Commissioner Roger Goodell has reduced his salary to $0 and other NFL employees will be taking pay cuts or furloughs due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Goodell, who makes upward of $30 million a year from salaries and bonuses, voluntarily had his salary reduced this month, a person familiar with the move tells The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the NFL has not announced the move publicly.

The league also is implementing tiered reductions in base salary, beginning with the pay period ending May 22. 

Associated PressCommissioner Roger Goodell has reduced his salary to $0 and other NFL employees will be taking pay cuts or furloughs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Goodell, who makes upward of $30 million a year from salaries and bonuses, voluntarily had his salary reduced this month, a person familiar with the move tells The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the NFL has not announced the move publicly.The league also is implementing tiered reductions in base salary, beginning with the pay period ending May 22.

Goodell reduces salary to $0, NFL workers taking pay cuts



HAYS, Kan. - Fort Hays State women's basketball head coach Tony Hobson&nbsp;has announced the signing of six incoming freshman in advance of the 2020-21 season. All six players in the loaded class earned All-State honors at least once during their high school tenure.

"This is a very talented freshman class that could prove to be the strongest class we've ever signed," said Hobson. "That is saying a lot because we have had several tremendous classes over the last nine years.

"Not only is this a deep group with six solid players, but it also covers all positions. They all come from winning programs, and there are multiple state champions in this group. Five of the six players played in the state tournament this year, with the other one missing the state tournament by just one game."



Sydney Golladay&nbsp;| 5-8 | Guard Fremont, Neb. | Fremont High Sc

Sydney Golladay was a four-time letterwinner at Fremont (Neb.) High School. As a team captain during her senior year, the 5-8 guard helped the Tigers reach the Class A semifinals after their first State Tournament victory in school history to reach the Class A semifinals. Golladay earned honorable mention All-State accolades after averaging 11.2 points, 4.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. She earned first team all-conference honors and was picked to play in the Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game.



Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;| 6-3 | Forward Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Christian School

Olivia Hollenbeck is coming off an impressive four-year run at Lincoln (Neb.) Christian School. The forward was a first team All-State selection as a junior and a senior. She played in three state championship games as a Crusader, winning the Class C1 title in 2017. A two-time team captain, Hollenbeck set the school record for highest field goal percentage and scored more than 1,000 points in her career at LCS. She averaged 15 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.2 assists per game as a senior. As both a junior and senior Hollenbeck was named first team all-conference, first team All-Class C1 state tournament and second team&nbsp;Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;all-city team. She was also selected to play in this year's Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game.

Emma Ruddle&nbsp;| 5-8 | Guard Canton, Kan. | McPherson High School

Emma Ruddle joins the Tiger family from McPherson (Kan.) High School, a perennial powerhouse. A three-year starter at MHS, Ruddle helped the Bullpups to a 66-5 record over the last three seasons, reaching the state semifinals each year. McPherson won the state title in her sophomore season (2018) and were in the semifinals before the cancellation of this year's tournament. Ruddle earned All-State honors for the second time in her career as a senior after picking up second team honors as a freshman at Canton-Galva High School. The guard earned all-league honors three times, including first team as a freshman, honorable mention as a junior and second team as a senior. Ruddle averaged 8.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.3 assists per game as a senior. She also excelled in track, winning three state titles and finishing runner-up three times. She won both the 100m hurdles and the 100m dash as a sophomore before capturing a second 100m hurdle championship as a junior in 2019.



Jessie Sallach&nbsp;| 6-1 | Forward Callaway, Neb. | South Loup High School

Jessie Sallach joins the Tigers after a strong career at South Loup High School in Arnold, Neb. The forward earned All-State honors, picking up honorable mention honors from the&nbsp;Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;three times and second team honors from the&nbsp;Omaha World Herald. A 1,000-point scorer at South Loup, Sallach left her time with the Lady Bobcats as the career leader in points, rebounds and blocks, the single season leader in points, rebounds and blocks and the single-game leader in points and rebounds. The Callaway, Neb. native was a three-time first team all-conference performer and was selected to play in the 2020 Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game. Sallach nearly averaged a double-double as a senior, tallying 13.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.8 blocks per game. She also had success in the classroom, earning NSAA Basketball Academic All-State honors.



Carly Thompson&nbsp;| 6-0 | Guard Greenwood Village, Colo. | Cherry Creek High School

Carly Thompson is coming off back-to-back runs to the Colorado class 5A state championship game with Cherry Creek High School. The Greenwood Village, Colo. native helped the Bruins to a state title in 2019 and reached the title game again in 2020 before the tournament was cancelled. Thompson was a team captain as a senior, earning all-league honors after averaging 7.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. The guard also earned first team Academic All-State honors.



Katie Wagner&nbsp;| 5-11 | Guard Maize, Kan. | Maize South High School

Katie Wagner compiled an impressive resume during her time at Maize South High School. The 5-11 guard earned All-State honors each of the last three years while guiding the Mavericks to sub-state titles as a junior and senior. She was a finalist for Kansas Class 5A Player of the Year and earned first team All-State honors from the&nbsp;Topeka Capital Journal,&nbsp;Wichita Eagle&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sports In Kansas. After averaging 18.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.0 steals per game as a senior, she also earned a second team All-State selection by the KBCA, a spot in the All-State All-Class Top 30 by&nbsp;Sports In Kansas, a spot in the Wichita Area All-Metro Top 5, first team all-league honors and co-MVP honors in the AVCTL DII. The Maize, Kan. native also earned first team all-league honors as a sophomore and junior while picking up multiple first team All-State honors as a junior and honorable mention All-State accolades as a sophomore. Wagner surpassed the 1,000-point plateau during her senior year.



2020 FHSU Women's Basketball Signing Class Sydney Golladay, 5-8	Guard - Fremont, Neb.	Fremont HS Olivia Hollenbeck, 6-3	Forward - Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Christian School Emma Ruddle, 5-8	Guard - Canton, Kan.	McPherson HS Jessie Sallach, 6-1	Forward - Callaway, Neb.	South Loup HS Carly Thompson, 6-0	Guard - Greenwood Village, Colo.	Cherry Creek HS Katie Wagner, 5-11	Guard - Maize, Kan.	Maize South HS

HAYS, Kan. - Fort Hays State women's basketball head coach Tony Hobson&nbsp;has announced the signing of six incoming freshman in advance of the 2020-21 season. All six players in the loaded class earned All-State honors at least once during their high school tenure."This is a very talented freshman class that could prove to be the strongest class we've ever signed," said Hobson. "That is saying a lot because we have had several tremendous classes over the last nine years."Not only is this a deep group with six solid players, but it also covers all positions. They all come from winning programs, and there are multiple state champions in this group. Five of the six players played in the state tournament this year, with the other one missing the state tournament by just one game."



Sydney Golladay&nbsp;| 5-8 | Guard Fremont, Neb. | Fremont High Sc<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588161901501.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Sydney Golladay was a four-time letterwinner at Fremont (Neb.) High School. As a team captain during her senior year, the 5-8 guard helped the Tigers reach the Class A semifinals after their first State Tournament victory in school history to reach the Class A semifinals. Golladay earned honorable mention All-State accolades after averaging 11.2 points, 4.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. She earned first team all-conference honors and was picked to play in the Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game.



Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;| 6-3 | Forward Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Christian School<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588161876693.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Olivia Hollenbeck is coming off an impressive four-year run at Lincoln (Neb.) Christian School. The forward was a first team All-State selection as a junior and a senior. She played in three state championship games as a Crusader, winning the Class C1 title in 2017. A two-time team captain, Hollenbeck set the school record for highest field goal percentage and scored more than 1,000 points in her career at LCS. She averaged 15 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.2 assists per game as a senior. As both a junior and senior Hollenbeck was named first team all-conference, first team All-Class C1 state tournament and second team&nbsp;Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;all-city team. She was also selected to play in this year's Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game.

Emma Ruddle&nbsp;| 5-8 | Guard Canton, Kan. | McPherson High School<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588161849067.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Emma Ruddle joins the Tiger family from McPherson (Kan.) High School, a perennial powerhouse. A three-year starter at MHS, Ruddle helped the Bullpups to a 66-5 record over the last three seasons, reaching the state semifinals each year. McPherson won the state title in her sophomore season (2018) and were in the semifinals before the cancellation of this year's tournament. Ruddle earned All-State honors for the second time in her career as a senior after picking up second team honors as a freshman at Canton-Galva High School. The guard earned all-league honors three times, including first team as a freshman, honorable mention as a junior and second team as a senior. Ruddle averaged 8.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.3 assists per game as a senior. She also excelled in track, winning three state titles and finishing runner-up three times. She won both the 100m hurdles and the 100m dash as a sophomore before capturing a second 100m hurdle championship as a junior in 2019.



