It is Hamler Time Broncos Country as the Denver Broncos and KJ Hamler agreed to a rookie contract.
The Denver Broncos have now completed signing their 10-player 2020 NFL Draft class. It took them a long time but finally, the team is inking them to contracts. When the Denver Broncos drafted Jerry Jeudy there was uncertainty if they would look to the wide receiver position again.
The team did immediately after Jeudy’s selection.
Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, a Pennsylvania native, was banging the table for Penn State’s KJ Hamler when he was on the board in round two. Hamler’s speed is one of the many areas he excels at as a receiver and caught the attention of Fangio.
Hamler’s contract agreement was reported by Mike Klis of 9News in Denver.
Broncos and 2nd round pick KJ Hamler have agree to terms, per source. All 10 Broncos draft picks have contract agreements. #9sports
— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) July 24, 2020
Hamler’s speed is impossible to ignore. He is a blur like Henry Ruggs and Jalen Reagor. Reagor is different due to game speed. He hits another gear when lights are on. In some ways, so is Hamler.
When Hamler has the ball in his hands he becomes a “Human Joystick.” This is a frequent nickname thrown around to players whose speed provides big plays with the ball in their hands. Hamler becomes a running back when he has the football and a special one at that.
Another intriguing trait is Hamler’s route running. One of new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s staples is a slot fade. Hamler at such a young age is tremendous at this already.
At 21-years old, for Hamler to pick this up shows a willingness to learn quickly at a young age. This bodes well for him long-term in the NFL and Shurmur’s system. Hamler is crisp out of his breaks. Even his release is special because it creates enough separation from defensive backs. In a lot of ways, both Hamler and Jeudy complement each other well in their style of play.
When you factor in a young quarterback like Drew Lock and the small, very strong sample size in 2019, it was imperative for Denver to get better on offense. Lock’s quick release makes it easier for him to see players like Hamler due to his speed.
Speed is one of the determining factors to help diagnose coverage schemes. It will also take the pressure off both Courtland Sutton and Jeudy to have Hamler around. It may have been known Denver would double dip as they did in the draft, but it was unclear when it would happen. The fact that they went receiver with their top two picks shows how strongly they feel about what Drew Lock is capable of going forward.
Hamler is officially in the fold for 2020.