On Day 2 of the NFL draft Johnny Townsend Jersey Raiders , Denver Broncos general manager John Elway began fixing the mess on offense, selecting two big bangers in SMU wide receiver Courtland Sutton in the second round and Oregon running back Royce Freeman in the third.
"Well, we got better on the offensive side, no question," Elway said Friday night after adding Sutton (6-foot-4, 218 pounds) and Freeman (6-foot, 238 pounds).
Also in the third round, the Broncos selected Isaac Yiadom, a lean, long-armed cornerback from Boston College who impressed the Broncos at the Senior Bowl and is expected to be a special teams stud in Denver.
Mix Demaryius Thomas' size and strength with Emmanuel Sanders' pedigree and athleticism and you've got Sutton, whom the Broncos project as a future featured receiver.
"He's big and he can really run," Elway said. "He can make the very difficult catch and make great catches. We also think he's very raw and has lots of upside."
Thomas and Sanders "are going to be great role models for him," Elway added.
Sanders tweeted a video of the two of them working out together last month in Dallas, saying the he and Sutton "joked about how lethal we'd be together."
Now, the laugh is on Denver's opponents.
With the first of two third-round picks, the Broncos added Oregon's all-time leading rusher in Freeman, a big back who ran for a Pac-12-record 60 career touchdowns but carried 947 times in four seasons in Eugene, putting plenty of miles on his football odometer.
"What it shows to us is durable," Elway said. "He played a lot Authentic Connor McDavid Jersey , so obviously he can take that. And it's probably nearer at the end of his career, but who knows how much that will shorten it? But it wasn't a concern when we took him."
The Broncos needed a top-tier running back after releasing C.J. Anderson in a cost-cutting move, and in Sutton they added the big playmaker their anemic offense has sorely lacked of late.
Sutton gives quarterback Case Keenum another big, physical red-zone target who will initially be the third receiver but "has No. 1" receiver traits, according to coach Vance Joseph.
"John said it, in the future he could be our No. 1 guy," Joseph said.
Freeman could be the starting running back right away.
Elway called him a "big banger that we haven't had for a while."
Freeman is big like Anderson but faster.
"With Freeman, he is a big back with speed, so when you're down in the red zone running the football, he's definitely a nice option," Joseph said. "When you're in third-and-1, fourth-and-1, he's a great option."
Like Sanders, Sutton went to SMU, and over the years he sought his advice.
"It wasn't an everyday thing but we would talk a few times about how I get to that level and how I continue to climb to be the best that I can be, even with that big fight against me coming from a smaller school," Sutton said.
The versatile Sutton prides himself on garnering attention no matter where he lines up, but he's admittedly still a work in progress and eager for mentoring by Thomas and Sanders.
"I am very new to the position. I am learning as I go," Sutton said.
Recruited out of high school as a safety Cheap Kentavius Street Jersey , Sutton was moved to wide receiver by former Mustangs head coach June Jones.
"I loved playing safety, but I feel like in my heart I was a true receiver," Sutton said. "They played me at safety but Coach Jones saw that I had the ball skills and they needed some grit on that other side of the ball."
After a medical redshirt in 2014, Sutton caught 194 passes for 3,193 yards and 31 touchdowns in three seasons at SMU.
The Broncos turned to offense on Day 2 after Bradley Chubb , the top-ranked defensive player in the draft, fell to them at No. 5 on Thursday night.
Elway insisted he was also surprised to see Sutton there at No. 40 on Friday.
"We feel very fortunate," Elway said. "We had a first-round grade on him."
Chubb, a defensive end at North Carolina State, will play outside linebacker in Denver, where the Broncos believe his dogged determination and relentless motor will help their defense return to dominance.
"That is really what we're excited about because I think it's contagious," Elway said Friday.
"That motor came from always wanting to make plays," Chubb said. "I always wanted to be around the ball. It was just something I was raised with. If I am going to do something, I am going to do it at 100 percent. That is my mindset every time I step on the field. I feel like I bring that to the pass-rush game."