Jessie Sallach&nbsp;| 6-1 | Forward Callaway, Neb. | South Loup High School<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588161823603.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Jessie Sallach joins the Tigers after a strong career at South Loup High School in Arnold, Neb. The forward earned All-State honors, picking up honorable mention honors from the&nbsp;Lincoln Journal Star&nbsp;three times and second team honors from the&nbsp;Omaha World Herald. A 1,000-point scorer at South Loup, Sallach left her time with the Lady Bobcats as the career leader in points, rebounds and blocks, the single season leader in points, rebounds and blocks and the single-game leader in points and rebounds. The Callaway, Neb. native was a three-time first team all-conference performer and was selected to play in the 2020 Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Game. Sallach nearly averaged a double-double as a senior, tallying 13.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.8 blocks per game. She also had success in the classroom, earning NSAA Basketball Academic All-State honors.



Carly Thompson&nbsp;| 6-0 | Guard Greenwood Village, Colo. | Cherry Creek High School<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588161785122.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Carly Thompson is coming off back-to-back runs to the Colorado class 5A state championship game with Cherry Creek High School. The Greenwood Village, Colo. native helped the Bruins to a state title in 2019 and reached the title game again in 2020 before the tournament was cancelled. Thompson was a team captain as a senior, earning all-league honors after averaging 7.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. The guard also earned first team Academic All-State honors.



Katie Wagner&nbsp;| 5-11 | Guard Maize, Kan. | Maize South High School<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588161762629.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Katie Wagner compiled an impressive resume during her time at Maize South High School. The 5-11 guard earned All-State honors each of the last three years while guiding the Mavericks to sub-state titles as a junior and senior. She was a finalist for Kansas Class 5A Player of the Year and earned first team All-State honors from the&nbsp;Topeka Capital Journal,&nbsp;Wichita Eagle&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sports In Kansas. After averaging 18.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.0 steals per game as a senior, she also earned a second team All-State selection by the KBCA, a spot in the All-State All-Class Top 30 by&nbsp;Sports In Kansas, a spot in the Wichita Area All-Metro Top 5, first team all-league honors and co-MVP honors in the AVCTL DII. The Maize, Kan. native also earned first team all-league honors as a sophomore and junior while picking up multiple first team All-State honors as a junior and honorable mention All-State accolades as a sophomore. Wagner surpassed the 1,000-point plateau during her senior year.

2020 FHSU Women's Basketball Signing Class Sydney Golladay, 5-8	Guard - Fremont, Neb.	Fremont HS Olivia Hollenbeck, 6-3	Forward - Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Christian School Emma Ruddle, 5-8	Guard - Canton, Kan.	McPherson HS Jessie Sallach, 6-1	Forward - Callaway, Neb.	South Loup HS Carly Thompson, 6-0	Guard - Greenwood Village, Colo.	Cherry Creek HS Katie Wagner, 5-11	Guard - Maize, Kan.	Maize South HS FHSU Athletics

FHSU women's basketball announces 2020 signing class

YORK, S.C. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland was arrested on several charges Tuesday in South Carolina, including possessing marijuana or hash, driving with an open container of alcohol and resisting arrest.

The 28-year-old Breeland, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was being held at the York County Jail, according to the facility’s online records.

Breeland started 15 of 16 regular-season games and all three postseason contests for Kansas City this past season. He had seven tackles and an interception in the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory over San Francisco in the Super Bowl in February.

Breeland, who played his college ball at Clemson, re-signed with the Chiefs earlier this month.

Breeland was charged by the York County Sheriff’s Office with driving without a license, driving with an open container of alcohol, possession of less than 28 grams of marijuana or 10 grams of hash and resisting arrest.

Breeland is a 5-foot-11, 195-pound defensive back from Allendale, South Carolina. He played for the Tigers from 2011-13 before leaving after his junior season. Breeland played four seasons with Washington before moving to Green Bay in 2018 and then the Chiefs this year.

YORK, S.C. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Bashaud Breeland was arrested on several charges Tuesday in South Carolina, including possessing marijuana or hash, driving with an open container of alcohol and resisting arrest.The 28-year-old Breeland, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was being held at the York County Jail, according to the facility’s online records.Breeland started 15 of 16 regular-season games and all three postseason contests for Kansas City this past season. He had seven tackles and an interception in the Chiefs’ 31-20 victory over San Francisco in the Super Bowl in February.Breeland, who played his college ball at Clemson, re-signed with the Chiefs earlier this month.Breeland was charged by the York County Sheriff’s Office with driving without a license, driving with an open container of alcohol, possession of less than 28 grams of marijuana or 10 grams of hash and resisting arrest.Breeland is a 5-foot-11, 195-pound defensive back from Allendale, South Carolina. He played for the Tigers from 2011-13 before leaving after his junior season. Breeland played four seasons with Washington before moving to Green Bay in 2018 and then the Chiefs this year.The Associated Press

Chiefs CB Breeland arrested on several charges in South Carolina

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent defensive lineman Christian Covington on a one-year contract.

Covington played for the Dallas Cowboys last year after spending four seasons with the Houston Texans, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft.

In 66 games, including 15 starts, Covington has 93 tackles, 8½ sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.

He started a career-best six games for the Cowboys last season, when he had 28 tackles, including 20 solo stops, to go with one sack and a pass breakup.

Covington’s deal came a day after the Broncos waived two defensive linemen who had signed futures contracts: Jay-Tee Tuili and Deyon Sizer, along with tight end Bug Howard and safety Tyvis Powell.

After selecting 10 players in the draft, the Broncos agreed to terms over the weekend with seven undrafted college free agents, including defensive back Essang Bassey and wide receiver Kendall Hinton of Wake Forest.

The others are: Western Michigan running back LeVante Bellamy, Texas Tech safety Douglas Coleman III, Tarleton State wide receiver Zimari Manning, Central Arkansas tackle Hunter Watts and Vanderbilt quarterback Riley Neal.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent defensive lineman Christian Covington on a one-year contract.Covington played for the Dallas Cowboys last year after spending four seasons with the Houston Texans, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft.In 66 games, including 15 starts, Covington has 93 tackles, 8½ sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.He started a career-best six games for the Cowboys last season, when he had 28 tackles, including 20 solo stops, to go with one sack and a pass breakup.Covington’s deal came a day after the Broncos waived two defensive linemen who had signed futures contracts: Jay-Tee Tuili and Deyon Sizer, along with tight end Bug Howard and safety Tyvis Powell.After selecting 10 players in the draft, the Broncos agreed to terms over the weekend with seven undrafted college free agents, including defensive back Essang Bassey and wide receiver Kendall Hinton of Wake Forest.The others are: Western Michigan running back LeVante Bellamy, Texas Tech safety Douglas Coleman III, Tarleton State wide receiver Zimari Manning, Central Arkansas tackle Hunter Watts and Vanderbilt quarterback Riley Neal.The Associated Press

Broncos, D-lineman Christian Covington agree to 1-year deal

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dustin Colquitt walked into the Kansas City Chiefs training facility 15 years ago as a third-round pick out of Tennessee, a punter with a big leg and peerless pedigree.

He wound up setting numerous franchise records, including most games played and most postseason appearances.

Colquitt’s long tenure is finally coming to a close. The Chiefs are releasing the two-time Pro Bowl punter after signing a pair of prospects to compete for the job in training camp. A person familiar with the team’s decision confirmed it to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because it had not been announced.

“I have enjoyed my time in Chiefs Kingdom,” Colquitt, who turns 38 next month, wrote in an Instagram post. “All things come to an end, sometimes sooner than you hoped, prayed and pleaded for them to.”

Colquitt stopped short of saying he was retiring, which would save the Chiefs $2 million in salary cap space. He was due a workout bonus of $2 million, and there will be $650,000 in dead cap space as he entered the final year of his contract.

“I’ll miss walking into the building and smelling the coffee, talking to everyone,” Colquitt continued. “It took me forever to weave through some of the most loving people you’d ever hope to work with. I was a young kid when I first walked into Arrowhead. Hell, the indoor facility used to be 70 yards long. Holding this post for 15 years has been an honor that I never took for granted. Thank you KC.”

Rarely do teams use a third-round draft pick on a specialist, but rare came to describe Colquitt perfectly. He was called upon to punt 1,124 times, 15th in NFL history, and his average of 44.8 yards puts him in the top 25. He also became known for his almost otherworldly ability to pin opponents inside the 20.

His tenure with the Chiefs matched Jerrel Wilson, who punted for the club from 1963-77, for the longest stint in franchise history. His 238 games surpassed offensive lineman Will Shields this past season for the most among Kansas City players. Twelve of those games were in the playoffs, and Colquitt’s last appearance in a Chiefs uniform will have been this past February in Miami, where he helped them win their first Super Bowl championship in five decades.

Along the way, Colquitt earned a reputation as a well-spoken fan favorite who exuded professionalism, whether the Chiefs were winning two games, as they did in 2012, or a dozen, as they had the past couple seasons. He would sign autographs for hours at training camp, and he often took part in the organization’s charitable efforts.

