KJ Hamler Opens Up on What he's 'Learning' From QB Teddy Bridgewater
Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio was vocal in expressing his opinion during the 2020 NFL draft that the team needed to add speed at the wide receiver position. The Broncos coaching staff wanted to replicate the cat-like quickness that Kansas City's Tyreek Hill brings to the field.
With the No. 46 overall selection in the 2020 draft, the Broncos selected Penn State speedster KJ Hamler. Hamler purportedly runs a sub-4.3-second 40-yard dash, finally providing the Broncos their own deep-strike capability.
The 5-foot-9, 178-pound Hamler is known for playing with a chip on his shoulder. He views himself as being an underdog his whole life, which fuels his competitive juices.
“I think I can be a difference-maker any time I'm on the field," Hamler said on Thursday after practice. "It doesn’t matter if the ball is in my hand or not. I think I can bring the spark to the offense."
Hamler had to preserve that mentality playing against NFL-caliber talent. As a rookie, he found himself lined up across taller and more physical defenders who worked to negate his quickness by getting their hands on him at the line of scrimmage. In 13 games, Hamler totaled 30 receptions for 361 yards and three touchdowns.
With (hopefully) more consistent quarterback play and Shurmur having a better feel for how to use him, Hamler’s projected impact for the 2021 season could shake out something like this: 45 receptions for 600 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
How the QB competition resolves between Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater will be a big key to determining how Hamler, and the Broncos' offense, ultimately lift off in 2021. Like Jeudy, Hamler has picked up on some glaring differences between Lock and Bridgewater but feels like he's learning something from each guy while building chemistry.
“I think the biggest thing for the wide receiver group is we're learning," Hamler said. "Teddy is more of a timing thrower and things of that nature. Drew is a gunslinger. Both are doing tremendous and they both are doing great. Getting to pick both of those guys' brain—from a vet, and Drew is going into his third year and still learning. We're all still learning. Just to pick Teddy's brain and pick Drew's brain is pretty cool."
What has Hamler been learning by picking the brain of these dueling signal-callers?
“When I go to Teddy—this is my first year throwing with Teddy. It's [me asking], ‘How do you like this route? Is it timing for you? How many steps are you taking, and do I need to speed it up?’ He just gives me his feedback on what he likes, and I get the same from Drew," Hamler explained. "They are two different quarterbacks, but at the same time, they are both great players. Just trying to be on point with them so we all can have chemistry with both of them. We don’t know what's going to happen, but I'm glad that they are both on the team. Those guys are both dropping dimes and throwing [TDs] everywhere (laughs). Both of them are doing really good. [I’m] just being a student of the game and learning.”
When healthy, Hamler was an impact player. During the Broncos' Week 8 comeback win over the Los Angeles Chargers, he scored the winning touchdown in the last seconds of the game. At the same time, he was second only to Jerry Jeudy for most dropped passes amongst the teams’ receivers.
To achieve his true potential, Hamler must become a receiver the quarterback and coaches can count on to make contested catches. It also did not help that offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur called plays that did not consistently maximize the wideout's athleticism. Hamler’s first year was a mix of promise, frustration, and potential.
Year 2 Expectations
Having the full NFL training camp experience this season should be a huge benefit to Hamler. Participating in live practice versus last season’s virtual meetings will help him become more comfortable with Shurmur's offense, though he has missed some practice time already this summer with a lingering hamstring injury.
“With the hamstring situation, I'm good," Hamler said. "It's OTAs and the offseason, so I’m just trying to keep stuff limited for me. I've been running. I've been running really well, getting back to the climbing and the altitude, and getting back in action. I'm fine, though.”
Being confident in his responsibilities should allow Hamler’s natural playmaking abilities to come to the surface. Taking on some of the top safeties and cornerbacks in the AFC West every day at practice should help him improve and prepare for regular-season rivals.
Hamler’s toughest assignment may be contending for playtime with talented players on the roster. With the return of Courtland Sutton from a season-ending ACL injury, and Jeudy looking to rebound from last year’s drops-tarnished campaign, Hamler has to vie with some serious talent to crack the playing field but the flip-side is, when running routes out of the slot with Sutton and Jeudy on the outside, it could create more one-on-one matchups for him.
“That's true. There's only one ball," Hamler said. "When all of us are on the field, one of us is going to get the ball regardless. I feel like it's a team effort. It's never been about just one of us. I think we have to stick together and do the things that we're taught to do and coached up to do. As long as everybody does their job, I think everybody can have a successful career and a successful year this year.”
In Year 2, fans should expect to see Hamler spend most of his time in the slot position or in motion to make it harder for defenders attempting to negate his quickness. The log jam at wide receiver will make it difficult for Hamler to carve out increased playing time.
There's no question that Hamler adds juice to the Broncos' offense, forcing opposing defensive coordinators to account for his speed. To make a bigger impact on the offense, though, he will need to show coaches that he can stay healthy and elevate his game beyond just being a speedster. If that happens, Broncos can expect to see more points on the scoreboard.
“I've been doing a lot of single-leg stuff and deadlifts," Hamler said Thursday. "You have to mix up the explosion part with the strength. I haven’t had a flare or anything of that nature. I was just telling my coach (WRs Coach Zach Azzanni) I've never had hamstring problems until I came here. I have to focus on those things. There might be things around it that really causes it. It might be my hips, glutes, or groin. I'm still trying to figure out and learn the different ways of trying to keep the [body parts] healthy because when I'm healthy, I think I can bring a big impact to this team.”
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