The Denver Broncos once selected KJ Hamler in the second round of the 2020 draft.
They could see him twice on an opposing sideline during the 2026 regular season. That is, if Hamler can clear some significant hurdles.
Hamler’s career in the NFL stalled, and he has battled some personal issues in the time, but he has gotten back to football in the time since he last suited up for the Broncos, which was the 2022 season.
KJ Hamler Gets Interest From Broncos Rivals
GettyThe Raiders could add former Broncos WR KJ Hamler.
Hamler, 27, was the 46th overall pick of his draft class. He finished his rookie season with the Broncos with an encouraging 381 yards and 3 touchdowns on 31 receptions.
He would post a 12-239-0 line over the next two injury-marred seasons in Denver.
After a successful stint in the United Football League this spring, though, Hamler is back on NFL radars. More specifically, he is getting a look from the Broncos’ AFC West rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders.
Multiple reports noted that Hamler was among a flurry of workouts for the Raiders on Monday, and one of three wideouts looking for a shot at a roster spot.
Hamler had a 23-317-3 line for the Storm last this past season.
He also adds value as a kick returner. That will only help his chances of latching on with a team beyond training camp, be it the Raiders or another team. Former undrafted free agents Deven Thompkins and ex-Atlanta Falcons draft pick Casey Washington also vied for spots.
Thompkins ultimately got signed. If he does eventually stick, Hamler and the Raiders would see the Broncos in Week 11 in Denver. They would meet again in Las Vegas in Week 15.
That first matchup would almost certainly have special meaning for Hamler and the Broncos.
KJ Hamler Got Life Back on Track After Suicide Attempt
GettyKJ Hamler battled with mental health while with the Broncos.
Hamler spoke candidly about his battles with his mental health, and even admitted attempting suicide early in his career during his time with the Broncos. He said his NFL career “didn’t start off how I wanted it to.”
“I never had injuries in college. And then, I get to the league, and adjusting to Denver was very different for a 20-year-old,” Hamler said in a video posted by the Storm in May. .
“I had dislocated my hip and tore my ACL at the same time. Getting told I would never play ball again, and on top of that, the mental aspect, I had the injury, and my cousin passed, and my grandmother passed, and I think that’s when everything went rock bottom. It was at a point in my life that I didn’t want to be here, that I tried to make the decision to not be here, if you know what I mean, and once I tried to make that decision, and by the grace of God it didn’t fully go through, I had to figure out something to cope with my feelings and cope with my emotions.”
Hamler turned to music, both creating and recording, to navigate life after his attempt.
The former Broncos draft pick still has a ways to go before he comes full circle. Still, Hamler is certainly on the right trajectory. Hamler has also spent time with the Buffalo Bills and the Indianapolis Colts.
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