Those efforts led the Chiefs to nominate Colquitt for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Colquitt comes from punting stock. His father, Craig, was part of two Super Bowl championships, and his brother, Britton, is still kicking after winning a title with Denver in 2015. His cousin, Jimmy, also briefly punted in the NFL.

Colquitt’s time in Kansas City nearly ended in 2013, shortly after Andy Reid and his coaching staff arrived. He was a free agent, and new special teams coach Dave Toub had to give Colquitt a recruiting pitch to keep him in the fold.

“I just talked about how I had never had a punter like him. He was such a bomber. He could really flip the field,” Toub recalled. “We actually turned him into more of a directional guy. He was a bomber when we first got here, then we taught him to be more directional, which I really think helped his career in the long run.”

Colquitt’s future with the franchise had come into question over the past few weeks, when the Chiefs signed young free agent Tyler Newsome. And when they signed undrafted rookie Tommy Townsend, one of the top punters in the nation last season, it became clear Colquitt would not be part of a competition for the job in training camp.

“Hell, I’ve played with a thousand people here,” Colquitt said during a moment of reflection before the Super Bowl. “It’s amazing seeing the fans, the barbecue and the excitement in this crowd. Just the vibe that was there even when we weren’t doing well. Now, it’s just a monster. I don’t ever think they can get any louder and they just do. It’s fun to see that.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dustin Colquitt walked into the Kansas City Chiefs training facility 15 years ago as a third-round pick out of Tennessee, a punter with a big leg and peerless pedigree.He wound up setting numerous franchise records, including most games played and most postseason appearances.Colquitt’s long tenure is finally coming to a close. The Chiefs are releasing the two-time Pro Bowl punter after signing a pair of prospects to compete for the job in training camp. A person familiar with the team’s decision confirmed it to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because it had not been announced.“I have enjoyed my time in Chiefs Kingdom,” Colquitt, who turns 38 next month, wrote in an Instagram post. “All things come to an end, sometimes sooner than you hoped, prayed and pleaded for them to.”Colquitt stopped short of saying he was retiring, which would save the Chiefs $2 million in salary cap space. He was due a workout bonus of $2 million, and there will be $650,000 in dead cap space as he entered the final year of his contract.“I’ll miss walking into the building and smelling the coffee, talking to everyone,” Colquitt continued. “It took me forever to weave through some of the most loving people you’d ever hope to work with. I was a young kid when I first walked into Arrowhead. Hell, the indoor facility used to be 70 yards long. Holding this post for 15 years has been an honor that I never took for granted. Thank you KC.”Rarely do teams use a third-round draft pick on a specialist, but rare came to describe Colquitt perfectly. He was called upon to punt 1,124 times, 15th in NFL history, and his average of 44.8 yards puts him in the top 25. He also became known for his almost otherworldly ability to pin opponents inside the 20.His tenure with the Chiefs matched Jerrel Wilson, who punted for the club from 1963-77, for the longest stint in franchise history. His 238 games surpassed offensive lineman Will Shields this past season for the most among Kansas City players. Twelve of those games were in the playoffs, and Colquitt’s last appearance in a Chiefs uniform will have been this past February in Miami, where he helped them win their first Super Bowl championship in five decades.Along the way, Colquitt earned a reputation as a well-spoken fan favorite who exuded professionalism, whether the Chiefs were winning two games, as they did in 2012, or a dozen, as they had the past couple seasons. He would sign autographs for hours at training camp, and he often took part in the organization’s charitable efforts.Those efforts led the Chiefs to nominate Colquitt for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.Colquitt comes from punting stock. His father, Craig, was part of two Super Bowl championships, and his brother, Britton, is still kicking after winning a title with Denver in 2015. His cousin, Jimmy, also briefly punted in the NFL.Colquitt’s time in Kansas City nearly ended in 2013, shortly after Andy Reid and his coaching staff arrived. He was a free agent, and new special teams coach Dave Toub had to give Colquitt a recruiting pitch to keep him in the fold.“I just talked about how I had never had a punter like him. He was such a bomber. He could really flip the field,” Toub recalled. “We actually turned him into more of a directional guy. He was a bomber when we first got here, then we taught him to be more directional, which I really think helped his career in the long run.”Colquitt’s future with the franchise had come into question over the past few weeks, when the Chiefs signed young free agent Tyler Newsome. And when they signed undrafted rookie Tommy Townsend, one of the top punters in the nation last season, it became clear Colquitt would not be part of a competition for the job in training camp.“Hell, I’ve played with a thousand people here,” Colquitt said during a moment of reflection before the Super Bowl. “It’s amazing seeing the fans, the barbecue and the excitement in this crowd. Just the vibe that was there even when we weren’t doing well. Now, it’s just a monster. I don’t ever think they can get any louder and they just do. It’s fun to see that.”The Associated Press

Chiefs to release 2-Time Pro Bowl P Colquitt after 15 Years

The Kansas City Chiefs are releasing quarterback Kyle Shurmur according to a report by ESPN's Dan Graziano on Monday.

The 23-year old Shurmur joined the Chiefs in April of 2019 as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt. He's the son of current Broncos offensive coordinator and former Giants head coach Pat Shurmur.

Shurmur played the most snaps of any of the Kansas City quarterbacks during the preseason last year and finished 33-of-56 for 316 yards, two touchdowns and one interceptions. He was on the Chiefs practice squad for most of 2019 except when he was added to the roster in late October to back up Matt Moore when Patrick Mahomes was injured.

With Shurmur's release that still leaves the Chiefs with three quarterbacks on the roster as Mahomes is joined by Chad Henne and recently signed XFL QB Jordan Ta'Amu.

The Kansas City Chiefs are releasing quarterback Kyle Shurmur according to a report by ESPN's Dan Graziano on Monday.The 23-year old Shurmur joined the Chiefs in April of 2019 as an undrafted free agent out of Vanderbilt. He's the son of current Broncos offensive coordinator and former Giants head coach Pat Shurmur.Shurmur played the most snaps of any of the Kansas City quarterbacks during the preseason last year and finished 33-of-56 for 316 yards, two touchdowns and one interceptions. He was on the Chiefs practice squad for most of 2019 except when he was added to the roster in late October to back up Matt Moore when Patrick Mahomes was injured.With Shurmur's release that still leaves the Chiefs with three quarterbacks on the roster as Mahomes is joined by Chad Henne and recently signed XFL QB Jordan Ta'Amu.

Chiefs releasing QB Kyle Shurmur according to ESPN report

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas athletic director Jeff Long, football coach Les Miles and basketball coach Bill Self have taken a 10% salary reduction for the next six months in an effort to save the athletic department nearly $500,000. 

The move comes as the COVID-19 pandemic is putting pressure on collegiate athletic departments nationwide to cut costs. 

Many schools have asked their highest-paid employees to take salary cuts during the pandemic. A few have taken the more aggressive step of eliminating some sports entirely.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas athletic director Jeff Long, football coach Les Miles and basketball coach Bill Self have taken a 10% salary reduction for the next six months in an effort to save the athletic department nearly $500,000. The move comes as the COVID-19 pandemic is putting pressure on collegiate athletic departments nationwide to cut costs. Many schools have asked their highest-paid employees to take salary cuts during the pandemic. A few have taken the more aggressive step of eliminating some sports entirely.

KU's Bill Self, Les Miles and Jeff Long announce salary reductions

By DAVE SKRETTA The Associated Press

There is another reason the Chiefs wanted to get faster on defense: Every team in the AFC West spent the draft trying to catch them on offense, and that means more pressure on their defense when the play them six times each season.

Raiders general manager Mike Mayock acknowledged that was the case when they chose Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, the fastest player at the scouting combine with a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, with the 12th overall pick. They also added Kentucky wide receiver Lynn Bowden and South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards among the first three rounds.

The Chargers added Virginia’s Joe Reid, another wide receiver with a sub-4.4-second 40, while the Broncos used their first-round pick on Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (4.45) and their fourth-round selection on Missouri’s Albert Okwuegbunam, who had the combine’s fastest 40 among tight ends at 4.49 seconds.

“We like guys, certainly in our scheme, that have some length and can run,” Veach said. “If we had the first pick in Round 4 it would have been Sneed, so we were certainly holding our breath there. Our guys did a good job of helping me be patient and work through this, because letting the board play itself out and getting Sneed there at the bottom of four there certainly enabled us to use the other equity to go up and get Keyes (in the seventh round).”

Veach said the Chiefs had a fifth-round grade on him, making it good value to trade a sixth-rounder next year to get him.

Arguably the biggest needs of the Chiefs, who used their first-round pick on LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, was at cornerback and linebacker. And they not only addressed those roster shortcomings, they managed to do it through the draft and with rookie free agents while acquiring the kind of speed they have been so sorely lacking.

Perhaps that is why Veach was so pleased with the way things transpired when he recapped the draft on Sunday.

