Kendall Hinton will always have a place in Denver Broncos lore.
Forced into an untenable situation against the New Orleans Saints in 2020, he was the Broncos emergency quarterback. And went about as well as you would expect.
Three years later, the head coach on the opposing sidelines for that game is now the head coach in Denver. And with so many options at the receiver position, can Hinton do enough to crack the roster in 2023?
Player Profile
Height: 6’0” | Weight: 195 pounds | Age: 26 years old
Arm Length: n/a | Hands: n/a
Kendall Hinton’s 2023 outlook
When given the opportunity in 2022, Hinton did OK. He wasn’t great, he also wasn’t bad either. Towards the end of the season, Hinton did seem to develop some rapport with quarterback Russell Wilson.
For the season, Hinton finished with 24 receptions for 311 yards.
Regarding 2023, Hinton will need to stand out during training camp and the preseason given the sheer number of receivers Sean Payton and the Broncos currently have in play.
There are four locks to make the roster in 2023: Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Jerry Jeudy and rookie Marvin Mims Jr.
That more than likely leaves three spots, and it’s a safe bet that two of them will go to free-agent additions who have experience with Payton and the new Denver offense. Those are Marquez Callaway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
That means one spot between five players: K.J. Hamler, Montrell Washington, Jalen Virgil, Brandon Johnson and Hinton. Taylor Grimes is a rookie free agent, but it’s highly unlikely that he’s even considered for the active roster.
Obviously, it’s a good problem to have, and all five of those receivers bring different traits to the table. It’ll come down to who does the most consistently and is the most complete player. In a situation like this, it may come down to who contributes on special teams. Though not as a returner since the Broncos signed Tremon Smith and Mims could also help in that area.
Final thoughts
Hinton has been in this situation before and seems to find a way to stick around on the roster.
But with the guys ahead of him and the additions in free agency, Hinton must show more than he has at this point in his three years in the NFL. Not to mention there are five guys for one spot. That is, of course, if Payton and the Broncos keep seven receivers.
For Hinton to do what he’s done in the past, he’ll have to make an impact on special teams. That’s the best and most likely way he can make the roster.
We’ll see over the course of the next month how all of this unfolds, but Hinton faces an uphill battle to make Denver’s roster this season.
Loading comments...