鈥?The Los Angeles Rams exceeded every expectation and stunned the NFL during their surge to an 11-win season and the NFC West title.That didn’t make the Rams’ opening-round playoff loss to Atlanta any easier to bear 鈥?at least not while it’s still fresh for the players and coaches who led the turnaround to get there.“It’s a good start, a great start,” receiver Robert Woods said Sunday. “But we’ve got to keep building.”The Rams’ comeback season is over after a 26-13 loss to the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night. The players still seemed stunned by the abrupt conclusion to a remarkable turnaround season as they cleaned out their lockers at the team’s training complex.“It’s hard, because we had a good thing going,” guard Jamon Brown said. “For it to come to a halt and stop like it did, it’s tough. But we learned that we have the guys to do it. It was a matter of having the scheme 49ers Cassius Marsh Jersey , having the right coaches, having the right attitude. We’re going to get better.”After 13 consecutive non-winning seasons and 12 straight non-playoff seasons, the Rams (11-6) suddenly had it all under 31-year-old Sean McVay, who became the youngest head coach in league history to reach the playoffs. Los Angeles improved by seven wins on last season’s performance while moving from 32nd in the NFL in scoring in 2016 to first this season, more than doubling last season’s point production.Although McVay said he isn’t sure exactly what to do this week, he hopes his players will understand they’re only as good as what happens next year. After outstanding seasons from Todd Gurley, Jared Goff and Aaron Donald, the Rams have pieces in place to do this again and again, McVay believes.“I think this organization is going in the right direction,” McVay said. “I think we’ve got a good foundation in place that we can build on, but by no means does that mean that you win games automatically next year. While we did win some games this year, you still have to earn everything.”The Rams have several decisions to make in the offseason on the fates of free-agent players including cornerback Trumaine Johnson, receiver Sammy Watkins and linebacker Connor Barwin. But after a season that revitalized a franchise and a fan base, McVay and the Rams appear to be on the way up.Here are more things to watch as the Rams move on:TRU STORY: Six Rams starters will be unrestricted free agents, including three defensive backs: Johnson, Lamarcus Joyner and Nickell Robey-Coleman. Johnson played the last two seasons under the franchise tag, but is likely to get a big contract this offseason as an elite cover cornerback. Los Angeles must navigate potential upheaval in the secondary, perhaps by drafting a cornerback or safety, if it hopes to return with another strong defense.PAY THE MAN: Donald is entering the final year of his rookie contract Andy Dalton Bengals Jersey , and the Rams seem unlikely to force their All-Pro defensive lineman into another holdout 鈥?except that also seemed unlikely this season, when Donald skipped the entirety of training camp and didn’t play in the first regular-season game. Donald is the Rams’ defensive cornerstone, and getting a record-setting deal done will be high on general manager Les Snead’s to-do list, just as it was last year.SAMMY’S FUTURE: Watkins occasionally clicked with Goff after arriving during the preseason in a trade with Buffalo, catching 39 passes for 593 yards and eight touchdowns. But Goff clearly had more familiarity with Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, and it showed. Watkins is a free agent, but could be kept in LA with the franchise tag or the transition tag. Watkins said he would love to stay with the Rams, but added: “I just know it’s a business. Since I got traded from the Bills, it’s like anything can happen. I didn’t see that coming. I think I played pretty hard this year, and I can’t wait to see what my future holds, here or anywhere else.”NEW QBs COACH?: McVay all but confirmed that quarterbacks coach Greg Olson is talking about moving to Oakland to work for new coach Jon Gruden, who happens to be McVay’s mentor. If Olson leaves, Goff will have his third position coach in three seasons. McVay encourages his assistants to move up in the coaching world, but he also hopes to keep the rest of his staff intact, saying he anticipates no changes other than the possible departure of Olson.UNSWEET HOME: The Rams’ playoff loss was their fifth in eight games this season at the Coliseum, where the franchise is just 4-11 since returning home from St. Louis in 2016. The Rams also lost their final three home games this year despite increasingly raucous crowds while their improved play grabbed the attention of LA’s long-abandoned football fans. Linebacker Alec Ogletree believes the Rams had a strong us-against-the-world vibe while going 8-1 away from the Coliseum this season, but nobody is quite sure how to replicate it. With two seasons left in the Coliseum before the opening of their lavish Inglewood palace, McVay said the Rams must figure out how to play better at home..
