Remember Cody Latimer?
He was the former Indiana University star that the Denver Broncos selected in the second round of the 2014 draft.
The first three seasons of Latimer’s career haven’t gone the way either he nor the Broncos would have hoped. He’s turned himself into arguably the best special teams player on the Broncos, but his production on the offensive side of the ball hasn’t been there to this point. A good special teams player is a valuable addition to an NFL team, but they don’t pay second-round picks to play special teams.
Latimer caught 135 passes for 2,042 yards and 17 touchdowns in his three seasons at Indiana, but hasn’t found a way to transfer that production into the NFL. Prior to Thursday night’s 25-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts, Latimer had only caught 32 passes for 385 yards and two touchdowns in his three-plus years with the Broncos.
When the dust settled on Thursday night, Latimer ended the game with three receptions for 60 yards, one touchdown and a two point conversion that ultimately put the game out of reach. He looked like the receiver the Broncos thought he’d be back when they drafted him.
Latimer missed five straight games earlier in the season with a knee injury, but since returning in Week 8 has found a way to make an impact on offense. After his performance on Thursday night, Latimer has now caught 19 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns in 2017. The numbers he’s put up in 2017 surpass his totals in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns over his first three years in the league.
Latimer’s stats are a direct reflection of the effort he’s shown during a forgettable season for the team as a whole. The Broncos were officially eliminated from playoff contention just last week, but the writing has been on the wall for a number of weeks now. Despite that, Latimer has come to play as the season wraps up.
He will hit the market as an unrestricted free agent in 2018. Whether or not he’s produced enough to sign another deal with the Broncos, he’s shown an admirable effort over the course of what turned out to be a disappointing season.
