The Denver Broncos added another UFL standout before minicamp, hoping to stir up competition in the offseason.
“The Broncos are signing CB Sean Fresch Jr. from the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks,” DNVR’s Zac Stevens wrote on his official X account on Monday. “Fresch spent the past two years in the UFL after graduating from Rice in 2024. He had 2 sacks, 3 TFLs and 4 PBUs this past season. He’s a good returner as well. He’s 5-foot-8, 173 pounds.”
Fresch tested out well at Rice’s Pro Day in 2024, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds and registered a 41-inch vertical leap.
With the Battlehawks, as Stevens pointed out, Fresch also stood out as a return specialist with 32 punt returns for 333 yards and 3 kickoff returns for 85 yards to earn All-UFL honors.
The Broncos signed Fresch just days after he worked out for the Houston Texans.
“Broncos are signing All-UFL returner, corner Sean Fresch Jr., per him, after a successful workout for Rice alum who also worked out for Texans,” NFL reporter Aaron Wilson wrote on his official X account on Monday.
Second UFL Signing for Broncos in 1 Day
It was the 2nd UFL signing on Monday for the Broncos — and 2nd off the Battlehawks — after signing 6-foot-5, 242-pound wide receiver Hakeem Butler.
Butler, a 2019 4th round pick by the Arizona Cardinals, is a 2-time UFL Offensive Player of the Year, taking home honors in 2024 and 2026.
“The Broncos are signing veteran WR and UFL offensive player of the year Hakeem Butler, sources say,” NFL Network’s Mike Garofolo wrote on his official X account on Monday. “A 2019 fourth-round pick of the Cardinals, Butler led the UFL with 641 yards receiving on 29 catches for the St. Louis Battlehawks and now joins Denver ahead of minicamp.”
Butler hasn’t played in an NFL regular-season game since 2020, with the Philadelphia Eagles and hasn’t been on an NFL offseason roster since 2024 with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Butler is the UFL’s career receiving leader with 2,192 yards over 3 seasons. In college, he broke Iowa State’s single-season receiving record with 60 receptions for 1,318 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2018.
Sean Fresch Got Better Each Season at Rice
Fresch stepped on campus at Rice after a standout career right up the road at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson High School and was named to the All-Freshman Conference USA in 2021.
He saved his best 2 seasons for last. In 2023, he started all 13 games with 50 tackles, 3 TFL, 7 pass deflections, and 1 forced fumble while returning 16 punts for 160 yards. In 2024, Fresch had 52 tackles, 9 pass deflections, and 1 interception in 12 starts. In his final season, Fresch was named All-AAC after the Owls switched conferences.
The Broncos could very well be in the market for a top-notch return specialist in 2026, as 2023 2nd round pick Marvin Mims Jr., a 2-time NFL All-Pro return specialist, could either be traded or transition into a role as a primary wide receiver.
The odds seem to favor the former.
Pro Football Focus NFL reporter Bradley Locker put Mims at the top of his list of potential trade candidates headed into training camp.
“A talented playmaker who’s flashed at times, Mims could bring his explosiveness to another team given what Denver has done this offseason,” Locker wrote on May 20. “Despite being a second-round pick three years ago, Mims has yet to fully realize his home-run-hitting potential. Throughout his career, he’s produced a 70.7 PFF receiving grade with 1.71 yards per route run. Where Mims has been at his best is on deep passes, earning a 94.3 receiving mark.”
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