Thursday's Sports In Brief

There was always a football field where Bo Nix allowed himself to dream. Nix watched the games, and then carried his passion into the grass behind his house in South Carolina and Alabama, mimicking the plays, running and throwing, his goals gently coming into focus without him really knowing it. “It was always Auburn.

BOULDER — Deion Sanders’ new Lambo was parked lovingly between the 41 and the 44 at the CU Indoor Practice Facility on Saturday. Three yards and a cloud of eat my dust. “Definitely a great thing to see,” Jubi Louis told me as we admired the 2024 Lamborghini Huracan, matte black with sweet white drip and the Nike swoosh on the side.

When Sean Payton led a Broncos contingent to Oregon in the middle of March, so much of the franchise’s offseason remained unsettled. A few days into free agency, most of Denver’s biggest moves had been outbound. Russell Wilson released. Justin Simmons, too. Jerry Jeudy traded. Josey Jewell clearly headed elsewhere. The Broncos had made some additions, too, but more modest in nature.

The Broncos improved the running backs room by drafting Notre Dame standout Audric Estime in the fifth round. But they didn’t stop there. Following the conclusion of the NFL draft, Denver signed Memphis running back Blake Watson as an undrafted free agent. A source told The Denver Post that Watson’s deal includes a guaranteed salary of $250,000 and a $25,000 signing bonus. Watson rushed for at least 1,000 yards in two of his five seasons at Memphis.

The Broncos roster features every Duck but Daffy. Coach Sean Payton bet on himself with Bo Nix, staking his legacy to a quarterback critics view with a low ceiling, but he believes will exceed expectations. The Broncos have shown they are motivated to fit around Nix rather than the other way around. Alex Forsyth, his Oregon center in 2022, figures to start this season for Denver, serving as Nix’s security blanket.

The Broncos had five picks on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. Get to know the new players coming to Denver after the Broncos took quarterback Bo Nix on Day 1 and edge rusher Jonah Elliss on Day 2. WR Troy Franklin Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin catches a ball during the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Indianapolis.