Last year, the Denver Broncos signed 17 undrafted free agents following the draft. Denver also signed 17 UDFAs following the 2017 NFL Draft.
This year, the team’s college free agent class will be much smaller.
Teams aren’t allowed to use their facilities for the draft this year because of COVID-19. Without scouts, coaches and executives all in the same room, that will make it harder to sign undrafted free agents.
The Broncos are also scheduled to have 10 picks in the draft. Even if Denver makes a few trades, they won’t have as many roster spots for UDFAs as they have in previous years.
“It’s always a difficult time but even more so this year with it being virtual,” Broncos general manager said during a pre-draft Zoom conference call with reporters on Monday. “We’re fortunate in the fact that with our numbers, we shouldn’t be — we don’t need too many CFAs. It’s a good year to be in a position that we’re in.
“Again, it’s going to be more difficult because of it being virtual. Hopefully, when the draft’s over we can at least add seven, eight, nine CFAs that can have a chance to maybe make our team.”
The list of recent successful UDFA signings for the Broncos includes Malik Reed (2019), Phillip Lindsay (2018) and Elijah Wilkinson (2017).
