The Denver Broncos looked to bolster some depth at two positions that look to get a little weaker in free agency with Malik Jackson and Vernon Davis likely moving on.
At tight end, Richard Gordon spent five weeks on the roster earlier this season, but was eventually cut to make room for others.
#Broncos have signed TE Richard Gordon and DT Phil Taylor
— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) February 22, 2016
Gordon, 28, is more suited as a blocking tight end and perhaps Gary Kubiak likes his fit in the zone scheme he intends to run next year. The Broncos now have four tight ends on their roster for next season: Owen Daniels, Virgil Green, Jeff Heuerman and Gordon.
Phil Taylor, on the other hand, was a former first round pick by the Cleveland Browns who was cut for both injury-related concerns and salary cap concerns.
Source: the Broncos signed former Browns first round pick DT Phil Taylor.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 22, 2016
Coincidentally, or not, he was also a pick made by current Broncos personnel man Tom Heckert when he was with the Browns. He appears to be a low risk, high reward kind of signing that could pay dividends. Our own Christopher Hart thinks he could end up competing with Darius Kilgo at nose tackle, with Sylvester Williams sliding into Malik Jackson's old position.
Taylor did try out with the Broncos in Week 16 of last season, but they did not sign him. The biggest concern is that the Browns cut Taylor due to their concerns that his knees are not holding up well to the stresses of NFL football having missed 20 games in his first four seasons.
In Taylor's rookie year, he started all 16 games and notched four sacks and 59 tackles, so there is potential there that the Broncos may be looking to recapture in 2016. Again, that's the low risk, high reward angle of this signing.
What do you think of these two pre-free agency pickups?
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