"Well, we got better on the offensive side, no question," Elway said Friday night after adding Sutton (6-foot-4, 218 pounds) and Freeman (6-foot, 238 pounds).
Also in the third round, the Broncos selected Isaac Yiadom, a lean, long-armed cornerback from Boston College who impressed the Broncos at the Senior Bowl and is expected to be a special teams stud in Denver.
Mix Demaryius Thomas' size and strength with Emmanuel Sanders' pedigree and athleticism and you've got Sutton, whom the Broncos project as a future featured receiver.
"He's big and he can really run," Elway said. "He can make the very difficult catch and make great catches. We also think he's very raw and has lots of upside."
Thomas and Sanders "are going to be great role models for him," Elway added.
Sanders tweeted a video of the two of them working out together last month in Dallas, saying the he and Sutton "joked about how lethal we'd be together."
Now, the laugh is on Denver's opponents.
With the first of two third-round picks, the Broncos added Oregon's all-time leading rusher in Freeman, a big back who ran for a Pac-12-record 60 career touchdowns but carried 947 times in four seasons in Eugene, putting plenty of miles on his football odometer.
"What it shows to us is durable," Elway said. "He played a lot Authentic Connor McDavid Jersey , so obviously he can take that. And it's probably nearer at the end of his career, but who knows how much that will shorten it? But it wasn't a concern when we took him."
The Broncos needed a top-tier running back after releasing C.J. Anderson in a cost-cutting move, and in Sutton they added the big playmaker their anemic offense has sorely lacked of late.
Sutton gives quarterback Case Keenum another big, physical red-zone target who will initially be the third receiver but "has No. 1" receiver traits, according to coach Vance Joseph.
"John said it, in the future he could be our No. 1 guy," Joseph said.
Freeman could be the starting running back right away.
Elway called him a "big banger that we haven't had for a while."
Freeman is big like Anderson but faster.
"With Freeman, he is a big back with speed, so when you're down in the red zone running the football, he's definitely a nice option," Joseph said. "When you're in third-and-1, fourth-and-1, he's a great option."
Like Sanders, Sutton went to SMU, and over the years he sought his advice.
"It wasn't an everyday thing but we would talk a few times about how I get to that level and how I continue to climb to be the best that I can be, even with that big fight against me coming from a smaller school," Sutton said.
The versatile Sutton prides himself on garnering attention no matter where he lines up, but he's admittedly still a work in progress and eager for mentoring by Thomas and Sanders.
"I am very new to the position. I am learning as I go," Sutton said.
Recruited out of high school as a safety Cheap Kentavius Street Jersey , Sutton was moved to wide receiver by former Mustangs head coach June Jones.
"I loved playing safety, but I feel like in my heart I was a true receiver," Sutton said. "They played me at safety but Coach Jones saw that I had the ball skills and they needed some grit on that other side of the ball."
After a medical redshirt in 2014, Sutton caught 194 passes for 3,193 yards and 31 touchdowns in three seasons at SMU.
The Broncos turned to offense on Day 2 after Bradley Chubb , the top-ranked defensive player in the draft, fell to them at No. 5 on Thursday night.
Elway insisted he was also surprised to see Sutton there at No. 40 on Friday.
"We feel very fortunate," Elway said. "We had a first-round grade on him."
Chubb, a defensive end at North Carolina State, will play outside linebacker in Denver, where the Broncos believe his dogged determination and relentless motor will help their defense return to dominance.
"That is really what we're excited about because I think it's contagious," Elway said Friday.
"That motor came from always wanting to make plays," Chubb said. "I always wanted to be around the ball. It was just something I was raised with. If I am going to do something, I am going to do it at 100 percent. That is my mindset every time I step on the field. I feel like I bring that to the pass-rush game."