“Our guys did a really great job. Really excited about our draft class,” he said, “and I think our guys really hit a home run after the draft. Some of these guys that we were able to land in free agency were guys that we were considering in the fifth round there, so a lot of these guys that were on the board for that final pick, we were able to stay aggressive and sign after the draft. Again, really excited about the future of the Kansas City Chiefs.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in 50 years thanks in large part to their blazing speed on offense.

They spent the past weekend getting their defense up to speed, too.

The Chiefs only had five scheduled picks — they traded back into the draft to pick up a sixth — and made a point of using their choices to prioritize speed and athleticism. Second-round pick Willie Gay Jr. ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash among linebackers at the NFL scouting combine, and fourth-round pick L’Jarius Sneed not only had the fastest time among safeties at 4.37 seconds but the fourth-fastest of any player that ran during the week in Indianapolis.

The run on speed even continued after the draft. The Chiefs signed five defensive backs and two linebackers as undrafted free agents, and one of them — Auburn’s Javaris Davis — had the combine’s second-fastest 40 time among cornerbacks

“It’s certainly how those positions are played nowadays,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. “When you have guys that test extremely well and perform at the combine, or if they had pro days, those guys are certainly going to be — if you didn’t like them on tape, those guys are the ones that are going to get second and third looks.”

That was certainly the case with Gay, Sneed and seventh-round pick Thakarius Keyes. Gay only played a handful of games last season because of off-the-field issues while Sneed (Louisiana Tech) and Keyes (Tulane) mostly played cornerback against lesser competition, leaving all of them with a dearth of quality game film.

The speed they showed during the scouting combine wound up validating the looks the Chiefs did manage to get.

“When you see their performances on tape, you get even more excited,” Veach said. “We certainly want to target guys that test well, but they don’t just test well. They’re football players that test well. Not testers that play football.”

Of course, straight-line speed is one thing. But what gets Chiefs coach Andy Reid most excited about the fresh faces on his defense is that they play fast. They also have the burst, agility and quickness necessary in the modern NFL.

“We kind of have to formulate it and make sure we have the best group that can go in there and dominate on game day,” Reid said. “Brett worked that whole thing and did it to perfection, and as you watch it, you’re able to go back and look at this guy and go, ‘OK, you could use this and you could use that.’ But these kids just jump off the screen at you.”

By DAVE SKRETTA The Associated PressThere is another reason the Chiefs wanted to get faster on defense: Every team in the AFC West spent the draft trying to catch them on offense, and that means more pressure on their defense when the play them six times each season.Raiders general manager Mike Mayock acknowledged that was the case when they chose Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, the fastest player at the scouting combine with a 4.27-second 40-yard dash, with the 12th overall pick. They also added Kentucky wide receiver Lynn Bowden and South Carolina’s Bryan Edwards among the first three rounds.The Chargers added Virginia’s Joe Reid, another wide receiver with a sub-4.4-second 40, while the Broncos used their first-round pick on Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (4.45) and their fourth-round selection on Missouri’s Albert Okwuegbunam, who had the combine’s fastest 40 among tight ends at 4.49 seconds.“We like guys, certainly in our scheme, that have some length and can run,” Veach said. “If we had the first pick in Round 4 it would have been Sneed, so we were certainly holding our breath there. Our guys did a good job of helping me be patient and work through this, because letting the board play itself out and getting Sneed there at the bottom of four there certainly enabled us to use the other equity to go up and get Keyes (in the seventh round).”Veach said the Chiefs had a fifth-round grade on him, making it good value to trade a sixth-rounder next year to get him.Arguably the biggest needs of the Chiefs, who used their first-round pick on LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, was at cornerback and linebacker. And they not only addressed those roster shortcomings, they managed to do it through the draft and with rookie free agents while acquiring the kind of speed they have been so sorely lacking.Perhaps that is why Veach was so pleased with the way things transpired when he recapped the draft on Sunday.“Our guys did a really great job. Really excited about our draft class,” he said, “and I think our guys really hit a home run after the draft. Some of these guys that we were able to land in free agency were guys that we were considering in the fifth round there, so a lot of these guys that were on the board for that final pick, we were able to stay aggressive and sign after the draft. Again, really excited about the future of the Kansas City Chiefs.”KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in 50 years thanks in large part to their blazing speed on offense.They spent the past weekend getting their defense up to speed, too.The Chiefs only had five scheduled picks — they traded back into the draft to pick up a sixth — and made a point of using their choices to prioritize speed and athleticism. Second-round pick Willie Gay Jr. ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash among linebackers at the NFL scouting combine, and fourth-round pick L’Jarius Sneed not only had the fastest time among safeties at 4.37 seconds but the fourth-fastest of any player that ran during the week in Indianapolis.ADVERTISEMENTThe run on speed even continued after the draft. The Chiefs signed five defensive backs and two linebackers as undrafted free agents, and one of them — Auburn’s Javaris Davis — had the combine’s second-fastest 40 time among cornerbacks“It’s certainly how those positions are played nowadays,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. “When you have guys that test extremely well and perform at the combine, or if they had pro days, those guys are certainly going to be — if you didn’t like them on tape, those guys are the ones that are going to get second and third looks.”That was certainly the case with Gay, Sneed and seventh-round pick Thakarius Keyes. Gay only played a handful of games last season because of off-the-field issues while Sneed (Louisiana Tech) and Keyes (Tulane) mostly played cornerback against lesser competition, leaving all of them with a dearth of quality game film.The speed they showed during the scouting combine wound up validating the looks the Chiefs did manage to get.“When you see their performances on tape, you get even more excited,” Veach said. “We certainly want to target guys that test well, but they don’t just test well. They’re football players that test well. Not testers that play football.”Of course, straight-line speed is one thing. But what gets Chiefs coach Andy Reid most excited about the fresh faces on his defense is that they play fast. They also have the burst, agility and quickness necessary in the modern NFL.“We kind of have to formulate it and make sure we have the best group that can go in there and dominate on game day,” Reid said. “Brett worked that whole thing and did it to perfection, and as you watch it, you’re able to go back and look at this guy and go, ‘OK, you could use this and you could use that.’ But these kids just jump off the screen at you.”

Chiefs add speedsters to defense to balance blazing offense

MIAMI (AP) — The NBA has pushed back plans that would allow teams to reopen their practice facilities for at least one week. 

The NBA had decided over the weekend to have teams open their gyms for voluntary player workouts on Friday, if local and state laws made such a move permissible. 

But on Monday the league revised that potential opening date until May 8, at the earliest. 

MIAMI (AP) — The NBA has pushed back plans that would allow teams to reopen their practice facilities for at least one week. The NBA had decided over the weekend to have teams open their gyms for voluntary player workouts on Friday, if local and state laws made such a move permissible. But on Monday the league revised that potential opening date until May 8, at the earliest.

NBA pushes plan to reopen facilities until May 8 at earliest

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs spent five frustrating decades trying to win a second Lombardi Trophy.

They plan to spend just one year winning a third.

That was the thought process behind general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid deciding to retain almost every crucial player from last season’s Super Bowl run. It left them with 20 of 22 starters on the roster heading into next season, and in the enviable position of being able to supplement wherever was most helpful in the NFL draft.

In the first round, the Chiefs added to the vast array of weapons at the disposal of Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes by drafting do-everything running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire out of LSU. They upgraded their speed and athleticism on the opposite side of the ball by selecting Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay Jr. in Round 2, then selected TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang in the third round to provide immediate depth and a potential starter down the road.

“Obviously we worked, really five decades to do, to get back to the top, to be the best team in the NFL — to be the team that other teams and their fans aspire to be,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said Saturday. “And I think every player we add to the team, you really analyze that player in the context of what he brings to our championship squad.”

The Chiefs tried to maximize their selections the first two days knowing they only had five scheduled picks. They wrapped up Saturday by choosing Louisiana Tech defensive back L’Jarius Sneed and Michigan defensive end Mike Danna, then traded a sixth-rounder next year to jump back into the draft and pick Tulane cornerback Thakarius Keyes in the seventh.

Sneed played safety for the Bulldogs last season but played cornerback in 2018, and his 6-foot-1 frame and ability to play press-man defense makes it likely that he will return to the outside with Kansas City. The Chiefs took him over several other cornerback prospects, including teammate Amik Robertson, who went to the Raiders with the very next pick.

“It won’t take me long,” Sneed said. “Soon as I get in, I’m going to get to work, give them my all. You can’t teach effort, so whatever position I’m playing, whatever spot I’m at on the time, I’m giving my all each and every day.”

The Chiefs’ situation this off-season was far different from previous years.

When he took over the GM job in 2018, Veach was in the rather tenuous position of sending out a relatively untested quarterback in Mahomes after sending away veteran Alex Smith. Veach’s goal then was to surround his first-year starter with as much talent as possible, giving Mahomes every opportunity to succeed in the Kansas City offense.

Mahomes wound up winning the league MVP award while leading the Chiefs to the AFC championship game.

They ended up losing to the New England Patriots in overtime, and the main culprit that cold January day was a defense filled with holes. So last season, Veach used free agency and the draft to completely remake that side of the ball for new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, ultimately building a stingy defense to complement the Chiefs’ potent offense.

