One rookie is just about a shoo-in to be a starter for the Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Nik Bonitto and Greg Dulcich, the Broncos’ two first picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, will certainly have roles on the football team as rookies.

But the two Day 2 picks were far from guaranteed starting jobs from George Paton and Nathaniel Hackett despite being second and third-round picks.

Denver’s sixth-selection in the draft, on the other hand, already has the inside track to a starting job.

Hello 5-foot-10, 170-pound Montrell Washington.

“Washington, we feel he can be a dual returner for us,” George Paton said about Denver’s second fifth-round pick.

“As a punter returner, as a kick returner, [Special teams coordinator Dwayne] Stukes thought he would be our guy,” Paton added, giving Washington the early lead to be Denver’s starting returner. “Now, we’ll see, he has to go earn it. But he has some dynamic traits that you can’t teach. We feel he’ll upgrade us there.”

The Broncos’ special teams has filtered through returners and coordinators since Super Bowl 50. Paton and Hackett hope that carousel stops with Stukes and Washington.

“To be back there and catch those punts, catch those kickoffs, have all those guys running down to you, it’s a very unique talent. It’s hard to find guys like that,” Nathaniel Hackett said. “I think that’s something that, having experience in special teams in my past and knowing Coach Stukes, I think that was so critical for our team to find somebody that can bring that.”

The Broncos’ main hope when drafting Washington was that he would be a dynamic returner for them. But the speedster could provide a boost on offense at times as well.

“He’s explosive. I mean, just watch him against Florida, you see how explosive he is,” Paton added.

His monstrous game against Florida in November displayed his do-it-all explosive ability.

Going up against SEC talent, Washington had 10 receptions for 124 yards, three carries for 19 yards and five kick returns for 179 yards. He had a touchdown in the air, in the return game and on the ground for a total of three scores.

Oh, he also completed one pass for 16 yards.

“We just thought he had some dynamic traits as a returner. And then as a receiver as well, as a slot receiver,” Paton stated. “He’s really good with the ball in his hands. He has incredible ball skills.”

Despite having the inside track for the starting return jobs, Nathaniel Hackett made it clear he’s going to have to earn the job in OTAs, training camp and the preseason.

“He is going to have to earn that,” Hackett stated. “When it comes to the wide receiver standpoint, we’ve got some good wide receivers on this team and I’m excited for him to get in that room and compete. I mean, that’s all you ever ask for from all these rooms, all these guys that are joining us is they got to earn everything. We feel like we got guys that are going to go in there and fight for some roles.”

Paton entered Day 3 publicly stating how he and his staff desperately needed to upgrade special teams.

Montrell Washington is set to be the most explosive piece to that puzzle.