鈥?The Los Angeles Rams exceeded every expectation and stunned the NFL during their surge to an 11-win season and the NFC West title.That didn’t make the Rams’ opening-round playoff loss to Atlanta any easier to bear 鈥?at least not while it’s still fresh for the players and coaches who led the turnaround to get there.“It’s a good start, a great start,” receiver Robert Woods said Sunday. “But we’ve got to keep building.”The Rams’ comeback season is over after a 26-13 loss to the defending NFC champion Atlanta Falcons on Saturday night. The players still seemed stunned by the abrupt conclusion to a remarkable turnaround season as they cleaned out their lockers at the team’s training complex.“It’s hard, because we had a good thing going,” guard Jamon Brown said. “For it to come to a halt and stop like it did, it’s tough. But we learned that we have the guys to do it. It was a matter of having the scheme 49ers Cassius Marsh Jersey , having the right coaches, having the right attitude. We’re going to get better.”After 13 consecutive non-winning seasons and 12 straight non-playoff seasons, the Rams (11-6) suddenly had it all under 31-year-old Sean McVay, who became the youngest head coach in league history to reach the playoffs. Los Angeles improved by seven wins on last season’s performance while moving from 32nd in the NFL in scoring in 2016 to first this season, more than doubling last season’s point production.Although McVay said he isn’t sure exactly what to do this week, he hopes his players will understand they’re only as good as what happens next year. After outstanding seasons from Todd Gurley, Jared Goff and Aaron Donald, the Rams have pieces in place to do this again and again, McVay believes.“I think this organization is going in the right direction,” McVay said. “I think we’ve got a good foundation in place that we can build on, but by no means does that mean that you win games automatically next year. While we did win some games this year, you still have to earn everything.”The Rams have several decisions to make in the offseason on the fates of free-agent players including cornerback Trumaine Johnson, receiver Sammy Watkins and linebacker Connor Barwin. But after a season that revitalized a franchise and a fan base, McVay and the Rams appear to be on the way up.Here are more things to watch as the Rams move on:TRU STORY: Six Rams starters will be unrestricted free agents, including three defensive backs: Johnson, Lamarcus Joyner and Nickell Robey-Coleman. Johnson played the last two seasons under the franchise tag, but is likely to get a big contract this offseason as an elite cover cornerback. Los Angeles must navigate potential upheaval in the secondary, perhaps by drafting a cornerback or safety, if it hopes to return with another strong defense.PAY THE MAN: Donald is entering the final year of his rookie contract Andy Dalton Bengals Jersey , and the Rams seem unlikely to force their All-Pro defensive lineman into another holdout 鈥?except that also seemed unlikely this season, when Donald skipped the entirety of training camp and didn’t play in the first regular-season game. Donald is the Rams’ defensive cornerstone, and getting a record-setting deal done will be high on general manager Les Snead’s to-do list, just as it was last year.SAMMY’S FUTURE: Watkins occasionally clicked with Goff after arriving during the preseason in a trade with Buffalo, catching 39 passes for 593 yards and eight touchdowns. But Goff clearly had more familiarity with Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, and it showed. Watkins is a free agent, but could be kept in LA with the franchise tag or the transition tag. Watkins said he would love to stay with the Rams, but added: “I just know it’s a business. Since I got traded from the Bills, it’s like anything can happen. I didn’t see that coming. I think I played pretty hard this year, and I can’t wait to see what my future holds, here or anywhere else.”NEW QBs COACH?: McVay all but confirmed that quarterbacks coach Greg Olson is talking about moving to Oakland to work for new coach Jon Gruden, who happens to be McVay’s mentor. If Olson leaves, Goff will have his third position coach in three seasons. McVay encourages his assistants to move up in the coaching world, but he also hopes to keep the rest of his staff intact, saying he anticipates no changes other than the possible departure of Olson.UNSWEET HOME: The Rams’ playoff loss was their fifth in eight games this season at the Coliseum, where the franchise is just 4-11 since returning home from St. Louis in 2016. The Rams also lost their final three home games this year despite increasingly raucous crowds while their improved play grabbed the attention of LA’s long-abandoned football fans. Linebacker Alec Ogletree believes the Rams had a strong us-against-the-world vibe while going 8-1 away from the Coliseum this season, but nobody is quite sure how to replicate it. With two seasons left in the Coliseum before the opening of their lavish Inglewood palace, McVay said the Rams must figure out how to play better at home..
