With both the UFL and NFL in their offseason lulls, it's the perfect time to dive into some offseason content. As the UFL awaits the next wave of NFL signings for the 2026 player acquisition cycle, we're taking a look back at how each NFL team has utilized spring football as a developmental pipeline during the modern era of spring football since 2022. We continue the series with the Denver Broncos, highlighting every spring league player the organization has signed over the past four years.
2022 Cycle:
The Broncos would sign five players from the USFL after the 2022 spring football season. Stevie Scott (Michigan Panthers) would spend time with the team during training camp, before his release. The other four players signed by the Broncos, would all spend time with the team on the practice squad or active roster. Darrius Shepherd (New Jersey Generals) and Victor Bolden (Birmingham Stallions) both wide receivers would earn around 100k during their stints with Denver, along with Hunter Thedford (Pittsburgh Maulers), spending a week with the team on the practice squad. The biggest addition from this class would be Mitch Fraboni (Pittsburgh Maulers) who after an injury to Jacob Bobenmeyer would become a fixture at the position since 2022.
2023 Cycle:
The Broncos would sign five players from the XFL during the loaded 2023 spring football cycle. While Jacques Patrick (San Antonio Brahmas), Josh Hammond (D.C. Defenders), and Tomasi Laulile (Arlington Renegades) who spent a short amount of time with the team, the Broncos did find value in QB Ben Dinucci (Seattle Sea Dragons), and Michael Bandy (Houston Roughnecks). DiNucci would spend the whole 2023 season with the team, before his release during the conclusion of training camp in 2024. He’d also have a quick cameo with the team during the 2025 playoffs after Bo Nix’s injury. Bandy has been a consistent figure with the team appearing in five games, over three seasons going into his fourth season with the team.
2024 Cycle:
Post Merger, the team only signed one player from the UFL in Dondrea Tillman of the Birmingham Stallions. Since joining the Broncos, Tillman has been a consistent force, a part of the Broncos defensive line rotation. He goes into year three with the Broncos (with the opportunity to earn an NFL pension), Tillman has appeared in 29 games, totaling 64 tackles, 9.0 sacks, and 2 INTs.
2025 Cycle:
The Broncos only signed one player from the 2025 class in Micah Abraham (St. Louis Battlehawks). Abraham would only appear for the team during training camp before his release.
Most notably the Broncos have given high praise to the UFL, specifically with their Head Coach Sean Payton talking about the league in a positive light. Payton was asked about the Broncos approach to scouting UFL players during the final sessions of OTAs, after the team signed Sean Fresch and Hakeem Butler.
“I asked the question of the scouts the other day like, ‘UFL or CFL? Where are we getting the better [players]?’” Payton told reporters. “I don’t know how many years in, five, six, seven with the UFL, and I think it’s kind of becoming that, ‘OK, where’s the next market?’ They’re getting developed somewhere. Where are they if they’re not in our league? I think to their league’s credit, it’s helping us.” -Sean Payton via Pro Football Talk
The Broncos have signed fourteen players over the last five seasons, with Wide Receiver Michael Bandy, Long Snapper Mitch Fraboni, and EDGE Dondrea Tillman providing the most value to the team..The Broncos will hope to add to their successful class of spring football players in Hakeem Butler, and Sean Fresch form this signing cycle. UFL to NFL signings will continue once the teams begin training camp, later in July.