Broncos season ticket prices rise slightly for the first time in 3 years By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post Feb. 8, 2019 The Broncos are increasing general season ticket prices in 2019 for the first time in three years. Ninety-five percent of the general seats will have an increase of only one percent and the remaining five percent of seats will have an increase of less than 10 percent. This does not include club and suite ticket packages, which are separate multi-year contracts. Invoices for renewals will be emailed to fans next week. Last year, the renewal rate was 98 percent. The Broncos said they have “close to,” 80,000 names on their waiting list for season tickets and expect a 50th consecutive year of sellouts. “In order to keep pace with the league, and at the same time respect our fans and how much we appreciate them, we knew we needed an increase but we were cognizant of not going overboard,” said Clark Wray, the Broncos’ senior director of ticket strategy and analytics. The Broncos’ general seating average price will increase from $101.30 to $103.06. Last year’s average ticket price was 15th in the NFL. The Broncos’ average ticket price for general seating has increased by 4.64 percent from 2015-19 (including a 3.1-percent increase after the 2015 Super Bowl season). By comparison, five teams (Oakland, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Carolina and Green Bay) have increased their average general ticket price by more than 20 percent. Of not increasing prices for three years, Wray said: “I wouldn’t say (it’s) abnormal. It really depends on the market and how a team performs. Some teams will raise (prices) every year and some teams will hold out longer.” The lack of available face value tickets equals a lucrative secondary market. Last year, the Broncos ranked third in that category behind New England and Seattle. “I think that speaks to the tremendous support for this team and the demand that is out there for this team,” Wray said. “I like to think we have a great experience (at the stadium) and there are certainly a lot of people who want to be a part of it.” Parking prices will remain the same in 2019. The Broncos used mobile ticketing exclusively in 2018 for the first time. “Overall, it went really, really well,” Wray said. “I felt like our fans were really prepared when they got to the stadium to use their mobile tickets and those who needed a little help, we were able to get their tickets on their phones in-person and get them right into the stadium.” NFL Scouting Combine will feature several players with Colorado ties By Ryan O’Halloran Denver Post Feb. 8, 2019 Two players from Wyoming and one player apiece from Colorado, Colorado State and Northern Colorado are among the 338 players invited to this year’s Scouting Combine. Heading to Indianapolis for medical and physical testing and team interviews are Wyoming edge defender Carl Granderson and safety Andrew Wingard, Colorado safety Evan Worthington, Colorado State receiver Bisi Johnson, Northern Colorado receiver Alex Wesley. The Combine runs from Feb. 26-March 4. Each player is on a four-day schedule in their position group that is capped by an on-field workout at Lucas Oil Stadium. A look at the invitees who are from the Denver/Colorado area: Johnson (Lakewood/Bear Creek) finished his CSU career with 125 catches for 2,019 yards and 11 touchdowns in 49 games. He had five 100-yard games in his career, including a CSU record 265 yards against Idaho in the 2016 Potato Bowl. Wingard (Arvada/Ralston Valley) finished second in all-time tackles at Wyoming (454 in 51 games) and was a three-time first-team All-Mountain West selection. Worthington (Aurora/Cherokee Trail) had 48 tackles and one interception in nine games as a senior for the Buffs. He sat out the entire 2016 season for violating team rules. Dalton Risner (Wiggins, Colo.) started all 50 games of his college career at Kansas State, first at center as a freshman and the final three years at right tackle. He was a second-team All-America selection in 2018 and played in last month’s Senior Bowl. In other categories … Most players by college: Alabama and Clemson, 11; Ohio State 10; Georgia, Mississippi and Washington 9. Most players by state: Florida 51, Texas 31, Georgia and California 25 and Ohio 20. Quarterbacks: The Broncos have the 10th overall pick and should be keen on evaluating some of the 17 quarterbacks who received invitations. Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, who is under contract with the Oakland A’s, was invited and ESPN reported that he will attend. Cornerbacks: The Broncos could also consider a cornerback in the first round and 36 players from that position were invited, including LSU’s Greedy Williams and Georgia’s Deandre Baker. NFL mock drafts: Who should the Broncos take with the 10th pick? Here’s what national writers are saying. By Joe Nguyen Denver Post Feb. 8, 2019 In case you’re wondering: There’s 19 days until the NFL combine and 77 days until the draft. So here’s a look at what four national writers think the Broncos will select with the 10th overall pick in the NFL draft: Like Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN’s Todd McShay has Georgia CB Deandre Baker going to the Broncos: “Denver could trade up for a quarterback or take the dive here for Kyler Murray or Drew Lock, but this secondary is hurting as well. Aqib Talib is long gone, and Chris Harris Jr. fractured his fibula in December. What’s more, Bradley Roby is a free agent. Baker is the most instinctive corner in the class.” CBS’ Sean Wagner-McGough has Denver selecting quarterback Drew Lock: “To this point, John Elway has been unable to draft a franchise quarterback. His Case Keenum signing also hasn’t worked out. He tries to fix the issue one more time with Lock — Jay Cutler 2.0.” NFL.com’s Chad Reuter has Denver going with another quarterback in Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray: “Picking behind at least two teams with quarterback needs, John Elway will have to either trade up to land his guy or take whichever top signal-caller is available at No. 10 if he wants to improve the Broncos’ QB situation via the draft.” Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer also has a quarterback coming to the Mile High City with Duke’s Daniel Jones: “The Broncos could go for another supposed veteran solution at QB with the likes of Joe Flacco or Nick Foles. If not — and if they don’t trade up, and if both Haskins and Murray are gone — Missouri’s Drew Lock and West Virginia’s Will Grier also would be in play. Jones, however, is pushing to be the No. 3 QB with his all-around, pro-tailored skills to go with ideal size (6-5, 220 pounds). He also has NFL-friendly tutelage from Peyton and Eli Manning mentor David Cutcliffe. Jones has the mentally and physically tough make-up Denver has been missing at QB.” Mile High Stadium stairwell won't be put on trial By Marshall Zelinger 9 News Feb. 8, 2019 The construction of Mile High Stadium will not be put on trial after all. Jason Coy fell to his death following a Denver Broncos game in October 2016. He went over a handrail in an enclosed stairwell and fell 60 feet. His widow, Leslie Coy, sued the Metropolitan Football Stadium District, as well as PDB Enterprises, PDB Sports, Bowlen Sports and Stadium Management Company in a wrongful death civil suit. PDB stands for Patrick Dennis Bowlen, the owner of the Denver Broncos. "The stadium contained a defective, unsafe, non-obvious and dangerous condition in a fire escape corridor and staircase on which [Coy] fell to his death," the suit read. Coy's family alleged in the suit that the defendants "breached their duty of care" by "failing to take reasonable affirmative action or measures" to make the fire escape safe. Taxpayers in seven metro area counties make up the Metropolitan Football Stadium District, meaning taxpayers were among those being sued. The lawsuit that was supposed to go to trial this month ended with a settlement. Coy's attorney confirmed that the settlement is confidential. But if a taxpayer-funded district was part of the settlement, what makes it confidential? According to the spokesman for the Metropolitan Football Stadium District, the lease that the Broncos signed to play at the stadium requires that the team provide insurance on game days on behalf of the stadium district. It was private funds, and not public taxpayer money, involved in the settlement. Broncos' out-of-the-box hiring of Vic Fangio validated by Super Bowl By Jeff Legwold ESPN Feb. 8, 2019 Now that the brand-new head coaches in the NFL have all been formally introduced with a flurry of ubiquitous "It's a new day" quotes, it is abundantly clear the Denver Broncos zigged when everyone else zagged. The Broncos didn't pick a young, up-and-coming assistant. They didn't pick the latest and greatest offensive playcaller. They didn't even pick a guy who had been a head coach before in the league. No, they picked Vic Fangio, a 60-year-old first-time head coach -- at any level -- who has built a substantial and well-respected résumé on the defensive side of the ball. Add that up, and it is the no- nonsense, been-around-the-block-a-whole-lot-of-times Fangio who just might be the league's most out- of-the-box hire this time around.