Diontae Spencer Breaks Silence on Broncos' Additions of Jeudy, Hamler

Diontae Spencer finally weighed in with his true thoughts on the Broncos' top-two draft picks, both of which were high-octane wide receivers.

Fans could be forgiven for believing that the retooling of the Denver Broncos' roster started just this past offseason. By drafting wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and burner KJ Hamler, as well as a tight end in Albert Okwuegbunam with sub-4.5 speed, it raised awareness in Broncos Country that GM John Elway was indeed embracing the new era of speed in the NFL.

What is perhaps overlooked is that the stockpiling of speedy weapons had already started last season when the Broncos picked up an ex-CFL wideout Diontae Spencer. After the Pittsburgh Steelers moved on from Spencer, Head Coach Vic Fangio tasked him with adding some juice on punt returns where the Broncos had ranked dead last the previous season. 

Spencer did just that by almost doubling the average yards per return to 8.0 yards per return, which represented a significant improvement. Spencer managed to make a quick adjustment to the NFL after making his early bones as a return specialist in Canadian football where the rules are vastly different. 

In a recent sit-down with Denver7's Troy Renck, Spencer shared his reaction to the Broncos' draft haul and team's new appreciation of speed.

"I liked it, man. You look at the guys we added. Yes, they bring speed. But I feel like they both bring something to the table we didn't have," Spencer told Denver7. "They bring speed and route running. I just feel like those different elements add to all the pieces we have now. It's going to boost our offense." 

The league is evolving and Spencer recognizes the Broncos' need to follow suit. 

"The league is changing," Spencer told Renck. "Everybody is trying to get faster on that side of the ball."

Utilizing speed to effect the game isn't just a matter of running fast in a straight line. After emphasizing how Jeudy and Hamler also bring route-running acumen to the table to complement their speed, Spencer explained how he has used it to his advantage on the grid-iron. 

“The biggest thing for me is that I learned that it’s not about making that big play every single time,” Spencer told Denver 7. “That’s something I had to adjust to coming into the NFL. In the CFL, there’s no fair catches. I had to break that habit."

Picking things up quickly after missing Denver's training camp didn't go unnoticed by the Broncos' coaching staff, nor the NFL at large. Spencer’s on-field performance in 2019 saw him earn a nod as a Pro Bowl alternate. 

Don't think that Hamler's arrival automatically renders Spencer's role as the returner moot. Fangio has gone on record to say Spencer is still in the driver's seat to be the chosen punt returner, even after drafting the explosive college return talent Hamler.

"We like Spence as our returner, too," Coach Fangio said post-draft. "It will take a lot for us to not still have Spence to do that, too. We feel good about our return game with both KJ and Spence.”

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What is becoming clear is that Spencer will have to push himself even further beyond the rapid progress he made last year. Hanging onto a roster spot will hinge on him improving as a return specialist and snagging more than just the six catches he made on offense last year.

 As new receiving talent floods the Broncos' roster, Spencer is intent on doubling down on his task at hand and improving the other aspects of his game, all building to on what he learned in 2019.

“I had to be smart and focus on putting our offense in good field position," Spencer told Renck. "And I felt as the year went on I got better at that and more comfortable. I have to continue to work on it, and I feel like I’m going to get better and better."

Being a good student of the game and soaking up information will be essential as Spencer takes on the responsibility of learning a whole new offensive system once again with OC Pat Shurmur taking over. It’s a process that excites Spencer as he throws himself fully into the challenge.

“We are going into a new offense with a new coordinator, it’s something new. We are intrigued," Spencer told Renck. "We want to learn. For me it was a bonus, what new things are we going to bring to the table and make us more explosive?” 

The Broncos' 28-year-old return specialist has already gained valuable experience during his cross-border nomadic career to date. Laying roots in Denver will undoubtedly require a strong work ethic and perhaps even a secret ingredient, which Spencer feels he has lots of — that being his sometimes annoying levels of infectious enthusiasm.

“They are probably mad at me now because I FaceTime them all the time to check in on them. That’s my energy," Spencer told Renck. "I bring positive energy. It’s something that I feel like is part of my DNA. That never changes. I am an upbeat guy. I love to have fun. I try to be myself and I think they enjoy that."

For a long time, the Broncos had fallen behind in the NFL’s new arms race to amass speed, but the team has begun to retool and this past offseason's additions built upon the first moves to inject that dynamic into the offense. It's a timely philosophical shift, though, as the Broncos have been in need of catching up to the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs.  

Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @MileHighHuddle.