Broncos Show Strong Sign of Interest in Behemoth Oregon Defender

The Denver Broncos have defensive line on the brain with the NFL draft 10 days out.

Perhaps it's the jaw-dropping clinic the Philadelphia Eagles displayed in their beatdown of the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, or the Broncos' preemptive motivations with three D-linemen enterin a contract year, but the position group is very much on the table in the draft.

According to 9NEWS' Mike Klis, the Broncos will meet with Oregon defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell at some point this week.

"Per source, Broncos scheduled to visit with Oregon DT Jamaree Caldwell this week. He's 6-2, 322. Started all 14 games for 13-1 Ducks last year. Also played two seasons at University of Houston. Had 6.5 sacks for Cougars in 2023," Klis posted on X.

The 322-pound behemoth played in 14 games for the Oregon Ducks last year. Caldwell's specialty isn't pressuring the quarterback from the inside, but rather, stuffing the run and controlling the point of attack.

Caldwell totaled 29 tackles last season (five for a loss), one forced fumble, and three batted passes at the line. Currently viewed as a fourth or fifth-round pick, the Broncos could look at him in the middle rounds.

Caldwell played next to Derrick Harmon at Oregon, who's projected to hear his name called in the first round. I asked Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle's senior draft analyst Erick Trickel about Caldwell.

"Caldwell is a hot-and-cold player who has shown signs of versatility to play along the offensive line. He has been most consistent working as a 0/1-technique, which is where he will mostly find himself in the NFL, with the ability to move around on different downs and situations," Trickel said.

In other words, Caldwell is poised to be a nose tackle at the NFL level. The Broncos brought back D.J. Jones in free agency, but they could use another guy to groom behind him with Malcolm Roach entering a contract year.