Payton Pays Huge Compliment to Broncos Undrafted Rookie WR
The newest addition to the Denver Broncos' undrafted crop club is former Incarnate Word slot receiver Taylor Grimes, who has been turning heads at training camp on a daily basis while playing with the second and third-team offenses.
Grimes, a shifty route runner that has an uncanny knack for creating separation with his sudden burst out of breaks and ability to find soft spots in coverage, has been constantly making plays in the passing game.
According to multiple local media reports, Grimes has flashed several times, prompting speculation that he could be the final piece on the roster in the wide receiver room when the team narrows the list to the final 53 players.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton was asked about Grimes on Monday, and even though his answer was short, sweet, and to the point, it shows that the veteran coach has noticed this young man out there.
"You look for traits and somebody that can separate," Payton said. "There are priority free agents, and there are guys who you are looking to draft. Sometimes you end up signing a guy that maybe is a draftable player. You are looking for some redeeming traits. He has really good football IQ and separates well.”
A big factor in being able to make an NFL roster is being versatile enough to contribute not only to the offensive and defensive side of the ball but also to special teams. According to Mile High Huddle's Luke Patterson, who has covered Broncos camp from the start, Grimes has also gotten some opportunities to field kickoffs and punts in the return game, which is a positive sign for his prospects moving forward.
Grimes had not seen those opportunities early in camp, so it shows that the coaching staff is looking for any opportunity to keep him around for this season. With preseason games upon us and an expanded opportunity to showcase his traits against a foreign opponent, Grimes could become a darling to the fan base and coaching staff.
As for Payton's vision for undrafted players and Grimes in particular, keeping the momentum going is to be huge for his chances.
"You don’t have to see it every day, but you still need to see it," Payton said. "You still need to see it, and that’s important as well.”
One of the most fun aspects of NFL training camps is finding new talent from the ranks of the undrafted. Seemingly every year for the past two decades, the Broncos have been able to unearth a diamond in the rough and land an undrafted player on their opening-day roster.
Guys like Chris Harris, Jr., C.J. Anderson, Phillip Lindsay, and Shaquil Barrett have all gone on to have successful careers as undrafted Broncos.
According to head coach Sean Payton, there are two critical aspects to finding these quality players that fly under the radar on the NFL draft. Obviously, the evaluation process plays a huge part entering the draft and, eventually, training camp.
Finding guys that "fit certain traits" that you can implement into your system or fill certain needs is paramount. What often goes underappreciated after the pre-draft evaluations have concluded is the aspect of how that certain player shows those abilities and traits on the field, compared to a player that was actually drafted by the club, whether it was that same season or a couple of drafts ago.
Payton threw out a highly recognizable name from his time in New Orleans that exemplifies that aspect almost perfectly.
"My second year in New Orleans, we drafted a running back in the fourth round and then we signed a free agent named [former Saints RB] Pierre Thomas," Payton explained on Monday. "By the time we were halfway through camp, it was evident that Pierre was playing really well. You can look at it like, ‘Well, did you make a mistake with the fourth-round pick, or did you find a free agent maybe that is better?’ I think the latter would be the case. We ended up keeping Pierre and waiving the draft pick. Sometimes that happens."
Thomas would go on from an undrafted rookie to be a highly productive player for the New Orleans Saints for eight years as a primary player in their running back rotation, winning a Super Bowl with the club in 2009 and eventually being inducted into the franchise's Ring of Honor. Thomas is currently the team's sixth-highest leading rusher of all time with 3,745 rushing yards and is one of two players in franchise history to amass over 3,500 rushing yards and 2,000 receiving yards over their careers with the club.
Thomas was able to dethrone long-time starter Deuce McCallister and the No. 2 overall pick Reggie Bush after a couple of seasons and was a critical piece to that Super Bowl run.
So how does an undrafted rookie manage to not only crack the roster but also maintain his momentum and become a long-standing member of the organization?
"I think it’s trusting your eye throughout the evaluation process," Payton said. "We’re still early in that process right now, but we’re really paying attention to how these guys are performing and what’s the vision for the player if he is on your 53? How do you see him in Year 1? Some guys may be more developmental, and some guys may be ready right away. With the veteran players, it’s the same way."
So who is the 2023 undrafted gem for the Broncos? It could be Grimes.
Coming into training camp, the Broncos had what was widely considered a very stacked wide receiver room. Despite the season-ending injury to Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler's sudden heart condition (leading to the team waiving him), Denver still had veterans Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy as the tip options in the room, a rookie speed threat in Marvin Mims, Jr., as well as a couple of developmental projects in Jalen Virgil and Brandon Johnson.
Coincidentally, Virgil and Johnson are undrafted players from last season's squad, and both saw playing time for the Broncos as rookies. With Patrick out of the picture and Hamler off the roster (Hamler is expected to be back when he is healthy), Johnson has stepped into an expanded role over the past few days and showed promise as a reliable third option in the passing game.
If Grimes continues to play well and put up quality tape on a day-to-day basis, he has a shot to make the opening 53-man roster. If nothing else, he could be one of the first players signed to the practice squad.
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