For a long time, the NFL lacked any sort of developmental league where players could either hone their craft or actually get on-field reps to make improvements. Thankfully, the UFL has been a solid place for a lot of players to get exactly that while building some confidence and putting things on tape for NFL teams to evaluate.
The Denver Broncos have brought in players from the UFL in the past, one of the most notable being pass rusher Dondrea Tillman, who is now about to enter his third season with the team. And not only can the UFL be a great place to find diamonds in the rough like Dondrea Tillman, but it can be a great way for players like former Denver Broncos 2nd-round pick KJ Hamler to make an NFL comeback bid.
Hamler was a 2nd-round pick for the Broncos back in the 2020 NFL Draft and just couldn't stay healthy at the NFL level. He went through some pretty extreme valleys at the NFL level with injuries and other things off the field, but he's found a stride in the UFL with the Orlando Storm.
Former Denver Broncos draft pick KJ Hamler thriving in UFL as NFL comeback looms
It means more to KJ 🧡
— Orlando Storm (@UFLStorm) May 1, 2026
Catch him back in action THIS WEEKEND vs the Stallions. pic.twitter.com/3jRN9OvYqV
Hamler has been doing phenomenal with the Orlando Storm in the UFL, and is coming off of a game on May 3 in which he caught eight passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. He's in the top 10 of the entire league in receiving yards and touchdowns, and is showing off the explosiveness and playmaking ability that once made him a 2nd-round pick coming out of Penn State.
Playmaker doin' playmaker things 😤
— Orlando Storm (@UFLStorm) April 5, 2026
41-YARD KJ HAMLER TOUCHDOWN 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5l5pg1sLWw
The last time we saw Hamler in Denver was back in the 2023 offseason. He was cut in the first year under head coach Sean Payton, but Payton -- at the time -- seemingly had left the door open for Hamler to return whenever he was healthy. But Hamler moved on and wound up signing with the Colts for a very brief stint. He spent most of 2024 and 2025 as a member of the Buffalo Bills on their practice squad or 90-man roster, but wasn't able to stick.
With all of the big plays Hamler has been making in the UFL, it's likely just a matter of time before he's added to an NFL team's 90-man roster. More than just the playmaking ability, what Hamler is showing at the UFL level right now is the ability to stay on the field. Availability is the best "ability" in the NFL, and Hamler proving himself in that department will probably have teams bidding to get him.
The speed, vision with the ball in his hands, physicality, and "my ball" mentality at the catch point are all still there for Hamler, who is just 26 going on 27 years old this offseason. He was one of the youngest prospects in that 2020 NFL Draft class, and even though it feels like a lifetime ago that the Broncos drafted him, he could still have an impact on an NFL roster.
And it seems as though things are trending towards that dream being revitalized, all thanks to the work he's putting in and growth he's been showing as a member of the Orlando Storm.
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