ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos are alleviating some of the crowding in their wide receiver room by sending second-year pro Devaughn Vele to the New Orleans Saints for a pair of draft picks.

The Broncos will get a fourth-round selection in next year's draft and a seventh-rounder in 2027 in exchange for Vele, who caught 41 passes for 475 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie last season.

Vele (6-foot-5 and 210 pounds) was a seventh-round selection by Denver out of Utah in 2024. He caught all eight passes thrown to him in last year's opener and two of his three TDs came against the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. He also caught a half-dozen passes for 80 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12.

Vele joins a receiver corps in New Orleans that also includes Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Brandin Cooks, Mason Tipton, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Dante Pettis.

Led by Courtland Sutton, the Broncos have a deep wide receiving corps, which coach Sean Payton has said would provide some difficult decisions when it comes to paring the roster to the NFL-mandated 53 players next week.

In addition to Marvin Mims Jr., Trent Sherfield Sr. and Troy Franklin, rookie Pat Bryant has had an outstanding training camp as have undrafted rookies Joaquin Davis, Jerjuan Newton and Courtney Jackson.

The Broncos (2-0) visit the Saints (0-1-1) Saturday in a preseason finale.

Avalanche add depth at forward by signing Victor Olofsson to a 1-year deal

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche added depth at forward on Wednesday by signing Victor Olofsson to a one-year deal.

The 30-year-old Olofsson spent last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, where he had 15 goals and 14 assists over 56 games. He turned in the longest road point streak in Golden Knights history when he notched at least a point in 10 straight games from Dec. 4 to Jan. 23.

Olofsson got his first taste of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season, scoring two goals as the team reached the second round.

A seventh-round draft pick by Buffalo in 2014, Olofsson has 105 goals and 106 assists in 370 games with the Sabres and Golden Knights. He reached two milestones last season — recording his 100th career assist on Jan. 17 and notching his 100th career goal the next night.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Olofsson was on the 2019-20 all-rookie team.

Before arriving in North America, Olofsson played in the Swedish Hockey League for parts of the 2013-18 seasons.

He was a member of Team Sweden at the IIHF World Championship in 2021 and 2024. He helped the squad to a bronze medal in '24.

Ohtani hits 44th homer and Call has big night as Dodgers pound Rockies 11-4

DENVER (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his 44th home run and Alex Call matched a career high with four hits as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4 on Tuesday night.

Call and Ohtani each launched a solo homer in the second inning to help the defending World Series champions open a 7-0 lead against winless Austin Gomber in the third.

Ohtani remained tied for the National League lead in home runs with Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber, who also went deep Tuesday night.

Los Angeles finished with 18 hits, and Call was a triple shy of the cycle. Will Smith had three hits to raise his NL-leading batting average to .308.

All nine starters had at least one hit for the Dodgers, who beat Colorado for the 11th time in 12 meetings.

Kyle Karros hit his first major league home run for the last-place Rockies, who had won four in a row.

Los Angeles scored twice in the first against Gomber (0-7) before Call and Ohtani homered in the second. The Dodgers batted around in the third and scored three runs, then added three more in the seventh.

Gomber, who allowed seven runs in three innings, has gone 15 starts without a victory. His last win was Sept. 5, 2024.

Emmet Sheehan (4-2) pitched six innings, tying his career high, and struck out seven. He is 3-0 in three starts against the Rockies.

Sheehan gave up a pair of two-run homers, one to Brenton Doyle in the fourth and Karros’ drive in the sixth.

Key moment

Warming Bernabel led off the Colorado fourth with an infield single and broke for second on third baseman Buddy Kennedy’s errant throw to first. Miguel Rojas picked up the ball, and his throw to second just beat Bernabel.

Key stat

The Dodgers had seven two-out RBIs on the night, including two in the first inning and three in the third.

Up next

Ohtani (0-0, 3.47 ERA) makes his 10th start this season for the Dodgers on Wednesday night. RHP Tanner Gordon (3-5, 7.98) goes for the Rockies.