WR Josh Reynolds Gives First Impressions of Broncos QB Trio, Sean Payton

Here's how things are going according to Denver Broncos veteran wideout Josh Reynolds.

May 23, 2024; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) and quarterback Bo Nix (10) during organized team activities at Centura Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

As far as free-agent acquisitions go, the Denver Broncos' signing of veteran wide receiver Josh Reynolds is very much flying under the radar. Reynolds' two-year, $14 million deal is good value for the Broncos, but it takes more than a competitive paycheck to persuade a player to move on from a genuine Super Bowl contender like the Detroit Lions.

Finding the right landing spot can boil down to the desire to work with a certain coach, and so it was when Reynolds opted to sign with Denver. It's been well documented how highly Reynolds' former head coach, Dan Campbell, rated the 29-year-old when they were together in Detroit. And Campbell springs off the Sean Payton coaching tree, so perhaps Reynolds expected some level of familiarity. .

"It was kind of a lot. I think the main decision was that I've always admired Sean Payton from afar," Reynolds admitted at OTA's this week. "I was excited to see what that offense looked like."

Given Denver's No.1 receiver Courtland Sutton's continued absence from organized activities, Reynolds must be relishing the prospect of cementing a place on the depth chart. Payton was instrumental in attracting Reynolds to Denver, so the head coach is happy to watch his new wideout compete and make the room better.

"He's long. He has strong hands," Payton said of Reyonlds. "Another veteran receiver. I like that group, and if you study it closely, it's a big across the board, and it has speed. So there's going to be heavy competition there, heavy competition at running back. The same in the backend with the secondary. I think there's that old saying, 'iron sharpens iron,' and I feel like that's going to happen."

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After registering 40 catches for 608 yards and matching a career-high five touchdowns last season, maybe Reynolds can provide even more production if he meshes with Payton's offense. Much will depend on how the quarterback competition shakes out, with rookie Bo Nix being given every opportunity to win the starting job over Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham.

It was very different in Detroit, where Reynolds had the stability of Jared Goff to lean upon since 2021, but he's quickly adapting to a whole new situation on the Broncos. Reynolds has been impressed with what he's seen early on from Denver's trio signal-callers, but he's also well aware that Rome wasn't built in a day.

"They're balling right now," Reynolds said the Broncos' quarterback trio. "I know they're still learning; it's only been two-three weeks. They're young right now, but they're showing real good stuff."

The adjustments don't end there for Reynolds. Thankfully, the veteran has racked up enough air miles during his three previous NFL stops to quickly get acclimated to all the changes he's currently going through.

"I think trying to figure out the plays," Reynolds said about his assimilation thus far. "But at this point, I've been at a couple of teams, so a lot of it kind of carries over. Then, I would say the altitude. It's been a little tough (laughter)."

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