Broncos Sign $9 Million Super Bowl Champion in Free Agency

The Denver Broncos are filling in some of their remaining gaps ahead of the 2025 draft, this time reuniting with fullback Michael Burton.

Broncos secure veteran fullback Michael Burton with a likely one-year deal as Sean Payton aims for another playoff push and thrilling season ahead

“News: #Broncos have re-signed fullback Michael Burton, a source tells @denverpost,” the Denver Post’s Luca Evans reported on X on March 26. “Productive veteran who’s spent last two years in Denver.

DNVR Broncos’ Zac Stevens and 9News’ Mike Klis confirmed Evans’ report.

Burton, 33, rushed for 8 yards and 1 touchdown on seven carries. However, he set career-highs, catching all 10 of his targets for 65 yards and another score in 2024.

Originally entering the league as a fifth-round pick by the Detroit Lions in 2015, Burton has also spent time with the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, and the Washington Commanders organization.

He won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2018.

Broncos Make Expected Backfield Move With Michael Burton

Burton played for Broncos head coach Sean Payton on the Saints. The fullback’s return was expected to happen sooner or later.

“A fullback for those lead blocks and short-yardage situations is also a need for the running game. Michael Burton has been the man the past two years, but he has yet to sign back as a free agent,” Klis wrote on March 17. “At this point it would be a surprise if Burton isn’t back for a third year with the Broncos, 11th in the NFL.

“Burton would fit into [Bo] Nix’s comfort zone.”

The Broncos have been widely projected to address the running back position at some point during this offseason. This is not the move most expected, though. Burton played on 16% of the Broncos’ offensive snaps in 2024, per Pro Football Reference.

It is the fourth-highest mark of his career. But with 42 career carries for 79 yards and 3 TDs, he should not be expected to elevate the ground attack in that way.

Terms of Burton’s new deal have not been disclosed, but he has earned $9 million in his career.

Potential Broncos Draft Target Turns Heads After Meeting: ‘Literal Tank’

The Broncos have met with many of the prospects at the draft combine and the weeks that have followed. One of those prospects, Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins, recently turned heads with his physique.

“I’m sorry I didn’t know RB Quinshon Judkins was built like a literal tank,” Blogging The Boys’ Brandon Loree posted on X, sharing a clip of the former Buckeyes star training.

Judkins rushed for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns on 194 carries in 2024.

Those are all career lows as he shared the backfield with TreVeyon Henderson. In two seasons at Ole Miss, Judkins posted a 545-2,725-31 line as a runner. He did post a career-high 161 yards on 22 receptions. He also has a 59-442-5 line through the air for his career.

“Judkins is a productive runner possessing good size and great contact aggression. His running style is both urgent and a bit chaotic. He runs with good burst inside but is more collision-based than wiggle-oriented when maneuvering through the lane. He’s efficient on runs outside the tackle box, but he has a tough time outracing pursuit to create explosive runs,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft profile.

“Judkins might need to be paired with a slasher, but he has the ingredients needed to become a three-down RB1.”