The Broncos and Jerry Jeudy have a deal. The first-round wide receiver will ink his four-year, $15.192M deal soon, as NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. The deal includes an $8.61M signing bonus, of which 71% will be paid upfront.
Most of this year’s draft pick signings have come later than usual, in one giant burst. There was little doubt that Jeudy and the rest of this year’s 250+ player crop would eventually sign, but teams have been nervous about the current financial climate and the prospect of laying out millions of dollars early on. The first-round picks, in particular, have dragged, due to their larger signing bonuses.
Teammate Henry Ruggs came off the board before Jeudy, going No. 12 to the Raiders. At No. 15, the Broncos got the Alabama star that many evaluators actually preferred. Jeudy doesn’t have Ruggs’ speed, but he has the size to outstretch cornerbacks on the outside and tremendous route-running ability. The 6-foot-1 receiver averaged 72 catches for 1,239 yards and 12 touchdowns over his final two years on campus, and he could also see some time in the slot. In Denver, he’ll team with Courtland Sutton – mostly on the opposite side, while second-round pick KJ Hamler handles the slot.
The Broncos have also agreed to terms with rookies Justin Strnad, Tyrie Cleveland, and Netane Muti, meaning that there’s not much paperwork left for their 2020 class.
More must-reads: