According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Denver Broncos are signing veteran wide receiver Mike Woods after participating in their rookie minicamp this past weekend on a tryout basis. According to The Denver Post’s Luca Evans, it’s a standard one-year, vet-minimum deal for Woods.
This signing puts the Broncos at 92 players currently on their roster, and they will need to make one roster move to make room for Woods. Remember, they can carry 91 players due to punter Jeremy Crawshaw counting
as their International Roster Exemption player.
Mike Woods is a 6-1, 204-pound wide receiver and was drafted in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns and spent two seasons with them before spending part of last season on the Green Bay Packers practice squad. During his career with the Browns, Woods appeared in a total of 15 games, including two starts, and totaled 12 receptions for 110 yards. Ironically, his standout game came vs. the Broncos during their primetime matchup in 2024, where he totaled 3 receptions for 43 yards in a losing effort.
At the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, Woods ran a 4.55 40-time, had a 34.5-inch vertical, and a 10’5” broad jump. NFL.com’s draft analyst, Lance Zierlein, said that Woods has decent build-up speed and improving hands, but likely would never be a contested catch guy.
Arkansas transfer with just a single season in Lincoln Riley’s passing game. Woods is a tight-hipped receiver with below-average bend that affects his route running and keeps his work on a vertical plane. He has decent build-up speed and showed improved hands in 2021, but is unlikely to ever be considered a catch winner. Woods has a shot to compete for a practice squad spot but lacks play traits that stand out for the position.
The Broncos’ wide receiver room is currently pretty stacked. They made a big trade for superstar wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and have Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, Pat Bryant, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, and Michael Bandy all returning to the team. On top of that, they have a crop of hungry undrafted rookies looking to make a name for themselves throughout OTAs and minicamp. If Woods wants to stick around, he is likely competing for a spot on the practice squad with Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Michael Bandy, and the undrafted rookies.
Woods has some experience, but it will be tough for him to crack the Broncos’ 53-man roster and even their 16-man practice squad. Watching this wide receiver competition play out throughout the offseason and summer will be interesting, and we will see how Mike Woods fares.
