Getty Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick.
The Denver Broncos were patient in waiting for wide receiver Tim Patrick to return from a series of devastating injuries that cost him all of the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Now that Patrick has finally come back around, the Broncos appear to have decided the roster has outgrown the player they signed to a 3-year, $34.5 million contract extension in 2021.
According to Mike Klis of Denver’s 9NEWS, the team has decided it’s time to move on from Patrick ahead of the 53-man roster deadline for NFL teams on Aug. 27.
“With significant depth and talent at WR, Broncos are moving on from popular veteran Tim Patrick, per source,” Klis wrote on his X account on Aug. 26. “Broncos are currently exploring trade possibilities for Patrick, who is generating strong interest on market in advance of Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline.”
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold followed up Klis’ report by saying the Broncos planned to release Patrick if no trade offers manifested.
The Broncos currently have Patrick listed as one of the three starters at wide receiver on their depth chart at slot wide receiver, with second-year player and 2023 NFL All-Pro return specialist Marvin Mims as his backup.
The Broncos open the season on Sept. 8 at the Seattle Seahawks.
Injuries Have Dogged Patrick Since College
This isn’t the first time injuries have played a major factor in Patrick’s career. After starring in football and basketball at the junior-college level for 2 years, Patrick earned a football scholarship to Utah but missed 17 games due to injuries over 2 seasons.
It’s shouldn’t be a surprise because of how he plays football, but #Broncos WR Tim Patrick was a damn good basketball player at Grossmont College.
His coach, Doug Weber, told me he could have played professionally overseas if he wanted to: t.co/3pndXU0JGn
As a senior in 2016, Patrick led the Utes with 45 receptions for 711 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns despite playing just 10 games. His lack of experience and injuries led to him going undrafted in 2017 and he spent all of that season on the practice squads for the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and Broncos.
In 2018, Patrick made the Broncos’ 53-man roster and played in all 16 games with 23 receptions for 315 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. He only played in 8 games in 2019 after breaking his hand early in the season, but bounced back with consecutive seasons of at least 700 receiving yards and at least 5 touchdowns in 2020 and 2021.
Patrick suffered season-ending injuries in training camp each of the next two seasons, tearing his ACL in Aug. 2022 and tearing his Achilles tendon in July 2023.
Broncos Have Mix of Veterans and Newcomers at WR
The Broncos have a rookie starting quarterback in Bo Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and appear content to surround him with a mix of veteran talent and newcomers.
Leading the veterans is Courtland Sutton, the last Denver player to have over 1,000 receiving yards in a single season in 2019. With Mims presumably taking over for Patrick in the slot receiver position, Sutton is also joined in the starting lineup by free-agent wide receiver Josh Reynolds, who signed a 2-year, $9 million contract with the Broncos after putting up 40 receptions for 608 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns for the Detroit Lions in 2023.
Adding depth to the receiver corps are a pair of rookies in third-round pick Troy Franklin, Nix’s teammate at Oregon, and Devaughn Vele, a seventh-round pick out of Utah.
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Broncos Ready to Part Ways With Former $34 Million WR