As the Broncos’ personnel department put its finishing touches on an NFL draft strategy late last month, Jacques Patrick capped a strong XFL campaign April 22 with two touchdown runs against the DC Defenders.
Fast forward to mid-May and Patrick found himself in Denver’s rookie minicamp alongside 56 other players — mostly a combination of draft picks, college free agents and tryouts — trying to make a strong impression for coach Sean Payton and his staff.
Patrick, quarterback Ben DiNucci and edge rusher Trent Harris all turned their XFL seasons into tryout invites from the Broncos and on Saturday spoke highly of what the league owned by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia was able to do for them.
“It was cool, man. I’ve been telling guys about it here, it was a rebound opportunity, that’s really what it is,” Patrick told The Post. “I was just in there talking to someone in the steam room and I was just telling him, ‘Bro, I remember my first couple of years in the (NFL) playing and then getting cut in the preseason and then the phone wasn’t ringing.
“Then the XFL came about and it’s just another opportunity to showcase your ability. I played a game two weeks ago and now I’m here, so I’m just trying to take advantage of the opportunities I’ve been blessed with.”
Patrick and DiNucci appear to have succeeded in making a favorable impression. DiNucci’s agency announced he planned to sign with the Broncos and sources told The Post that Patrick also has a 90-man roster spot pending physicals.
Patrick spent 2020 on Cincinnati’s practice squad, got two carries with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021, spent some time on Carolina’s practice squad and then was on the 90-man rosters for Baltimore and Cincinnati last offseason before ending up without a job in the fall.
Enter the XFL.
Patrick rushed for 443 yards, added 238 yards receiving and showed enough at 6-foot-2 and 239 pounds that pro teams started calling.
“I wouldn’t say it’s the NFL, but it’s not far off,” Patrick said. “Guys can play. You can see the guys that have been getting an invitation. It’s definitely a step above college in that way. Not necessarily the NFL, but it’s definitely tape you can put on and judge if it translates to the NFL, for sure.”
DiNucci thought the same.
He led the XFL with 2,671 yards passing and 20 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. Now 26, DiNucci played three games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020, started a Sunday Night Football game against Philadelphia and overall completed 23 of 43 passes for 219 yards, lost two fumbles and was sacked seven times. He spent 2021 on Dallas’ practice squad and most of the 2022 offseason — including joint practices here against the Broncos in August — with the Cowboys before getting cut on the final roster reduction to 53.
“I think for me, this second opportunity to be in an NFL locker room is different this time around,” DiNucci said. “Might be my last chance, might not get another one.”
During the XFL season, he didn’t want to hear about potential NFL interest, leaving that to his agent and Seattle Sea Dragons head coach Jim Haslett. As the playoffs arrived, though, DiNucci knew decision time could come quickly and said “there were a few teams calling.”
He picked the Broncos.
“Coach Payton’s track record really speaks for itself,” he said. “His offense, his quarterbacks have always produced. So to be able to learn from him, pick his brain a little bit, he’s top-notch when it comes to quarterbacks coaches.
“It’s been awesome to be out here, learn a little bit and show what I can do.”
In the process of ribbing DiNucci about an interception he threw Saturday, Payton mentioned that he had been talking with Broncos CEO Greg Penner about DiNucci’s strong performance. Now Denver will either carry four quarterbacks forward on the 90-man roster or could jettison Jarrett Guarantano.
“If someone comes in, someone goes out, so it’s not just ‘Bring them along,’” Payton said. “You’re trying to bring the right group of 90 when you really get down to it. … Sometimes someone jumps out really clear. Sometimes you get to the second day and we look at his film. Maybe nothing happens and then a week from now something happens.”
It’s no coincidence that Patrick and Harris ended up in Broncos rookie minicamp given the potential questions at their respective positions. Harris, 27, played in 19 NFL games from 2019-21 for Miami and the New York Giants, started five and logged two sacks. He paced the XFL with 9.5 sacks this spring.
It’s not going to be easy for this trio or anybody else — the XFL says 57 players from its league have earned NFL tryouts — to actually crack a 53-man roster at the end of August.
“There’s a bunch of diamonds in the rough,” DiNucci said. “Jahcour Pearson was sitting on the side of the road, sitting at home and doing YouTube videos and all of a sudden he got a call from the XFL, was my leading receiver, led the entire league in receiving and now is in 49ers minicamp.
“It’s awesome to see guys get second opportunities and show they can still play, hang and do what they do. It’s exciting to see what the future holds for the XFL, USFL, all that stuff.”
DiNucci and Patrick took the first step with the Broncos by cracking the roster.
“I’m here for a reason and I’m excited for another opportunity,” the quarterback said. “That’s all I can ask for.”
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