Broncos general manager George Paton’s rationale for re-signing running back Melvin Gordon is matter-of-fact.
“We just want the best players,” Paton said. “Melvin is going to help us win football games. I think him and Javonte (Williams) bring out the best in each other. … It was pretty simple.”
Gordon returned to the Broncos Wednesday and his contract could provide a hint of his role within the offense this year. A league executive provided details to The Denver Post and Gordon can earn $1.5 million in incentives to carry the total value of the deal to $4 million.
- $250,000: Rush for 500 yards and the Broncos improve in wins, points scored and touchdowns (so long as they’re not in the bottom five of the rankings) or Gordon improves his totals of catches, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, average yards per catch (minimum 32 receptions), rushing touchdowns, average yards per rush attempt (minimum 100 rushes) or earns first-team All-Pro or Pro Bowl (not as an alternate) honors.
Putting incentives revolving around pass-catching could be a signal that Gordon will play a bigger role on third down than on first and second downs.
- $250,000: Rush for 1,000 yards or play 48% of the Broncos’ offensive snaps.
- $500,000: Rush for 700 yards and achieve any of the aforementioned team or individual improvements.
- $750,000: Rush for 800 yards and achieve any of the aforementioned team or individual improvements.
- $1 million: Rush for 1,200 yards.
- $1.25 million: Rush for 1,200 yards and Broncos make the playoffs.
“You need to have a stable of running backs,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said. “You want to hand the ball off; thatap what protects the quarterback. Thatap what helps the play-pass (action), thatap what helps the threat of being able to go downfield.”
Hearing from Wilson. The Broncos introduced second-round outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and third-round tight end Greg Dulcich during news conferences Saturday after the players traveled from Florida and California, respectively. Upon being selected Friday night, both players heard from quarterback Russell Wilson.
“It was awesome getting a FaceTime (call) from Russ,” Dulcich said. “I was like, ‘This is a Hall of Famer, this is the man and he’s just FaceTiming me.’ That was just an honor.”
Said Bonitto: “Just getting that call from him, I just want to pay him back ten-fold and work as hard as I can coming (to the Broncos).”
D-line emphasis. The Broncos used two Day 3 picks on defensive linemen — Iowa State’s Eyioma Uwazurike (No. 116 in the fourth round) and Wisconsin’s Matt Henningsen (No. 206 in the sixth round).
Uwazurike played 60 games for the Cyclones (144 tackles, 15 sacks) and was named first-team All-Big 12 last year. He checked into the combine at 6-foot-6, 316 pounds.
Henningsen, who turns 23 Sunday, was limited to two games in 2020 (torn biceps), but had 33 tackles and three sacks in 13 games for the Badgers last year. Listed at 6-foot-3, 289 pounds, he started his college career as a walk-on.
Trade up. The Broncos made only one trade on Saturday, flipping Nos. 179 and 234 to Green Bay to draft Washington center Luke Wattenberg at No. 171.
Wattenberg spent six years on the UW campus and started 48 of his 54 games — 27 at left guard, five at left tackle and the last 16 at center. The Huskies’ season was only four games in 2020 because of coronavirus game cancellations and Wattenberg returned for a sixth season.
“It was huge (to get the extra experience),” he said. “That was one of the reasons why I came back — I wanted more snaps at center. I felt like I hadn’t developed fully there and the 12 games (last) year really helped me a lot.”
Long wait. The Broncos closed out their draft by selecting Wisconsin cornerback Faion Hicks at No. 232 (seventh round). Hicks ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds at the Badgers’ pro day.
“(I was) definitely getting nervous,” he said of the long wait. “My family was sitting here keeping me up and when I finally got that call, it was a big weight off my shoulders.”
