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Busy Broncos have Darnold, Penny, Bierria, Baker and locals in their sights

It's been go-go-go for the Broncos' staff the past few days.
Sam Darnold runs from Tyquan Lewis #59 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second half of the 82nd Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic between USC and Ohio State at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2017. Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images.

KUSA – It may be early-April. The Broncos players may be still two weeks away from beginning their team-supervised strength and conditioning program.

But these are no idle times for the Broncos’ football operations department.

Take Tuesday. The Broncos brought in San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny and Washington weakside linebacker Keishawn Bierria for formal day-long visits at the team’s UCHealth Training Center. The Broncos will meet with Ohio State linebacker Jerome Baker on Thursday, according to a source.

Someone had to be making final-day arrangements for the John Elway-led Broncos’ brass to attend a private workout for USC quarterback Sam Darnold on Friday in Los Angeles.

The staff also held workouts Tuesday for local draft-eligible players on the Broncos' practice grounds. Among those who attended were University of Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay, receiver Bryce Bobo, defensive end Derek McCartney, Wyoming offensive lineman Ryan Cummings and Colorado State longsnapper Trent Sieg.

Not among the others were Arizona State (and ThunderRidge High School) guard Sam Jones, who visited with the Arizona Cardinals last week, or Colorado State receiver Michael Gallup and quarterback Nick Stevens, who were participating in a private workout for the Tennessee Titans on Tuesday.

Whew. By itself, the private workout in Los Angeles does not mean Darnold is viewed as No. 1 among the Big Four by the Broncos. Just one of the Big Four.

Elway and his contingent that includes head coach Vance Joseph, director of player personnel Matt Russell and consultant Gary Kubiak attended the Pro Day workouts of Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and UCLA’s Josh Rosen three weeks ago.

Elway could not attend Josh Allen’s Pro Day workout at Wyoming on March 23 because of a conflict with the NFL’s competition committee meeting in Orlando. However, Elway saw Allen for a week of practices at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., in late-January.

Elway was still at the league meetings in Orlando pulling off a trade for former USC safety Su’a Cravens last Wednesday when Darnold’s USC Pro Day was held in rainy Los Angeles.

Darnold was also the only member of the Big Four who didn’t throw March 3 at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Elway, thus, hasn’t seen Darnold throw since he attended the Cotton Bowl on December 29, when Ohio State thumped Darnold’s Trojans, 24-7. Darnold threw a pick six and lost two fumbles among his eight sacks in that game.

And so the private workout between the Broncos – who have the No. 5 overall pick in the upcoming draft – and Darnold was arranged.

Darnold may well be Elway’s No. 1 choice. But not because of the private workout. If Elway does deem Darnold as the franchise-caliber quarterback in this draft, he most likely would have to trade up from the No. 5 spot to get him.

Penny might be had in the second or third round. He was the NCAA’s leading rusher last season with 2,248 rushing yards. He played on the South team in the Senior Bowl, rushing for 64 yards on nine carries and taking a swing pass 73 yards for a touchdown in a 45-16 romp over the Bronco-coached North team.

Bierria is a 6-1, 230-pound, inside Will backer in the 3-4 system who is projected for Day 3 in the draft. Baker is a 6-1, 229 inside Will linebacker who is projected to go in rounds two through four.

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