayGlazer has known Sean Payton well for a quarter-century. So, I asked him ... what did Payton really think of when Bo Nix yelled back at him in Week 6? "[He] loves it," Glazer said. "You have to do it ... He will run you over if you don't."

submitted 21 days ago • 1 comment

It’s nice to be at a Super Bowl week being able to think, “The Broncos aren’t too far away from being here again.”

submitted 22 days ago • 5 comments

Sean Payton wants a joker. Actually, he NEEDS a joker. And he isn’t shy about saying it. He tried players like Greg Dulcich in the last 2 years. But now, with a team core & QB established, he’s truly on the hunt. And this draft could have his answer: denversports.com/nfl/sean-pay...

submitted 22 days ago • 1 comment

At age 66, former Broncos head coach Vic Fangio acknowledges that Philadelphia will "probably" be his last stop in coaching. "Yeah, it's the hours for six, seven months of the year, especially this year," he said.

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Was Vic Fangio surprised he didn't get a fourth Broncos season as head coach after going 7-9, 5-11 and 7-10 in his three years? "Not really," he says. But he believes he should have gotten a fourth season. "Yeah. But when you don't produce, you could be gone," he said.

submitted 24 days ago • 1 comment

Now guiding the Eagles defense in Super Bowl LIX, former Broncos coach Vic Fangio explains why he declined to return to Denver as defensive coordinator under Sean Payton in 2023. "We were gonna do that, but at the time I thought it was too early to go back," Fangio said.

submitted 24 days ago • 1 comment