10 former Denver Broncos selected in USFL Draft
There were 10 former Denver Broncos players selected in Tuesday’s USFL Draft, including a former first-round bust.
Unfortunately, this is not a good look for the Denver Broncos. The USFL held its Draft on Tuesday. Of the 184 players selected, a total of 10 of them are former members of the Broncos.
At quarterback, the Michigan Panthers selected former draft bust Paxton Lynch, whom the Broncos traded up for in 2016. Lynch would end up starting just four games for the Broncos, throwing four touchdowns and four interceptions. Lynch was cut from the team after just two seasons and spent some time with the Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.
There were rumors that Lynch was lazy and had more interest in playing Madden than actually thriving in the NFL. What could have been, right? Lynch was not even Michigan’s first choice at quarterback, with Shea Patterson going first overall in the USFL Draft.
Though there are several reasons including the league’s draft rules (Round 1: Quarterbacks, Round 12: Quarterbacks), as well as Lynch reportedly entering the draft portal late, it just kind of goes to show what kind of a terrible pick Lynch was for the Broncos back in 2016.
The other former Broncos quarterbacks drafted into the USFL were Kyle Sloter and Case Cookus. Sloter showed promise during the preseason back in 2017 as he threw for 413 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions on 31 completions.
The Broncos signed Case Cookus on May 17, 2021, but waived him just three days later. There really did not appear to be any reason for the team to sign him in the first place. I still wonder why they would sign him only to cut him after three days. Cookus has spent time with the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, and Las Vegas Raiders as well as the CFL’s Edmonton Elks.
There were three former Broncos defensive backs selected, including cornerbacks De’Vante Bausby and Rashard Causey Jr., and safety Orion Stewart.
Bausby spent time with the Broncos from 2019 and 2020. He appeared in 15 games during that time and showed a lot of promise but was eventually benched by head coach Vic Fangio, who sited Bausby’s lack of tackling skills as the reason for the benching.
The Broncos found Bausby while he was playing for the San Antonio Commanders of the AAF.
Stewart spent roughly 3 and a half months with the Broncos, beginning in mid-May of 2017 but was released in early September.
Wide receiver Branden Mack was selected in the 15th round by the Pittsburgh Maulers. Mack was one of many wide receivers hoping to catch on as a low-depth chart guy but never made it past roster cuts.
Former Broncos punter Colby Wadman was selected by the Birmingham Stallions. Wadman spent 2018 and 2019 with the Broncos before getting waived. He was signed due to an injury to Marquette King.
Tight end Bug Howard was selected by the Philadelphia Stars. Howard was expected to play a role with the Broncos in 2019 but was placed on injured reserve and then waived. On New Year’s Eve of 2019, he signed a futures contract but was waived the following April.
Defensive lineman Shakir Soto is one last name that was selected in the USFL Draft. Soto spent just a few months with the Broncos in 2017.
Unfortunately, this goes to show how rough the Denver Broncos additions, whether that be through the draft or free agency, have been. It will be exciting to see whether or not the two bigger names (Lynch and Bausby) can make it in the USFL, even if the league does not last very long.