It certainly worked. The Chiefs shut down the San Francisco 49ers in the second half in rallying to win the Super Bowl.

“A big part of what Brett and Andy have done over the last two-plus years is try to bring in players that are going to make that offense go,” Hunt said. “Clearly, Pat is a unique talent and having great receivers, great running backs, offensive linemen that can block for him is very important, but it’s not important to the exclusion of building a great defense.”

The choices the Chiefs made in the three-day draft were designed to get them back to the Super Bowl, particularly the picks in the first three rounds. But they also were designed to keep the Chiefs contenders for the foreseeable future.

Most of their key players are in their early- and mid-20s, giving them a wide window to chase several championships.

“When you have the chance to return so many players and you have a coaching staff stay together, and have a group that went through and played right through February, we’ll see what happens going forward,” Veach said, “but I think it certainly plays in your favor for the continuity and knowing the playbook and knowing what’s expected.

“Whenever we get back into the swing of things with camp, whether it be shortened or whether we start on the original date, I think guys just knowing how things operate and knowing the terminology and the playbook, I don’t know how it could be a disadvantage,” Veach added. “We’re certainly looking forward to that, hopefully we get started on time, but I think that the guys are ready to go, and we’ll be in a good position this year to have a chance to repeat.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs spent five frustrating decades trying to win a second Lombardi Trophy.They plan to spend just one year winning a third.That was the thought process behind general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid deciding to retain almost every crucial player from last season’s Super Bowl run. It left them with 20 of 22 starters on the roster heading into next season, and in the enviable position of being able to supplement wherever was most helpful in the NFL draft.In the first round, the Chiefs added to the vast array of weapons at the disposal of Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes by drafting do-everything running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire out of LSU. They upgraded their speed and athleticism on the opposite side of the ball by selecting Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay Jr. in Round 2, then selected TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang in the third round to provide immediate depth and a potential starter down the road.“Obviously we worked, really five decades to do, to get back to the top, to be the best team in the NFL — to be the team that other teams and their fans aspire to be,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said Saturday. “And I think every player we add to the team, you really analyze that player in the context of what he brings to our championship squad.”The Chiefs tried to maximize their selections the first two days knowing they only had five scheduled picks. They wrapped up Saturday by choosing Louisiana Tech defensive back L’Jarius Sneed and Michigan defensive end Mike Danna, then traded a sixth-rounder next year to jump back into the draft and pick Tulane cornerback Thakarius Keyes in the seventh.Sneed played safety for the Bulldogs last season but played cornerback in 2018, and his 6-foot-1 frame and ability to play press-man defense makes it likely that he will return to the outside with Kansas City. The Chiefs took him over several other cornerback prospects, including teammate Amik Robertson, who went to the Raiders with the very next pick.“It won’t take me long,” Sneed said. “Soon as I get in, I’m going to get to work, give them my all. You can’t teach effort, so whatever position I’m playing, whatever spot I’m at on the time, I’m giving my all each and every day.”The Chiefs’ situation this off-season was far different from previous years.When he took over the GM job in 2018, Veach was in the rather tenuous position of sending out a relatively untested quarterback in Mahomes after sending away veteran Alex Smith. Veach’s goal then was to surround his first-year starter with as much talent as possible, giving Mahomes every opportunity to succeed in the Kansas City offense.Mahomes wound up winning the league MVP award while leading the Chiefs to the AFC championship game.They ended up losing to the New England Patriots in overtime, and the main culprit that cold January day was a defense filled with holes. So last season, Veach used free agency and the draft to completely remake that side of the ball for new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, ultimately building a stingy defense to complement the Chiefs’ potent offense.It certainly worked. The Chiefs shut down the San Francisco 49ers in the second half in rallying to win the Super Bowl.“A big part of what Brett and Andy have done over the last two-plus years is try to bring in players that are going to make that offense go,” Hunt said. “Clearly, Pat is a unique talent and having great receivers, great running backs, offensive linemen that can block for him is very important, but it’s not important to the exclusion of building a great defense.”The choices the Chiefs made in the three-day draft were designed to get them back to the Super Bowl, particularly the picks in the first three rounds. But they also were designed to keep the Chiefs contenders for the foreseeable future.Most of their key players are in their early- and mid-20s, giving them a wide window to chase several championships.“When you have the chance to return so many players and you have a coaching staff stay together, and have a group that went through and played right through February, we’ll see what happens going forward,” Veach said, “but I think it certainly plays in your favor for the continuity and knowing the playbook and knowing what’s expected.“Whenever we get back into the swing of things with camp, whether it be shortened or whether we start on the original date, I think guys just knowing how things operate and knowing the terminology and the playbook, I don’t know how it could be a disadvantage,” Veach added. “We’re certainly looking forward to that, hopefully we get started on time, but I think that the guys are ready to go, and we’ll be in a good position this year to have a chance to repeat.”The Associated Press

Super Bowl-champ Chiefs wrap draft with eye on repeat title

John Elway waited four years for just this sort of weekend where could actually build around a quarterback instead of sleuthing for one.

After declaring Drew Lock his starting QB this spring, Elway used his cache of 10 picks in the NFL draft to score both targets and shields for his second-year passer.

Moreover, the Broncos GM injected some serious speed into an offense that averaged a piddling 17.6 points last season — and only 15.9 before Lock’s five-game audition during which Denver averaged 21.4 points.

That followed Elway’s selections of two of the fastest members of this deep class of wide receivers in first-rounder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0454f215eac7f5fad2f5f417d818885">Jerry Jeudy&nbsp;</a>of Alabama and Penn State speedster KJ Hamler in the second round.

With all this added firepower, the Broncos expect to both catch up to and keep up with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

“We need to score more points whether we’re playing the Chiefs or not,” coach Vic Fangio said. “But obviously playing against them, you’re going to need to. So, that was part of it and it’s always good to be fast.

“Hopefully we’re a harder offense to defend now once it evolves and we get to playing games.”

Elway not only built the Broncos’ draft class with Lock in mind but he did it with Lock on the phone at one point.

“The first phone call Vic and I made today was to Drew to find out about Albert and see what he thought about him, because he had a much better junior year when Drew was there than he had last year,” Elway said.

Lock had high praise for Okwuegunam, especially his speed.

“When Drew gave him the seal of approval we were glad he was our target in the fourth round,” Elway said. “Plus, to put him on the other side from Noah (Fant, he’s a 4.49 guy that can really run at 258 pounds, and a big target in the red zone, so another player with great speed we could add.”

Lock’s big arm will be put to use whenever football returns.

Okwuegunam’s 4.49 time at the NFL scouting combine marked the second-fastest 40-yard dash for a 6-5, 250-plus-pound tight end since 2003.

He also brings a built-in chemistry with Lock.

“I can’t even explain how fired up I am ... just to have that chemistry and trust and confidence already established there,” Okwuegunam said.

Okwuegbunam also relishes playing with the likes of Jeudy and Hamler on an offense featuring Pro Bowl receiver Courtland Sutton and Fant, last year’s first-rounder.

“It’s going to put a lot of strain on the corners and safeties,” Okwuegbunam said, adding that he and Fant will leave the linebackers in their wake, too.

Elway also drafted center Lloyd Cushenberry in the third round. He’ll get the opportunity to win the starting job next to right guard Graham Glasgow, part of the Broncos’ free agency haul that also features running back Melvin Gordon.

Elway added some strength in the sixth round in Fresno State guard Netane Muti, who put up an&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FresnoStateFB/status/1233166283438358530?s=20" target="_blank">astonishing 44 reps on the bench press at the combine</a>, the most in eight years at the combine and the fourth-highest total ever.

“I’ve always loved the weight room,” Muti said. “So, that was a big thing for me.”

Elway didn’t exactly neglect his defense.

After trading for veterans Jurrell Casey and A.J. Bouye earlier this year, Elway selected Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia and Arkansas D-tackle McTelvin Agim in the third round, Wake Forrest inside linebacker Justin Strnad in the fifth and North Dakota State edge rusher Derrek Tuszka in the seventh.

Denver’s defense hasn’t been the problem, staying stout year after year as the Broncos churned through quarterbacks, coaches and offensive coordinators in the wake of Peyton Manning’s retirement four years ago.

“We’ve got to put points on the board, and as Vic said, it’s been very frustrating for all of us the last three, four years because we have not been explosive on the offensive side,” Elway said. “And even really five years. When we won Super Bowl 50, we weren’t very explosive on the offensive side. We were just very good on the defensive side.”

From his end, Elway said there weren’t any hiccups in the draft conducted via videoconference because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I thought it went great. There were hardly any issues at all,” Elway said. “I’m sure there’s teams that had some issues here and there and other than Vic’s internet going out on the first day we really didn’t have any issues at all.

