INDIANAPOLIS — If the Broncos end up next month with Utah edge rusher Logan Fano, it would be a family affair on the team.

Fano’s cousin is Denver second-year linebacker Karene Reid, previously his Utes teammate, and he said the two are “super tight.” Also, four of Faro’s uncles played in the NFL, including former Broncos defensive end Anton Palepoi.

Fano said Wednesday the Broncos had an informal interview with him Monday at the NFL scouting combine. He is projected to be a late-round selection in the April 23-25 draft in Pittsburgh and would be a priority free agent if not taken.

“I would love to play there,’’ Fano said of possibly going to Denver.

Fano is also very close to Broncos edge rusher Jonah Elliss, a third-round pick by the Broncos in 2024 out of Utah. In 2023, Elliss played one side on Utah’s defensive line and had 12 sacks in 10 games. Fano played the other side that season and had 3.5 sacks in five games before being sidelined with a torn ACL. But he bounced back to have 6.5 sacks in 2024 and 7.5 in 2025 while staying healthy.

Logan isn’t the most highly touted Fano in this draft. That would be his brother, Utah’s Spencer Fano, who is regarded as the top tackle available and will be long gone when the Broncos pick No. 30 in the first round.

Both brothers are at the combine. Logan is getting plenty of advice from Reid, who went to the combine last year before signing as an undrafted free agent with Denver.

“This whole process, I’ve kept in touch with Karene to ask him for tips,’’ Logan Fano said. “I try not to bother him too much during the season, but whenever I need help, I reach out to him.”

As for combine advice, Logan said Reid has been telling him to “just be myself, have a good time, and enjoy it.”

Logan said he also is “pretty tight” with Palepoi, who played in the NFL from 2002-05. In his only season with the Broncos, Palepoli had three sacks in 11 games in 2004.

“That’s who I go to for ‘D-line’ training and all that stuff,’’ Logan said. “Pro Tech Trenches is the name of his company (in Salt Lake City) and I work with him every offseason.”

Logan’s other uncles who played in the NFL are former tight end Gabe Reid, Karene’s father; former linebacker Spencer Reid; and former defensive tackle Teni Palepoi.

Logan has another Broncos connection in Luther Elliss, the father of Jonah who played in the NFL from 1995-2004, including 2004 with Denver. While Logan was a defensive end for the Utes and Luther is their defensive tackles coach, he still got plenty of tips from him.

“Coach Elliss is a legend,’’ Logan said. “When he gives advice, you listen.”

Taking the next step

General manager George Paton said the Broncos can’t overreact in the offseason after coming so close to making the Super Bowl.

“You can’t go crazy just because you came three points from the Super Bowl,’’ Paton said of Denver’s 10-7 loss to New England in the AFC Championship Game. “We’ll be aggressive in (the offseason) approach but really measured and try to make sound decisions.’’

Coach Sean Payton said the Broncos will face the realization they weren’t as dominant as their 14-3 record might reflect. They went 11-2 in one-score games.

“I’m not naïve enough to think those games couldn’t have swung (the other way),’’ he said. “And you could grab any two or three, but where’s the meat on the bone? The meat on the bone exists with our takeaways. That has to improve. Our run game consistency (must improve).”

Payton said running back is one of the “musts” on Denver’s offseason list of needs. J.K. Dobbins will be a free agent after he rushed for 774 yards in the first 10 games before suffering a season-ending foot injury. His replacement, rookie RJ Harvey, ran for 540 yards on the season but averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. Harvey did lead the team with 12 overall touchdowns.

“I thought he had a really good year for a rookie and everything that was thrown to him,’’ Paton said.

‘Excited” about Sanders

Recently hired head coach Todd Monken said there’s no reason why Shedeur Sanders can’t be Cleveland’s starting quarterback in 2026.

The former University of Colorado star finished the season as the Browns’ starter, getting the call in the final seven games. He played in eight games overall, throwing for 1,400 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He actually made the Pro Bowl Games as a deep AFC alternate when a 2025 full-time starter couldn’t be rounded up for the final quarterback spot.

“Sure he can,” Monken said at the combine about the 2025 fifth-round pick being a possible starter in 2026. “I think what you see is elite playmaking ability. That’s in him. You’ve seen it. We’ve seen it. You saw it in college; you saw it on tape last year. Sure, there’s a ways to go, but what rookie isn’t? I mean, what first-year player doesn’t have a long way to go? I’m excited to get started with him and all of our quarterbacks and all of our players.”

Sanders is one of three quarterbacks now on Cleveland’s roster, the others being veteran Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel, like Sanders a 2025 draftee.

Briefly

Asked why he rejoined the NFL Competition Committee after previously being on it when he was head coach at New Orleans, Payton quipped, “I like the pain.” But Payton, who coached the Saints from 2006-11 and 2013-21, soon turned serious, saying, “I like our league. I like talking about stuff like that.” … Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks said he met with the Broncos at the combine. He is expected to be drafted around the end of the first round. …Tennessee released former Broncos center Lloyd Cushenberry with a failed physical designation. Cushenberry played with Denver from 2020-23 before signing a four-year $50 million contract with the Titans in March 2024.