Getty Denver Broncos wide receiver K.J. Hamler, seen here warming up against the Los Angeles Chargers in SoFi Stadium, is making solid strides in his recovery from a knee injury.
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is known for throwing the deep ball. The receiver who could be his fastest, and most dangerous, downfield target in Denver appears to to be coming back from an injury at a rapid rate.
Broncos receiver K.J. Hamler was clocked at 4.36 seconds in the 40-yard dash coming out of Penn State two years ago, as NFL Network Reporter Mike Garafolo reported in this story from March 31, 2020. Hamler had a decent rookie campaign that included 30 catches for 381 yards and three touchdowns, but he looked ready to fulfill his promise as a downfield speedster in 2021 when a knee injury in Week 3 prematurely ended his season .
“(Hamler) was hitting his stride, playing fast and confident and strong,” Denver receivers coach Zach Azzanni told Nick Kosmider of The Athletic for his April 24 story on Hamler. “Then (the knee injury) happened and it obviously derailed our offense, but also his season as well.”
The 22-year-old Hamler isn’t fully recovered, but he is with the Broncos in Englewood, Colorado at their voluntary veteran minicamp. His movement looked great in this video the team posted on Twitter, especially when you consider he’s just seven months removed from surgery.
“To see a guy like KJ Hamler get healthy and to be working his way into practicing and playing – it’s been really excellent,” Wilson said during his media availability on April 25.
Making a Deep Connection With Wilson
If Hamler can make a full recovery and find his way down the field, he has a quarterback ready to launch it to him.
When NFL writer Nick Shook took a deep dive into the league’s Next Gen stats to find the best deep passer of the 2020 season, Wilson came in ninth just by the numbers. But Shook bumped Wilson up to No. 8 because of his, “continued excellence.”
“(Wilson) has been the top downfield passer in the NFL since the advent of the Next Gen Stats era in 2016, leading the league in passing yards (5,369), passing touchdowns (56), completions (156) and attempts (378) in that span,” Shook wrote.
One of his primary downfield targets during that time was Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett. Wilson talked about the special connection between him and Lockett on this episode of his DangerRuss podcast, and the numbers certainly back it up.
Lockett posted three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons the last three years with Wilson, and in 2021 Lockett averaged 16.1 yards per catch.
Knowing all this, Hamel has been in touch with Lockett and hoping for some insight.
“I’m a big fan of Tyler’s game and me and him have talked a lot,” Hamler told Kosmider. “I’ve just been picking his brain, like, ‘How does Russ handle these situations?’ It’s being a sponge, absorbing knowledge from two Pro Bowl guys. I put on Tyler’s film and I’m like, ‘OK, he did this and he did that.’ And then it’s, ‘OK, I can do all this.’ I’ve just got to go out there and play and get back on the field.’”
Paton, Hackett Also Pleased With Hamler’s Progress
Broncos General Manager George Paton believes Hamler will get back on the field sooner rather than later. Paton said during a press conference on Friday that Hamler is, “well ahead of schedule.”
Denver coach Nathaniel Hackett is known for his all-around enthusiasm, and he was plenty enthusiastic when asked about Hamel during his media session on April 25.
It’s unbelievable. There’s one time … he ran an out route over there. I just kind of nodded my head saying, ‘Wow!’ It’s just great to see,” Hackett said.
The coach also stressed the importance of not going too fast with Hamel’s recovery.
“Our doctors, our trainers are amazing here. I trust them. It’s about doing it the right way. We don’t want to rush it too fast. We want to do what’s right for him,” Hackett said. “It’s about that process and making sure we don’t push it too hard or we’re pushing it enough. Just making sure we’re doing all the right things to get him out there when he can.”