“So, I think the credit goes to Commissioner (Roger) Goodell. He was taking a lot of heat because there were a lot of people that wanted to push it back, didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to attempt it, didn’t want to stay at home and do it. Everybody wanted to get to their war rooms. And he pushed everybody out of their comfort zone and I think it came off great.

“People were craving something live and something the could look at on TV and get excited about.”

“We had to get some speed and we had to get some talent on that offensive side and some explosiveness,” Elway said Saturday after adding fleet tight end Albert Okwuegunam, a teammate of Lock’s at Missouri, and light-footed Florida wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland to the mix.

John Elway waited four years for just this sort of weekend where could actually build around a quarterback instead of sleuthing for one.After declaring Drew Lock his starting QB this spring, Elway used his cache of 10 picks in the NFL draft to score both targets and shields for his second-year passer.Moreover, the Broncos GM injected some serious speed into an offense that averaged a piddling 17.6 points last season — and only 15.9 before Lock’s five-game audition during which Denver averaged 21.4 points.That followed Elway’s selections of two of the fastest members of this deep class of wide receivers in first-rounder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0454f215eac7f5fad2f5f417d818885">Jerry Jeudy&nbsp;</a>of Alabama and Penn State speedster KJ Hamler in the second round.With all this added firepower, the Broncos expect to both catch up to and keep up with the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.“We need to score more points whether we’re playing the Chiefs or not,” coach Vic Fangio said. “But obviously playing against them, you’re going to need to. So, that was part of it and it’s always good to be fast.“Hopefully we’re a harder offense to defend now once it evolves and we get to playing games.”Elway not only built the Broncos’ draft class with Lock in mind but he did it with Lock on the phone at one point.“The first phone call Vic and I made today was to Drew to find out about Albert and see what he thought about him, because he had a much better junior year when Drew was there than he had last year,” Elway said.Lock had high praise for Okwuegunam, especially his speed.“When Drew gave him the seal of approval we were glad he was our target in the fourth round,” Elway said. “Plus, to put him on the other side from Noah (Fant, he’s a 4.49 guy that can really run at 258 pounds, and a big target in the red zone, so another player with great speed we could add.”Lock’s big arm will be put to use whenever football returns.Okwuegunam’s 4.49 time at the NFL scouting combine marked the second-fastest 40-yard dash for a 6-5, 250-plus-pound tight end since 2003.He also brings a built-in chemistry with Lock.“I can’t even explain how fired up I am ... just to have that chemistry and trust and confidence already established there,” Okwuegunam said.Okwuegbunam also relishes playing with the likes of Jeudy and Hamler on an offense featuring Pro Bowl receiver Courtland Sutton and Fant, last year’s first-rounder.“It’s going to put a lot of strain on the corners and safeties,” Okwuegbunam said, adding that he and Fant will leave the linebackers in their wake, too.Elway also drafted center Lloyd Cushenberry in the third round. He’ll get the opportunity to win the starting job next to right guard Graham Glasgow, part of the Broncos’ free agency haul that also features running back Melvin Gordon.Elway added some strength in the sixth round in Fresno State guard Netane Muti, who put up an&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FresnoStateFB/status/1233166283438358530?s=20" target="_blank">astonishing 44 reps on the bench press at the combine</a>, the most in eight years at the combine and the fourth-highest total ever.“I’ve always loved the weight room,” Muti said. “So, that was a big thing for me.”Elway didn’t exactly neglect his defense.After trading for veterans Jurrell Casey and A.J. Bouye earlier this year, Elway selected Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia and Arkansas D-tackle McTelvin Agim in the third round, Wake Forrest inside linebacker Justin Strnad in the fifth and North Dakota State edge rusher Derrek Tuszka in the seventh.Denver’s defense hasn’t been the problem, staying stout year after year as the Broncos churned through quarterbacks, coaches and offensive coordinators in the wake of Peyton Manning’s retirement four years ago.“We’ve got to put points on the board, and as Vic said, it’s been very frustrating for all of us the last three, four years because we have not been explosive on the offensive side,” Elway said. “And even really five years. When we won Super Bowl 50, we weren’t very explosive on the offensive side. We were just very good on the defensive side.”From his end, Elway said there weren’t any hiccups in the draft conducted via videoconference because of the COVID-19 pandemic.“I thought it went great. There were hardly any issues at all,” Elway said. “I’m sure there’s teams that had some issues here and there and other than Vic’s internet going out on the first day we really didn’t have any issues at all.“So, I think the credit goes to Commissioner (Roger) Goodell. He was taking a lot of heat because there were a lot of people that wanted to push it back, didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to attempt it, didn’t want to stay at home and do it. Everybody wanted to get to their war rooms. And he pushed everybody out of their comfort zone and I think it came off great.“People were craving something live and something the could look at on TV and get excited about.”The Associated Press“We had to get some speed and we had to get some talent on that offensive side and some explosiveness,” Elway said Saturday after adding fleet tight end Albert Okwuegunam, a teammate of Lock’s at Missouri, and light-footed Florida wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland to the mix.

Denver QB Drew Lock big winner in Broncos' infusion of speed

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Danny Manning never built a winner at Wake Forest. Now the school is looking for a new coach and direction.

Wake Forest fired Manning on Saturday after losing seasons in five of his six years with one NCAA Tournament appearance. The move came more than six weeks after the Demon Deacons lost to Pittsburgh in the opening game of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, ending the season shortly before the coronavirus pandemic led to a shutdown of college and professional sports.

The decision came after what athletic director John Currie called an “overall evaluation” of a program with two winning seasons in the past decade going back to the days of Jeff Bzdelik.

“As time goes by, we’re able to resume things,” Currie said Saturday in a video teleconference. “We never stopped working on this particular program because it is so important to all of us, just like we haven’t stopped with the day-to-day duties. ... But certainly the onset of the pandemic played a role in the timing of today’s announcement.”

Manning, a former No. 1 overall NBA draft pick, went 78-111 in Winston-Salem with a 30-80 mark in ACC regular-season games. Those league struggles included a 6-49 mark in league road games and 1-6 in the ACC Tournament.

Currie said he and Manning notified the team earlier Saturday in a video teleconference. Associate head coach and program great Randolph Childress will lead the team in the interim.

Currie declined to discuss details of Manning’s contract or financial obligations tied to the change. Manning received an extension after his lone NCAA Tournament trip in 2017, though the private school typically doesn’t make terms public.

“Ultimately this is a basketball decision,” Currie said, adding later: “In this particular decision, if you look at the overall program and where we are right now, the economics support the decision.”

Manning had said after the Pitt loss&nbsp;on March 10 he “absolutely” expected to return, as well as in subsequent interviews in recent weeks.

“I wish the program nothing but success going forward,” Manning said in a school statement Saturday.

Manning was the top NBA draft pick in 1988 after leading Kansas almost single-handedly&nbsp;to a national championship so unexpected the group was nicknamed “Danny and the Miracles.”&nbsp;

He played 15 seasons in the NBA before getting into coaching, first on Bill Self’s staff at Kansas and then spending two seasons as head coach at Tulsa before taking over at Wake Forest in 2014.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Danny Manning never built a winner at Wake Forest. Now the school is looking for a new coach and direction.Wake Forest fired Manning on Saturday after losing seasons in five of his six years with one NCAA Tournament appearance. The move came more than six weeks after the Demon Deacons lost to Pittsburgh in the opening game of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, ending the season shortly before the coronavirus pandemic led to a shutdown of college and professional sports.The decision came after what athletic director John Currie called an “overall evaluation” of a program with two winning seasons in the past decade going back to the days of Jeff Bzdelik.“As time goes by, we’re able to resume things,” Currie said Saturday in a video teleconference. “We never stopped working on this particular program because it is so important to all of us, just like we haven’t stopped with the day-to-day duties. ... But certainly the onset of the pandemic played a role in the timing of today’s announcement.”Manning, a former No. 1 overall NBA draft pick, went 78-111 in Winston-Salem with a 30-80 mark in ACC regular-season games. Those league struggles included a 6-49 mark in league road games and 1-6 in the ACC Tournament.Currie said he and Manning notified the team earlier Saturday in a video teleconference. Associate head coach and program great Randolph Childress will lead the team in the interim.Currie declined to discuss details of Manning’s contract or financial obligations tied to the change. Manning received an extension after his lone NCAA Tournament trip in 2017, though the private school typically doesn’t make terms public.“Ultimately this is a basketball decision,” Currie said, adding later: “In this particular decision, if you look at the overall program and where we are right now, the economics support the decision.”Manning had said after the Pitt loss&nbsp;on March 10 he “absolutely” expected to return, as well as in subsequent interviews in recent weeks.“I wish the program nothing but success going forward,” Manning said in a school statement Saturday.Manning was the top NBA draft pick in 1988 after leading Kansas almost single-handedly&nbsp;to a national championship so unexpected the group was nicknamed “Danny and the Miracles.”&nbsp;He played 15 seasons in the NBA before getting into coaching, first on Bill Self’s staff at Kansas and then spending two seasons as head coach at Tulsa before taking over at Wake Forest in 2014.

