The Denver Broncos held their rookie minicamp over Mother's Day weekend, and the minicamp included a number of tryout players, both rookies and veterans alike.
After the conclusion of the camp, the team signed two of the tryout players in favor of even some of their priority UDFAs, making a couple of roster moves following the weekend of on-field work. One of the players the Broncos signed was former Cleveland Browns draft pick Michael Woods II, a wide receiver out of Oklahoma who has been in the league since 2022.
Woods has only appeared in 15 games total over the course of his career, including a shootout against the Denver Broncos back in the 2024 season. That game serves as a reminder, especially now that Woods has signed on with the Broncos, that head coach Sean Payton forgets absolutely nothing.
Michael Woods signing gives Denver Broncos an intriguing sleeper for offseason roster at WR
That game between the Broncos and Browns was an absolute shootout, and one of the more entertaining games in recent memory. Even though it was a lot of sloppy play by both teams, that game certainly served as a highlight tape for a number of Cleveland Browns receivers.
Jerry Jeudy had the game of his life, Elijah Moore had over 100 yards, and Michael Woods II posted career-highs in targets (5), catches (3), and yards (43). Woods hasn't had more than two catches or 15 yards receiving in any other game he's played.
All three of Woods's receptions came on 3rd down in that game, and while Levi Wallace struggled badly to cover anyone against Cleveland, you got to see a lot of what makes Woods an interesting player with his combination of quickness, physicality, and strong hands.
Of course, there are reasons why he was a tryout player at a team's rookie minicamp. The fact that he's getting a shot in Denver paints the picture well. He's facing an uphill battle to make an NFL roster or practice squad at all, but the fact that he played his best NFL game against the Broncos is a huge factor in his favor.
Even if the Broncos are only considering Woods for the practice squad, they might believe that he can give the backups a really good look on scout team and be the type of player who can slowly grow into an important depth piece, even if he's not on the 53-man roster. Sean Payton saw first-hand how solid he could be on the money down going up against a depleted secondary, and now he's getting a chance to coach him up in his own offense.
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