Broncos sign Marlon Brown to two-year deal; cut CB Taurean Nixon

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- The Broncos went back to their past for depth. Denver signed receiver Marlon Brown to a two-year contract Monday, cutting ties with cornerback Taurean Nixon.

Brown put himself in position to make a push for the 53-man roster in the summer. The Broncos signed him the day before camp opened, but waived him a week later when a back injury resurfaced. With Brown in camp, coach Gary Kubiak, pictured above, called the receiving corps the deepest ever at one of his training camps. Brown's exit paved a way for Jordan Taylor to make the roster.

"Marlon came here with an issue, the back, that held him out in Baltimore last year. He wanted to try and play through it, so we gave him the opportunity to do that. It continued to bother him and it flared up. What Marlon is going to do is he is going to get this thing taken care of. I think he has a bright future," coach Gary Kubiak said on Aug. 4. "Hopefully he bounces back quick and he's back in this league quick. We thought a lot of him. He did a great job. Hopefully he can get healthy."

With Brown's back healed, the Broncos circled back to the former University of Georgia product. Brown played for Kubiak as his offensive coordinator in Baltimore in 2014, catching 24 passes for 255 yards. Brown posted a career-high seven touchdowns in 2013. After the Broncos parted ways with him in August, Brown never caught on with another team. This represents a move as much about the future as the present. Brown, 25, is a young player with a high ceiling if healthy. It also provides an option if the Broncos move Cody Latimer this offseason. Latimer has struggled to gain ground this season, spending his time either inactive or as a special teams player. 

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