The Denver Broncos have locked up most of their roster, so it's time to start playing some pre-draft mind games.
Let the pre-draft mind games begin!
The Denver Broncos’ fan base is howling for playmakers, but coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton seem relatively unconcerned about their unhappiness. They’ve been busy locking up just about every player who helped the Broncos make it to the AFC Championship game, but now that process is just about over.
That means it’s time for pre-draft visits to begin, and the Broncos announced one that’s mildly intriguing, with Luca Evans of the Denver Post saying that the team will host Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. on Friday in one of the team’s approved top-30 pre-draft visits.
The visit could signal Denver’s willingness to swing big to get an offensive weapon for quarterback Bo Nix in April, but it could mean other things as well.
Cooper blossomed as a slot receiver last season for Indiana, according to Evans, as he caught 69 passes for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns while catching passes from prospective No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza, who is almost certain to go to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Evans added that Cooper’s receiving profile fits the needs of a Sean Payton offense, and substantially different from what Denver already has in the room as a serious after-the-catch threat in the middle of the field.
His 4.42 time in the 40-yard dash put him in the middle of the pack in this year’s college receivers, and most evaluators have him rated third or fourth in this draft class, which means he’d likely be available if the Broncos want to go there and select him.
Here’s what doesn’t quite pass the smell test here: Both Payton and GM George Paton have talked up the Broncos' receiving room quite a bit, and while Marvin Mims Jr. is small, he’s also a serious threat after the catch, although the Broncos have to manage him carefully given his added value as a return man.
On top of that, receivers Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant are both considered ascending players, and it’s not hard to imagine a scenario going forward where their touchdown catch totals increase significantly.
Add in the fact that the Broncos have bigger needs at tight end and running back, and part of the plan here might be to get some intel from Cooper on Mendoza and see what keyed their connection. As murky and mysterious as this sounds, this sort of thing happens all the time in the NFL at this time of year, and it’s especially likely given that the Broncos will have their usual pair of games against the Raiders on the schedule.