Broncos’ Jamari Thrash Workout Comes at Telling Time

The Broncos worked out an intriguing wide receiver on Tuesday, but what does it mean?

Dec 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) makes a catch during the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Denver Broncos are dealing with a new problem at wide receiver.

Pat Bryant suffered an ankle sprain in the Broncos' 24-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and while the second-year wideout avoided major injury, he's expected to miss a few weeks.

The Broncos just got Marvin Mims Jr. back from injury, which is helpful in this situation, but the team is also keeping an eye on outside options.

Enter Jamari Thrash, whom the Broncos worked out on Tuesday, first reported by Mike Garafolo.

Thrash is in his third NFL season. A 2024 fifth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, he has appeared in 18 games with one career start, totaling 13 receptions for 129 yards.

At the 2024 NFL Combine, the just shy of 6-foot, 188-pound Thrash ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash. At Louisville, he could take the top off a defense, but there's a reason he slipped to the fifth round.

Among other things, scouts believed Thrash didn't handle physicality well, whether that was getting off the line of scrimmage in press or at the top of the route with the ball in the air. If he could get by a guy, though, his footwork and speed could help him separate.

Time will tell whether the Broncos ultimately choose to sign Thrash.

The Broncos' New WR Depth Chart

Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle chop it up with Zach Allen pre-game. | Hector Acevedo / IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

While Bryant is on the mend, the Broncos' receiver depth chart has been reshaped slightly. Keep in mind that Lil'Jordan Humphrey was just placed back on the practice squad, but if the Broncos believe Bryant will need at least four games to get healthy, he could end up on short-term injured reserve, which would open up his roster spot.

Meanwhile, here's a look at the new depth chart:

1. Courtland Sutton
2. Jaylen Waddle
3. Troy Franklin
4. Marvin Mims Jr.
5. Lil’Jordan Humphrey (PS)
6. Michael Bandy (PS)
7. Kolbe Katsis (PS)
8. Dane Key (PS)

As you can see, the Broncos are still in good shape at wide receiver, despite the injury. Franklin was the team's No. 2 receiver last year, and he's been playing as the No. 4 this year. He's now vaulted to No. 3.

Once Mims gets his playing legs back under him, he could leapfrog Franklin, but that's not what happened in Week 4. Franklin outearned Mims with a 32-to-18 snap-count difference.

Sutton and Waddle remain at the top of the depth chart, obviously, while Humphrey headlines a four-receiver group on the practice squad.

The Broncos have utilized Bandy before and he's made a modest impact when called upon. Katsis and Key are both rookies, so don't expect to see either of them called up, unless it's the former to handle returner duties as he did in Week 3.

The Takeaway

The Broncos still have an excellent receiver depth chart that is four-deep on the active roster. Humphrey and Bandy are both trusted veterans that Denver will have no problem turning to if needed.

Working out Thrash is interesting. It makes me wonder whether the Broncos maybe liked him in the 2024 draft, but the Browns took him off the board a bit earlier than Denver had him graded.

We'll see if he ends up getting signed. Right now, though, I'd guess that Tuesday's workout of Thrash was more of a preemptive look-see than a reflection of imminent action.

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