Broncos sign former Saints wide receiver to contract

The Denver Broncos added a veteran wide receiver to the roster on Tuesday, a week before the free-agent signing period begins, and it is a player with ties to new head coach Sean Payton.

When Payton was hired to replace Nathaniel Hackett as head coach of the Broncos, it was speculated that some current and former players for the New Orleans Saints could end up in Denver. So it makes sense that the team would kick the tires on Lil'Jordan Humphrey.

Humphrey went undrafted in 2019 despite posting a massive year for the Texas Longhorns in 2018. That season he caught 86 passes for 1,176 yards and nine touchdowns but the following spring, teams didn't see enough to warrant spending one of their picks on him.

The Saints signed him as an undrafted free agent and added him to a talented wide receiving corps. In three seasons in New Orleans, Humphrey suited up in just 18 games, catching 16 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns.

Last summer, he signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots but failed to make the roster initially before having a couple of stints on the practice squad while also being called up to the main roster for six games.

He caught just two passes for 20 yards with the Pats.

Now, Payton will see if there is anything left of the 24-year old's professional career. Humphrey certainly has the size at 6-foot-4 but he joins a depth chart in Denver that has some big names in Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.

However, there are rumors out there that the Broncos are shopping Sutton for a potential trade.

Humphrey will have to fight for a roster spot on a team that also currently has K.J. Hamler, Montrell Washington, Jalen Virgil, Brandon Johnson, Freddie Swain and Victor Bolden. That's before free agency and the draft, where that list could drastically change.

Humphrey will have his work cut out for him.