Wake Forest fires coach Danny Manning

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas football’s Hakeem Adeniji was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 180th&nbsp; overall pick of the sixth round on Saturday afternoon. Adeniji becomes the first KU offensive lineman drafted since 2012, when Tanner Hawkinson was also selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round.

Adeniji, a native of Garland, Texas, concluded his Jayhawk career by tying the school record in consecutive games started, starting all 48 games of his collegiate career on the offensive line. Adeniji was also selected as a team captain in 2019, as voted on by the team.

“We couldn’t be happier for Hakeem. He’s a great young man who was a leader on and off the field for our program.&nbsp; I look forward to watching his NFL career progress with the Bengals. He will provide some positional flexibility and can play multiple positions along the offensive line and has what it takes to play in the National Football League for a long time,” Head Coach Les Miles said.

In 2019, Adeniji took home All-Big 12 first team honors for the first time in his career. He helped pave the way for KU’s most productive offensive output in 10 years, averaging 377.3 yards per game, including three games with more than 500 yards of total offense.

In addition to earning first-team honors, Adeniji earned an honorable mention nod for Offensive Lineman of the Year, and was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, awarded to the nation’s best interior offensive lineman.

Following his outstanding senior season, Adeniji was invited to the 2020 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. Adeniji impressed NFL scouts at the Combine and at the Kansas football Pro Day, earning pre-draft meetings with several teams. Adeniji also represented KU at the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

In addition to his success on the field, Adeniji excelled off the field, being named a candidate for the Senior CLASS award, and was named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in each of the last three years.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas football’s Hakeem Adeniji was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 180th&nbsp; overall pick of the sixth round on Saturday afternoon. Adeniji becomes the first KU offensive lineman drafted since 2012, when Tanner Hawkinson was also selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fifth round.Adeniji, a native of Garland, Texas, concluded his Jayhawk career by tying the school record in consecutive games started, starting all 48 games of his collegiate career on the offensive line. Adeniji was also selected as a team captain in 2019, as voted on by the team.“We couldn’t be happier for Hakeem. He’s a great young man who was a leader on and off the field for our program.&nbsp; I look forward to watching his NFL career progress with the Bengals. He will provide some positional flexibility and can play multiple positions along the offensive line and has what it takes to play in the National Football League for a long time,” Head Coach Les Miles said.In 2019, Adeniji took home All-Big 12 first team honors for the first time in his career. He helped pave the way for KU’s most productive offensive output in 10 years, averaging 377.3 yards per game, including three games with more than 500 yards of total offense.In addition to earning first-team honors, Adeniji earned an honorable mention nod for Offensive Lineman of the Year, and was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, awarded to the nation’s best interior offensive lineman.Following his outstanding senior season, Adeniji was invited to the 2020 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. Adeniji impressed NFL scouts at the Combine and at the Kansas football Pro Day, earning pre-draft meetings with several teams. Adeniji also represented KU at the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.In addition to his success on the field, Adeniji excelled off the field, being named a candidate for the Senior CLASS award, and was named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in each of the last three years.Kansas Athletics

KU's Hakeem Adeniji selected in 6th round of 2020 NFL Draft

The women's basketball program at Colby Community College will be led by James Cole for the 2020-21 season, the college announced. He fills the vacancy left by Antwain Scales, who resigned in March.

"First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and my family, because none of this is possible without them and their unwavering support," Cole said. "I'd also like to thank Mike Saddler, Dr. Carter, and everyone else that was involved in the process of helping me become the next women's basketball head coach at Colby Community College. My goal is to continue to build this program, compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and help them become successful in life. Go Trojans!"&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cole has experience coaching at different levels. In the college ranks, he served as an assistant men's coach at Alabama Southern Community College, Millsaps College, Jones County Junior College, and Independence Community College. He was also a head basketball coach at both Greenwood High School and Saint Joseph Catholic School in Mississippi. Before accepting the position at CCC, he was the head girls coach at Independence High School.

"I'm extremely excited about bringing James Cole to Colby," said CCC Athletic Director Mike Saddler. "The women's basketball program took great steps over the last two seasons, so it was important that our next coach continue that momentum. We had a great pool of candidates, but it was clear that James had the skills we were looking for to continue to grow the program not only on the court but also in the classroom and in the community."

Coming to Colby, Cole brings a resume of building programs around quality student-athletes.

"He is known around the country as a top-notch recruiter and has been around successful basketball programs throughout his career," Saddler said. "I look forward to the future of Colby women's basketball under Coach Cole."

Cole earned a master's degree in interscholastic athletic administration and a bachelor's degree in coaching and sports administration.&nbsp;

He begins immediately, pending board approval.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587842695262.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CCCThe women's basketball program at Colby Community College will be led by James Cole for the 2020-21 season, the college announced. He fills the vacancy left by Antwain Scales, who resigned in March."First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and my family, because none of this is possible without them and their unwavering support," Cole said. "I'd also like to thank Mike Saddler, Dr. Carter, and everyone else that was involved in the process of helping me become the next women's basketball head coach at Colby Community College. My goal is to continue to build this program, compete for championships, graduate our student-athletes, and help them become successful in life. Go Trojans!"&nbsp;&nbsp;Cole has experience coaching at different levels. In the college ranks, he served as an assistant men's coach at Alabama Southern Community College, Millsaps College, Jones County Junior College, and Independence Community College. He was also a head basketball coach at both Greenwood High School and Saint Joseph Catholic School in Mississippi. Before accepting the position at CCC, he was the head girls coach at Independence High School."I'm extremely excited about bringing James Cole to Colby," said CCC Athletic Director Mike Saddler. "The women's basketball program took great steps over the last two seasons, so it was important that our next coach continue that momentum. We had a great pool of candidates, but it was clear that James had the skills we were looking for to continue to grow the program not only on the court but also in the classroom and in the community."Coming to Colby, Cole brings a resume of building programs around quality student-athletes."He is known around the country as a top-notch recruiter and has been around successful basketball programs throughout his career," Saddler said. "I look forward to the future of Colby women's basketball under Coach Cole."Cole earned a master's degree in interscholastic athletic administration and a bachelor's degree in coaching and sports administration.&nbsp;He begins immediately, pending board approval.

Colby CC chooses Cole to lead women's basketball program

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs spent the past few weeks conducting plenty of virtual chats with Willie Gay Jr. and those around him, drilling into a series of incidents that caused the Mississippi State linebacker to play just five games last season and enter the NFL draft with several red flags.

General manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid logged off those chats comfortable with what they heard.

So with their initial pick of Day 2 on Friday night, the Chiefs chose the play-making Gay at No. 63 overall to bolster a linebacker group in need of an upgrade. The Super Bowl champs lost Reggie Ragland to free agency, and Gay has the coverage chops and sideline-to-sideline tackling ability to step into an immediate starting role.

“We’re coming off a championship-caliber team but you want to get better. Where can you strengthen the team?” said Reid, whose team chose LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with their first-round selection, then grabbed TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang in the third round to provide some depth. “(Gay) was the linebacker we wanted and it was kind of weird how it all worked out.”

The pick comes with a certain amount of risk, though.

Gay was suspended eight games by the NCAA as part of an academic fraud investigation that swept up 10 players total and led to severe sanctions for the program. He also was ejected from the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss in 2018 after two he was given two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and he was the teammate that allegedly hurt Mississippi State quarterback Garrett Shrader in a practice fight leading up to last season’s Music City Bowl.

“You know, they asked me about everything: the quarterback situation, the suspension for the academic thing. I’m not saying it wasn’t my fault. It was something I could have avoided,” Gay said. “I dealt with the consequences of it. It made me a better man, a better person. It made me appreciate the game of football. It made me love football even more.”

The Chiefs have plenty of confidence in their strong locker room culture and Reid’s leadership, leading them to select several players with baggage over the years. But the results have been mixed. The results have been mixed. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce turned into stars, landing lucrative long-term contracts; running back Kareem Hunt and cornerback Marcus Peters instead were considerable headaches during their time in Kansas City.

“We did our homework on everything,” Reid said. “We felt very comfortable taking him at that spot, and it also helps to have the people in the locker room we have with Tyrann (Mathieu) and Frank (Clark). They’ll take him under their wing. That whole linebacking room is a tight group. They’ll take him in and make sure he’s in the right hands.”

The Chiefs are bringing back 20 of 22 starters from their Super Bowl championship team, but that stability comes at a significant cost. They franchised Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones and signed cornerback Bashaud Breeland and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson to one-year contracts, a series of moves that put pressure on their salary cap.

Veach carved out some room by restructuring contracts for defensive end Frank Clark, offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and wide receiver Sammy Watkins — three of the most expensive players on the roster.

Still, the Chiefs know they will have to give quarterback Patrick Mahomes a potentially record-setting payday in the coming months. That combined with the contracts already on the books left Veach and Reid searching for players who could make a significant impact in the coming years while on their relatively paltry rookie contracts.

