Eyioma Uwazurike thought he knew how to study film and plan for an opponent.
Then Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers showed him the light.
Uwazurike, a 2022 fourth-round pick out of Iowa State, was starting to work his way into the Broncos’ rotation for the first time in his career and the first time since missing all of 2023 due to a gambling-related suspension.
Uwazurike has confidence in his own game. Thatap easier when you’re 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds. He’s strong, he’s got athleticism. He calls himself a good pass-rusher.
But how do you deploy that?
“Itap not just knowing how to do moves against people,” Uwazurike told The Post. “Itap knowing, ‘OK, this guy likes to set this way. This guy likes to shoot his hands this way. This center leaves this little bit of air here when he does this. Then this is where we need to attack at.’
“Every week we’re switching up moves and going based off what certain teams did. Itap different than doing one-on-ones in practice. Learning from them and watching them do that last year, that was everything.”
Uwazurike saw first-hand what that preparation looked like. He learned what to look for.
“Zach, the notes that Zach takes, he knows the opponentap middle name,” Uwazurike said. “He knows everything about them. He dissects everything down on how to pass-rush vs. a certain person, a certain team, how the o-line slides.
“They definitely school you when it comes to studying. Itap been good to learn.”
This fall, he just might get the chance to put it all to work.
Uwazurike has been one of the breakouts so far in Broncos training camp. He’s been disruptive against the run and the pass. Regardless of who he lines up against.
“The leap he’s taking right now is pretty scary,” defensive tackle D.J. Jones said recently, calling Uwazurike, “unblockable.”
Which raises an interesting situation as the regular season approaches: The Broncos have several high-profile players entering the final year of their contracts this fall. Most of the attention has been on whether players like Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian will receive contract extensions this summer. Same for safety Brandon Jones and wide receiver Marvin Mims, Jr.
However high Uwazurike is perceived to be externally on the priority list, itap probably not high enough.
The 28-year-old says he’s not thinking about whether itap a possibility in the coming weeks. Instead, he’s focused on what ultimately makes him valuable.
“All I can do is learn and — I feel like what I’m doing now in camp, learning from the guys in front of me and all that, thatap whatap going to help me get to that point,” Uwazurike said. “Money is made here. Money is made in practice and in the film room. Thatap my main focus. If I do all of that right and play as hard as I can, then whatever comes for me is whatever comes for me.
“Thatap all I can do. That has to be the mindset.”
Uwazurike has seen that approach work for his teammates. Franklin-Myers last year played well for the Broncos and parlayed it into a $21 million per year deal with Tennessee.
The since-departed defensive lineman, though, went out of his way to help Uwazurike.
One misconception about Uwazurike is the notion that he’s always been a run defender first. Really, he says, he thinks of himself more as a rusher. He’s learned the art of stopping the run and, in 2025, did so at a high level.
He got those chances, in part, because of Franklin-Myers.
The veteran saw enough from Uwazurike to go to defensive line coach Jamar Cain and tell him that Uwazurike should take some of his early-down work and help keep JFM fresh for pass-rushing situations.
“There’s a difference between people saying ‘I know that you can do it,’ and actually doing it and showing it,” Uwazurike said. “Thatap what it was. The season before that, my first season with JFM, it was constantly ‘I know you can do it,’ this and that.
“Last year, it was, letap put it on film. Letap put it on film, letap stop some runs and actually show that you belong.”
Franklin-Myers went to defensive line coach Jamar Cain, Uwazurike said, and vouched for Uwazurike to play early downs.
“It allowed him to have more pass-rush opportunities,” Uwazurike said. “When you have that chemistry and stuff opens up like that, it allowed us to be how productive we were last year. More bodies in the game, more air for JFM.”
Now with JFM gone, there is playing time up for grabs. Malcolm Roach is undoubtedly going to take some of that. Uwazurike likely will, too. Jordan Jackson and young players like Sai’Vion Jones and Tyler Onyedim could also force their way into the mix.
Uwazurike, though, looks primed to play a major role.
“He’s always been a big man. Now he’s leaned out, he’s moving very well,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said recently. “He’s powerful. … Itap been fun to watch him improve.”
