DENVER — The new free-agent period began Monday with three of Sean Payton’s most loyal soldiers hitting the open market.
Wil Lutz. Adam Trautman. Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
The Broncos have expressed interest in bringing all three back, and there were conversations with the agents of all three on Monday.
Lutz has been saved. A source said Sean Payton stepped up and made the right pitch to prevent his favorite kicker from going through with his Monday morning verbal commitment to the Jacksonville Jaguars. By mid-Monday afternoon, Lutz was back with the Broncos on a two-year contract. Loyalty to Payton saved the Broncos from another offseason-long kicker tryout.
That leaves Trautman, a tight end who Payton once traded away the entire back end of his draft to move up and take the Dayton Flyer in the third round. Three years later, Trautman took a pay cut to facilitate a trade from New Orleans and come play for Payton and the Broncos in 2023.
He is one of the best two-way tight ends – blocking and receiving – in the free-agent market. And indeed he has generated interest from multiple teams aside from the Broncos.
Then there’s Humphrey. He was the Broncos’ No. 4 receiver last year and the best blocker among the wideouts. After he was released by the Saints last year, he signed up to join Payton in Denver. Humphrey had a terrific 54-yard catch and run over defenders for a touchdown in a New Year’s Day win against the Chargers. He played a ton (40% of the offensive snaps) and while he only had 13 catches, three went for touchdowns.
Payton’s players helped set a tougher-minded culture within the Broncos’ program last year. The kicker is back. We’ll see about the tight end and receiver. Free agency officially opens at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
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