Playing time at WRup for grabs

Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler have their sights on the No. 3 receiver job.

There’s something about year three in the NFL. It’s when teams can judge players. From the highround draft picks who haven’t lived up to their potential to the undrafted free agents who emerged as late bloomers, the playing field is even.

Two third-year wide receivers, Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler, will draw the attention of the Broncos’ coaching staff this summer. Each has an opportunity to seize the No. 3 job at wideout, and a much bigger role in an offense in need of improvement. Latimer

Latimer isn’t in the mood to sell hope for a breakout season. The former second-round pick did that last year, and it didn’t work out how he wanted. This goround, there is a touch of anger, unrest and desperation in his voice. It’s year three. It’s now or never.

“I’m tired of waiting around,” Latimer said. “I have to go out there and take the spot. I have to make them put me on the field.”

Latimer was a training camp star the past two years, making highlights on the practice field. He has been hyped by teammates and coaches as the next great Bronco.

But it hasn’t translated on game day. Latimer has only eight catches for 92 yards and a touchdown in 22 games.

Organized team activities in late May aren’t the time for excuses, but Latimer makes it clear that he needs to be on the field to make plays.

Being in an offense without former quarterback Peyton Manning’s intricate audibles might be beneficial to Latimer to play freely rather than overthinking.

“If I mess up, I mess up. It is what it is,” Latimer said. “It’s not going to discourage me, and I’m going to give it my all.”

Although he failed to make a significant impact on Denver’s offense last season, special teams is where Latimer shined. Specialteams coach Joe DeCamillis called him the unsung hero in the playoffs. Making plays from his sniper spot on punt-return coverage late in the season rejuvenated Latimer’s confidence.

Now, he wants to make a name for himself as a wide receiver.

Latimer was impressive Tuesday, the first day of organized team activities. He caught passes from all three quarterbacks, including a high grab from Trevor Siemian over two converging defensive backs, Justin Simmons and Kayvon Webster.

Latimer brushed it aside. He’s tired of being the practice star.

“Cody has starter ability in this league,” secondyear Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said. “You’re going to continue to see him grow.”

Fowler is at the other end of the spectrum but has similar goals. He went from practice squad to key contributor on the Super Bowl champions in one year.

For portions of the 2015 season, Fowler was the primary No. 3 wideout. But his lingering ankle injury and bouts with inconsistency allowed Jordan Norwood to climb back into the role. Fowler finished the regular season with 16 catches for 203 yards.

He spent the offseason in Los Angeles working on speed and agility at The Factory with coach Mike Guevara. Fowler also was part of a group that went to work out with new Denver quarterback Mark Sanchez in Southern California for a couple days in early April to start building chemistry.

Even with a new quarterback, Fowler’s outlook for 2016 is promising.

“It’s more comfortable now,” Fowler said. “I know what the coaches expect from me and I want to exceed that.”

Denver’s Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders are among the NFL’s top receiving duos, yet there is room for more playmakers here.

Fowler, Latimer, Norwood, Jordan Taylor, DeVier Posey and undrafted wideouts such as Bralon Addison will battle for three to four roster spots this summer.

The competition will be fierce.

“Cody is a baller. Bennie is a baller,” Sanders said. “I was telling myself yesterday, we got one of the most underrated wide receiving corps, because no one really knows about Cody Latimer and this guy can play some ball. Bennie can play (too).”