Edwards-Helaire should become the immediate backup to talented but injury-prone starter Damien Williams, and Gay should have a chance to play alongside Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson in their 4-3 defense.

Niang is a developmental player that the Chiefs believe could play just about anywhere along the offensive line.

“I just been waiting honestly the last two days for them to call me. I thought that was where I was going to end up,” Niang said. “The anticipation was wild, thinking I was going to end up there and not knowing.”

The biggest surprise wasn’t that the Chiefs picked any of those guys but that they didn’t target a cornerback. They still have holes in the defensive backfield after losing Kendall Fuller and Morris Claiborne to free agency, and high-end targets such as Louisiana Tech’s Amik Robertson and Virginia’s Bryce Hall were still on the board.

“I think we stick to working on our team and our roster,” Veach said, “and I think having an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, I don’t think we’re competing against any one team. We’re trying to find players that come in and play right away.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs spent the past few weeks conducting plenty of virtual chats with Willie Gay Jr. and those around him, drilling into a series of incidents that caused the Mississippi State linebacker to play just five games last season and enter the NFL draft with several red flags.General manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid logged off those chats comfortable with what they heard.So with their initial pick of Day 2 on Friday night, the Chiefs chose the play-making Gay at No. 63 overall to bolster a linebacker group in need of an upgrade. The Super Bowl champs lost Reggie Ragland to free agency, and Gay has the coverage chops and sideline-to-sideline tackling ability to step into an immediate starting role.“We’re coming off a championship-caliber team but you want to get better. Where can you strengthen the team?” said Reid, whose team chose LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with their first-round selection, then grabbed TCU offensive tackle Lucas Niang in the third round to provide some depth. “(Gay) was the linebacker we wanted and it was kind of weird how it all worked out.”The pick comes with a certain amount of risk, though.Gay was suspended eight games by the NCAA as part of an academic fraud investigation that swept up 10 players total and led to severe sanctions for the program. He also was ejected from the Egg Bowl against Ole Miss in 2018 after two he was given two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and he was the teammate that allegedly hurt Mississippi State quarterback Garrett Shrader in a practice fight leading up to last season’s Music City Bowl.“You know, they asked me about everything: the quarterback situation, the suspension for the academic thing. I’m not saying it wasn’t my fault. It was something I could have avoided,” Gay said. “I dealt with the consequences of it. It made me a better man, a better person. It made me appreciate the game of football. It made me love football even more.”The Chiefs have plenty of confidence in their strong locker room culture and Reid’s leadership, leading them to select several players with baggage over the years. But the results have been mixed. The results have been mixed. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce turned into stars, landing lucrative long-term contracts; running back Kareem Hunt and cornerback Marcus Peters instead were considerable headaches during their time in Kansas City.“We did our homework on everything,” Reid said. “We felt very comfortable taking him at that spot, and it also helps to have the people in the locker room we have with Tyrann (Mathieu) and Frank (Clark). They’ll take him under their wing. That whole linebacking room is a tight group. They’ll take him in and make sure he’s in the right hands.”The Chiefs are bringing back 20 of 22 starters from their Super Bowl championship team, but that stability comes at a significant cost. They franchised Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones and signed cornerback Bashaud Breeland and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson to one-year contracts, a series of moves that put pressure on their salary cap.Veach carved out some room by restructuring contracts for defensive end Frank Clark, offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and wide receiver Sammy Watkins — three of the most expensive players on the roster.Still, the Chiefs know they will have to give quarterback Patrick Mahomes a potentially record-setting payday in the coming months. That combined with the contracts already on the books left Veach and Reid searching for players who could make a significant impact in the coming years while on their relatively paltry rookie contracts.Edwards-Helaire should become the immediate backup to talented but injury-prone starter Damien Williams, and Gay should have a chance to play alongside Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson in their 4-3 defense.Niang is a developmental player that the Chiefs believe could play just about anywhere along the offensive line.“I just been waiting honestly the last two days for them to call me. I thought that was where I was going to end up,” Niang said. “The anticipation was wild, thinking I was going to end up there and not knowing.”The biggest surprise wasn’t that the Chiefs picked any of those guys but that they didn’t target a cornerback. They still have holes in the defensive backfield after losing Kendall Fuller and Morris Claiborne to free agency, and high-end targets such as Louisiana Tech’s Amik Robertson and Virginia’s Bryce Hall were still on the board.“I think we stick to working on our team and our roster,” Veach said, “and I think having an opportunity to win a Super Bowl, I don’t think we’re competing against any one team. We’re trying to find players that come in and play right away.”The Associated Press

Chiefs gamble on LB Willie Gay in second round, add T Niang

John Elway pledged to give Drew Lock more weapons and better protection in an NFL draft teeming with wide receivers and offensive linemen.

The Denver Broncos general manager provided Lock with two terrific targets and added an athletic center through the first two nights of the draft.

Elway selected Penn State speedster KJ Hamler with the 46th pick in the second round Friday night, 24 hours after using the 15th overall pick on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0454f215eac7f5fad2f5f417d818885">Alabama standout Jerry Jeudy</a>, the highest Denver has ever selected a wide receiver in the common draft era.

In the third round, Elway added protection for his second-year QB by drafting LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry, who was named first-team All-SEC in 2019.

John Elway pledged to give Drew Lock more weapons and better protection in an NFL draft teeming with wide receivers and offensive linemen.He delivered.The Denver Broncos general manager provided Lock with two terrific targets and added an athletic center through the first two nights of the draft.Elway selected Penn State speedster KJ Hamler with the 46th pick in the second round Friday night, 24 hours after using the 15th overall pick on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c0454f215eac7f5fad2f5f417d818885">Alabama standout Jerry Jeudy</a>, the highest Denver has ever selected a wide receiver in the common draft era.In the third round, Elway added protection for his second-year QB by drafting LSU center Lloyd Cushenberry, who was named first-team All-SEC in 2019.Elway didn’t neglect his defense, either, selecting Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia and Arkansas D-tackle McTelvin Agim in the third round.Elway has five more picks Saturday.Ojemudia will help fill the void left by the departure of Chris Harris Jr. to the Chargers this offseason, and Agim solidifies a refurbished defensive line that includes trade acquisition Jurrell Casey.The jewel of Day 2 for Denver, though, was Hamler, who provides a jolt to the Broncos’ offense and special teams.“I think I bring to the table speed, quickness, playmaking ability,” Hamler said. “I’m versatile, I can play outside and I can play in the slot. I can return kicks and punts. I’m a playmaker.”Hamler, who is generously listed at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, is elusive with an uncommon burst of speed and has modeled his game after DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith.The Broncos see him as a Tyreek Hill-type playmaker who can also serve as Denver’s kick returner and help the Broncos chase down Hill and the Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the AFC West.Hamler wasn’t sure if Elway told him he’d also return kicks.“I really couldn’t hear him just because my family was yelling and we were all crying,” Hamler said. “So it was kind of hard to hear him, but I hope he has that in mind. I would love to return kicks and punts.”The Broncos’ once-formidable offense has been stuck in neutral for five years and last season Denver averaged a meager 17.6 points a game, 28th in the NFL, as their playoff drought reached four seasons.A tweaked hamstring before the NFL scouting combine prevented Hamler from challenging John Ross’s record of 4.22 seconds set at the 2017 combine.“I won’t say I think I was going to break the record, but I was going to be in the equation,” Hamler said. “I was going to be in the conversation -- 4.2 was the only thing on my mind.”He said his hamstring is fine now: “I’m fully healthy. I’m fully recovered. I’ve been running real good.”Even though he’s undersized, Hamler stood out even in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ab275a58573bf3186a0348dad8619545">class of wide receivers like none other.</a>Hamler said he was surprised when Elway picked him after spending his first pick on Jeudy, but he said he was eager to team up with Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and former college teammate DaeSean Hamilton in Denver, where he expects to quickly make his mark.“I’m the smallest guy with the smallest frame,” Hamler said, “but I’ll give you everything I’ve got.”Ojemudia said facing the likes of Jeudy, Hamler, Sutton and tight end Noah Fant in his first training camp will microwave his NFL education.“I mean, that’s going to be big,” Ojemudia said. “It’s going to be harder than the games sometimes.”Coach Vic Fangio expects Cushenberry to compete for the starting job along with Austin Schlottmann and Patrick Morris.“He’s got license to go in there and compete and win the job if he can,” Fangio said.Elway said Cushenberry could also play guard.Fangio said the draft has been seamless so far with teams having to conduct it via videoconferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic.“We haven’t had any problems communicating with the unusual setup for this draft,” Fangio said. “I think John’s done a great job orchestrating. We had some guys we wanted today and we had chances to go up and get them and John decided to sit and they ended up being the right choices both times.“So, we saved draft picks and we got the guys we wanted. I think that comes with experience doing the job. So, I just get out of the way when it comes to that point.”The Associated Press