June 15, 2009

The Denver Broncos announced today that the club has signed former Fighting Illini and free-agent wide receiver Brandon Lloyd.

Lloyd (6-0, 194) is a seventh-year wide receiver who joins the Broncos after playing for Chicago (2008), Washington (2006-07) and San Francisco (2003-05). He entered the NFL with the 49ers as a fourth-round choice (124th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft from the University of Illinois.

At Illinois, Lloyd was a two-time All-Big Ten selection who finished his collegiate career ranked second in school history in both receiving yards (2,583) and receiving touchdowns (21). Lloyd, whose 160 career receptions placed third in school annals, became the second player in Illinois history to post two 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

In 79 career regular-season NFL games (47 starts), Lloyd has totaled 156 receptions for 2,253 yards (14.4 avg.) with 15 touchdowns. He owns four 100-yard receiving games and has started at least 12 games in a season three times for his NFL career.

Lloyd saw time in 11 games (five starts) with the Bears in 2008, registering 26 receptions for 364 yards (14.0 avg.) with two touchdowns. He started all four of Chicago's games in September, posting a team-high 249 receiving yards (15 catches) that ranked 20th in the NFL while tying for eighth in the league in yards per reception (16.6) during that time.

The wide receiver registered consecutive seasons with at least 40 receptions and 500 receiving yards for the 49ers from 2004-05, starting 28-of-29 games played for the club over that period. He set career highs in catches (48) and receiving yards (733) for San Francisco in 2005 after hauling in a personal-best six receiving touchdowns for the 49ers in 2004.