They were briefly Broncos; now they want back into college football

Signing an NFL contract is no longer an impediment to playing college football — at least not in this brave new world of college athletics.

Two cornerbacks who had cups of coffee with the Broncos earlier this year — Blake Cotton and Paul Manning — are among the wave of players seeking a landing spot for what would be an additional college-football season, according to reports.

The potential return of Cotton was reported by ESPN; Manning’s possible comeback to the college ranks was first reported by Sleeper.

Cotton was among the players named in a restraining order issued in Louisiana, allowing them to go into the transfer portal outside of the portal window.

BRONCOS PARTED WAYS WITH BOTH OF THEM QUICKLY

Neither Cotton nor Manning were with the Broncos for long.

Manning, a Henderson State product, participated in the team’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, then was signed to a contract on May 12. But they waived Manning with an injury settlement in June, signing former UFL cornerback Sean Fresch Jr. to take his roster spot.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Cotton joined the Broncos after receiving a tryout during the team’s June minicamp, but didn’t last beyond the acclimation period last month. The Broncos first designated him as waived/injured on July 31, then after he reverted to injured reserve, they waived him with an injury settlement.

The notion of returning to college football after being a part of the NFL — even for a brief period — would seem bonkers in a previous time. But little about the current era of college sports resembles the standard operating procedure under which that level operated for decades.

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