Tyrie Cleveland, a longshot to crack what is now a deep Broncos’ receiver group, can go to work knowing he has a nice $75,492 signing bonus in his pocket.
Cleveland and the Broncos reached agreement on a four-year, $3.37 million contract Wednesday night that is the same deal the team gave outside linebacker Derrek Tuszka earlier in the day. Although Cleveland was the No. 252 overall selection in the NFL Draft and Tuszka was No. 254 – one away from the Mr. Irrelevant No. 255 pick – both were 7th-round compensatory selections.
Cleveland had modest stats in his four seasons at Florida, topping out with 25 catches as a senior last year, 410 yards as a sophomore in 2017, and three touchdowns in 2018 as a junior.
But at 6-foot-2, 209 pounds with a 4.46, 40 time at the NFL Combine, the Broncos see potential that has not yet been realized.
Without benefit of OTAs or a preseason schedule, the Broncos’ practice squad would be a realistic goal for Cleveland as his position is already stacked with the likes of Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, DaeSean Hamilton, Tim Patrick, Juwann Winfree, Fred Brown and returner Diontae Spencer besides returning practice squanders Trinity Benson and Kelvin McKnight.
The Broncos now have seven of their 10 draft picks with contract agreements. Only Jeudy, the first-round pick, second-rounder Hamler and third-round center Lloyd Cushenberry III are haggling over details.
