Broncos will get first crack at signing failed former 1st-round pick

It's not often you see 25-year-old former first-round picks hitting free agency in the middle of an NFL season, but that will be the case with former Titans top pick Treylon Burks. Injuries, coaching staff changes, and inconsistency have all led to Burks being released by the Titans this season, and the Denver Broncos will get the first crack at signing him.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Burks is scheduled to visit the Broncos next week, and could have multiple visits lined up after that.

When the Broncos come back from London, they'll try to recruit one of the most intriguing available free agents to sign with their team.

Broncos looking to sign former 1st-round pick Treylon Burks to bolster WR depth

This would be a fascinating move for several reasons.

Burks is still only 25 years old, and is finally fully healthy this season. He hasn't played yet for the Titans, but was recently just released off of injured reserve, meaning he's ready to work out and get back on the field.

As a former first-round pick, the talent level has always been there for Burks. The problem has been an inability to put it together consistently at the NFL level. When you have the combination of organizational dysfunciton he was in with the Titans, combined with the expectations put on him as the direct AJ Brown replacement, it's understandable that he has struggled a bit.

The ink might still be drying on his scouting report for the Broncos (and Sean Payton, for that matter) as well. Interestingly, Burks was drafted in 2022, which was Payton's first year away from the Saints when he worked in the media.

The biggest strength of Burks when he was coming out of Arkansas a handful of years ago was his ability to be a dominant force in the YAC department. That's something that could play extremely well with the Broncos' offense under Sean Payton.

The Broncos' director of pro personnel is Jordan Dizon, who spent 2022-24 with the Philadelphia Eagles working under general manager Howie Roseman. Not that Dizon is pulling the strings behind the scenes, but this is much more a move in alignment with the typical strategy of Roseman, who loves reclamation projects like this, as opposed to the strategy of Broncos GM George Paton, who usually sticks with the guys he drafts or signs as college free agents.

It's a refreshing change of pace by the Broncos, either way, because Burks is a young and talented player with virtually no risk attached at this point. He doesn't play the same position, but the Broncos have gotten nothing this year out of guys like Jaleel McLaughlin and Lucas Krull (who is currently on IR). Why not take a shot on a talented player like this?

Hopefully, the Broncos can sell Burks on his first with the team and get something done.