Denver Broncos’ GM John Elway’s love of former Kansas football players has been well documented throughout the past several years.
Dating back to the addition of former Kansas cornerback Chris Harris as an undrafted free agent in 2011 to the addition of linebacker Steven Johnson a year later and the signing of Harris’ KU running mate, Aqib Talib, via free agency, it’s clear that Elway appreciates what former Jayhawks can bring to the roster.
Tuesday, that list grew by one when the Broncos claimed fullback Toben Opurum off of waivers from the New Orleans Saints.
Opurum, a former KU running back under Mark Mangino who was switched over to defense by Turner Gill and his staff, spent the past couple of seasons of his college career playing the Von Miller role for the Jayhawks. Opurum improved each year but never fully got his footing on defense and switched back to fullback prior to the 2013 NFL Draft in an attempt to make a roster on offense.
It worked. After signing with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2013, Opurum was picked up by the Houston Texans later that year and then spent 2014 and 2015 with the Saints. He cracked the active roster with both the Texans and the Saints and spent the rest of the time on the practice squad.
Opurum’s road to making the Broncos’ 53-man roster this summer figures to be a long one, but there’s no question that this opportunity represents his best shot to make and stick with an NFL franchise full-time.
Recent events indicate that Denver head coach Gary Kubiak is very interested in operating with a fullback full-time in the Broncos’ post-Peyton Manning offense. Expect the Broncos to carry one fullback on their final 53-man roster, and Opurum was brought in to compete with 2016 sixth-round draft pick Andy Janovich, of Nebraska.
Janovich may have the advantage in that Denver invested a draft pick in him, but Opurum brings to the table the advantages of NFL experience and the ability to lean on Harris, Johnson and Talib for a better understanding of what it takes to play for the Broncos.
What’s more, all of that adversity that Opurum battled through at Kansas could wind up serving him well now, just as it did Harris during his quest to make the Broncos’ 53-man roster. That time spent on defense should have him prepared to shine on special teams and everybody knows that the fastest way to make an NFL roster is to excel at your position and stand out on special teams.
It should be fun to see how Opurum fares, but there’s no doubt that this is his best shot at truly sticking with an NFL franchise. The fact that it’s with the KU-football-loving Broncos should come as no surprise.
