Every summer, the same question hangs over training camp: which undrafted free agent is about to force his way onto the roster? For the Broncos, that hunt has become part of the franchise’s identity.
Denver has spent decades turning overlooked players into real contributors, from Rod Smith and Chris Harris Jr. to current defender Ja'Quan McMillian. And Sean Payton has a track record of finding those kinds of players, too, with Tony Romo standing out from his time as an assistant with the Cowboys and more success coming later with the Saints.
This year, the clearest candidate to keep that tradition rolling is linebacker Taurean York.
York enters camp as Denver’s most intriguing undrafted rookie, and the Broncos made sure he knew how much they valued him. He got the biggest contract guarantee in franchise history for an undrafted free agent this offseason, with $325,000 in total guarantees. That kind of money lines up with what a relatively high 6th-round pick might receive, which says plenty about how the team viewed him coming out of Texas A&M.
And it’s easy to see why Denver pushed hard to land him. York was a three-year starter for the Aggies and wore a captain’s badge twice before turning 21.
Over his college career, he piled up 229 total tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and 7 passes broken up. The one thing that kept him out of the draft was size: he measured 5-foot-11, 226 pounds, with 30-inch arms.
At linebacker, that puts him in the 1st percentile for height, which is exactly the kind of hurdle that usually keeps players from sticking.
But York already showed he could beat those odds at Texas A&M, and Denver is betting that trait carries over.
The opportunity is there. After cutting Dre Greenlaw, the Broncos brought back Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad as their starting linebackers, but the depth behind them is thin. That opens a real path for York if he can make a strong impression in camp.
Special teams could be his first ticket. If he wins over Darren Rizzi, he can almost lock down a roster spot.
Then there’s the defensive side, where Vance Joseph will be watching to see whether York can communicate cleanly and consistently put himself in the right place at the right time. If he handles both, he could get on the field immediately as a rookie.
The Broncos need depth at linebacker, and they need developmental upside there, too. York gives them both.
A player like this in the 5th or 6th round would have looked like a smart pick. Getting him after the draft looks even better.
Denver may have found its next big steal.
In Other News...
Broncos Fans Wont All Agree On This Marvin Mims Trade Idea
Marvin Mims Jr. keeps popping up in the kind of trade chatter that tends to split a fan base, because his value to the Broncos is easy to see from more than one angle. He has been one of the leagues most dangerous kick returners and has already earned two Pro Bowl nods in his first three seasons, while also flashing as Denvers most consistent deep threat when the offense has let him stretch the field.
Bleacher Reports Moe Moton floated a scenario in which a late-round 2027 draft pick could come back to Denver for Mims, but the timing makes the conversation more complicated than a simple sell-high debate. Mims is still under contract for 2026 and wont hit unrestricted free agency until after that season, so the Broncos would have to decide whether the return now is worth giving up a player who still has room to matter both on special teams and in the passing game. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Week 1 Suddenly Carries A Massive Mahomes Shadow
The Broncos season opener already had the feel of a measuring-stick game, and now it carries a little more weight with Kansas Citys quarterback situation hanging over it. Denver and the Chiefs are set for a Monday Night Football showdown to open the 2026 season, a stage that would have plenty of attention even before the matchup got a fresh layer of intrigue.
Patrick Mahomes has said he wants to be ready for Week 1, but his return is not something he can simply declare on his own. The final call will come down to the medical side and the coaching staff, which leaves Denver with a familiar opponent and an uncertain one at the same time, after the Broncos swept Kansas City in last seasons series. [Read more 🡒]