LONDON, UK — Woke up. Fell out of bed. Dragged the shoulder pads across the head.
The Denver Broncos begin physical preparations for their game here Sunday morning (mountain time) against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a 7 a.m. practice on the sports fields of Harrow School, a public boarding high school institution in Harrow on the Hill in Greater London.
Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, ever mindful of players’ bodies with the massive time zone difference (England is currently 7 hours ahead of the mountain time zone so 7 a.m. Denver time is 2 p.m. London) will have a lighter workout Wednesday followed by a more stringent practice Thursday.
Hackett had his team arrive here early Tuesday morning so the players’ bodies and minds would have more time to adjust their off-kilter biological clocks. Jacksonville coach Doug Pederson took a different approach as his team won’t arrive here until Thursday.
With the exception of injured players who were left behind, all players on the Broncos’ roster are accounted for. No recent trades have been made by the Broncos although given the team’s sorry 2-5 record, it would be a surprise if general manager George Paton didn’t make a deal or two by the 2 p.m. MDT Tuesday trading deadline.
The Broncos currently have only five selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, none in the first two rounds, so Paton could move a player or two in return for draft picks that would provide a better chance at strengthening the team’s future. The team’s top selection as it stands now for the 2023 draft is No. 70 overall in the third round.
Based on recent history regarding usual trade deadline demand, Bradley Chubb is the Broncos’ player with an expiring contract who would command the greatest trade value. Chubb, 26, is in the fifth and final year of his rookie contract that is paying him $12.7 million this year. He is an outside linebacker with 5 ½ sacks through the Broncos’ first seven games.
“Yeah I heard about them but I'm just focused on trying to help my guys fight through this,’’ Chubb told 9NEWS after the Broncos loss Sunday. “I know it's a business and anything can happen but all I care about right now is my guys and trying to get this thing turned around.’’
At the trading deadline last year, Paton traded away Von Miller – a more accomplished but also much older (32) pass rusher – to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for second- and third-round draft picks. However, the Broncos also had to pay $9 million of Miller’s remaining $9.7 million contract to get a second, Day 2 draft pick.
The Broncos used their second-round pick in the Miller trade to take pass rusher Nik Bonitto, who got his first NFL sack Sunday in a 16-9 loss to the New York Jets, and traded away the third-round pick they had acquired essentially in exchange for fifth-round center Luke Wattenberg and an extra pick in the third round of the 2023 draft.
Bronco RBs approach 15,000 yards combined
No team has more rushing yards than the Broncos’ running back trio of Melvin Gordon III, Latavius Murray and Marlon Mack, who have combined for 14,501 regular-season rushing yards and 125 touchdowns.
Add in the career rushing totals for quarterback Russell Wilson (4,785 yards, 24 TDs) and the Broncos have a combined 19,285 yards and 149 touchdowns.
New Orleans is next with Mark Ingram (8,074 yards, 65 touchdowns), Alvin Kamara (4589, 47) and Dwayne Washington (572, 1) combining for 13,235 yards and 113 yards. Even when quarterback Taysom Hill (1,459, 21) is added, the Saints are well-shy of the Broncos’ combined rushing totals with Wilson.
All-time rushing yards and TDs by running backs on the Broncos’ roster:
- Gordon 6,378 yards, 54 TDs
- Murray 5,639 yards, 51 TDs
- Mack 2,484 yards, 20 TDs
- Totals: 14,501 yards, 125 TDs
The bulk of that production, though, is from the past. For 2022, Gordon has 234 yards in 7 games; Murray has 90 yards in 2 games and Mack was just signed Monday off the 49ers’ practice squad. Wilson has 21 yards rushing and 1 TD.
Top 5 teams with combined career rushing yards by running backs:
1. DEN 14,501
2. NO 12,663
3. DAL 9,813
4. CLE 9,376
5. TB 7,998
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