Sean Payton is completely off the beaten path.
The Denver Broncos, who recently moved on from veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, signed a little-known player from a small college.
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But that’s not the only thing that’s small about BJ West, from an NFL perspective.
West, who barely played at Alabama State, is 5-foot-8 and weighs just 142 pounds as a wide receiver.
If he makes the Broncos’ 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent and plays in a regular-season game, West would tie Tony Jones for lightest player in NFL history.
Jones, who was also a wideout, was 5-7 and weighed 142.
The sixth-round pick out of Texas caught 63 passes for 798 yards and nine touchdowns with the Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons from 1990-93.
NFL teams routinely use expanded rosters during the offseason to test players who are unlikely to participate in final training camp.
Payton is one of the most innovative offensive coaches in the league.
But Denver must have seen something seriously intriguing in West, who played just 12 games at Alabama State and caught two passes for -5 yards.
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He did, however, return six kicks for 135 yards, averaging 22.5 yards per return.
There have been conflicting reports about the status of West’s contract with the Broncos.
If he remains on the expanded roster, he will need to impress Payton and the team’s coaches during training camp.
“I don’t understand,” one fan tweeted. “Even in high school, he only had 27 receptions, 518 yards and 6 touchdowns.”
West was enrolled in track and was a state qualifier in sprints in high school, so Denver could hope to turn his speed into an asset and turn his slim 142 pounds into an advantage on the field.
The Broncos finished 8-9 last season, so Denver needs all the help it can get in 2024.
Payton’s first year in charge of the team was a disappointment and filled with controversy.
The Broncos drafted Bo Nix in the first round and are hoping the highly experienced college player can become their new franchise quarterback.
Denver plays in the AFC West, which includes Justin Herbert’s Los Angeles Chargers, the Las Vegas Raiders and Patrick Mahomes’ back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
