The Broncos are signing former Lions wide receiver Josh Reynolds to a two-year deal worth as much as $14 million, a source with knowledge of the terms of the deal confirmed to The Athletic.

Reynolds was a key figure for a Lions offense that has featured one of the NFL’s best passing attacks during the past two seasons. He caught 40 passes for 608 yards and five touchdowns in 2023 and now becomes a key target for whomever the Broncos start at quarterback this season.

Reynolds was one of the top offensive weapons still available on the free-agent market. He was the No. 26 player on the top-150 list of free agents compiled by Randy Mueller, the former NFL general manager who is now a personnel analyst at The Athletic.

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How he fits

The Broncos have reshaped their wide receiver corps after trading Jerry Jeudy, a first-round pick by the team in 2020, to the Cleveland Browns earlier this month in exchange for fifth- and six-round picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Broncos have veterans Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick on the roster, and second-year speedster Marvin Mims Jr. could also see a bigger role in Jeudy’s absence, but Denver needed a proven receiver with versatility who can play across the formation. That’s what Reynolds will bring to the roster.

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2024 impact

Reynolds, listed at 6-foot-3 and 194 pounds, could immediately step in as Denver’s No. 2 wide receiver behind Sutton, who is coming off a 10-touchdown season. The Broncos are eager to see what Patrick can bring to the offense after missing the past two seasons due to injury, and Mims is an ascending player whose speed brings a unique element to Denver’s deep passing attack. But in Reynolds, the Broncos have added a consistent, sure-handed receiver — despite his drops in the NFC Championship Game, he dropped only three passes during the regular season in 2023 — who can operate out of the slot. He should give Denver a catch-and-run threat in the middle of the field. Reynolds averaged 9.5 yards per target last season, the highest rate of his career.

History

Reynolds, who turned 29 in February, was a fourth-round pick of the Rams in 2017 out of Texas A&M, so he’ll have plenty of opportunities for trash talk in training camp against a secondary full of former University of Texas players. Reynolds played four seasons with the Rams before signing a one-year deal with the Titans in free agency in 2021. Tennessee waived him after only five games in which he produced 10 catches for 90 yards, but he was quickly signed by the Lions and produced nearly 400 receiving yards in the seven games he played with them. That led to a two-year extension with the Lions. Reynolds has played at least 12 games in each of his seven seasons and played 16 or more games in five of those, including all 17 for the Lions last season.

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Cap update

The cap number for Reynolds in 2024 was not immediately known, but the Broncos began Wednesday with roughly $20.4 million in available cap space, according to Over The Cap. Denver should still have plenty of room to sign its 2024 draft class while also reserving a budget for in-season maneuvering.

Outlook

This was an important move to bring another versatile weapon into head coach Sean Payton’s offense. Sutton and Patrick profile similarly as big-bodied, outside receivers. Mims is the big-play threat who can stretch the back end of defenses, but he’s still unproven as a receiver overall. Reynolds, who played 71 percent of Detroit’s offensive snaps last season, can fill multiple roles and is considered a strong blocker in the run game.

The Broncos should have some heated competition in training camp with third-year player Brandon Johnson and Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who recently signed a one-year deal to remain in Denver, among the other competitors at the spot. Signing Reynolds will not preclude the Broncos from taking a wide receiver in the NFL Draft, but his arrival gives the Broncos a full room and could give the team flexibility to focus on other long-term needs with their eight current selections. If Denver could land a weapon at tight end — or get a healthy season out of the oft-injured Greg Dulcich — this will suddenly look like a passing game that could have some juice, even after trading Jeudy.

It’s all contingent, of course, on Denver landing the right quarterback.

(Photo: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images)