Pending a physical, the Broncos are expected to sign former UFL star Dondrea Tillman.
According to 9NEWS Denver’s Mike Klis, the Denver Broncos are expected to sign former UFL star linebacker Dondrea Tillman, pending a physical. Tillman, who played last season with the Birmingham Stallions and helped them win the championship, is now anticipated to join the Broncos.
After a recent workout with the team, Tillman will undergo a physical and must be released from his UFL contract, which is reportedly a formality, before officially signing with the Broncos. When he signs, he is expected to agree to a three-year, $2.84 million deal, including a $10,000 signing bonus, according to KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson.
Once the signing is official, the Broncos will need to make a corresponding roster move to accommodate him on their 90-man roster.
Per source, pending physical, Broncos are signing OLB Dondrea Tillman to three-year contract that includes $10,000 signing bonus. He just finished UFL championship season with Birmingham. #9sports
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) June 19, 2024
Tillman is a 26-year-old outside linebacker listed at 6’3″ and 270 pounds. He played this past season with the Birmingham Stallions, who won the championship. During this season, he recorded 36 tackles and 4 sacks, contributing to a strong Stallions defense. Over his three years with the Stallions, who have won three consecutive championships, Tillman totaled 92 tackles and 8.5 sacks.
Now, as an edge rusher, Tillman joins a Broncos unit where he will compete for a roster spot or potentially a place on the team’s practice squad. He will be vying with Jonathon Cooper, Baron Browning, Nik Bonitto, rookie Jonah Elliss, Ronnie Perkins, Thomas Incoom, Durrell Nchami, and rookie Jaylon Allen for a roster position. While Cooper, Browning, Bonitto, and Elliss are considered locks for the roster, the final spot or two is still up for grabs, and Tillman could push for one of these spots.
Tillman also played along the Stallions’ defensive line, so he could potentially be seen there in Vance Joseph’s 3-4 defense. With his size and frame, he can put his hand in the dirt, but he likely projects more as an edge rusher with the Broncos. We will see how the team utilizes him once his signing is officially announced.
We need to have a conversation about @USFLStallions DE Dondrea Tillman. How is this man not in the NFL?
He had another spectacular outing against St. Louis this weekend: 4 tackles, 3 TFL's, 1 sack. @dondreatillman2 is the top graded D-Lineman in the #UFL, at 92.0!! per @PFF.… pic.twitter.com/7lV9En2t7o
— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) May 13, 2024
Another area where Tillman could potentially contribute is on special teams. With the new kickoff rule, teams will likely include more offensive linemen and blocking specialists on their return units. Consequently, we can expect bigger defenders to be added to counter these blocks and make plays on the returners. This might be Tillman’s best avenue to secure a spot on the team, aside from excelling as an edge rusher during training camp and the preseason.
Signings like these are intriguing because they offer a bit of a lottery ticket. A player who has performed well in developmental spring leagues is getting a chance to prove himself in the NFL. Tillman will be an interesting name to watch during training camp and the preseason, and hopefully, he plays well enough to make the team.
