ENGLEWOOD • Stephen Weatherly couldn’t contain his excitement.

“This is great,” he mumbled, smiling as he took the podium Tuesday to speak with Denver media for the first time.

The newly acquired outside linebacker couldn’t be happier to be a Bronco, after being traded from Minnesota on Saturday for a 2023 seventh-round pick.

“I’m always for new opportunities,” Weatherly said. “I was just really excited because I knew I was going to go somewhere to have another shot to prove I have what it takes to play in this league.”

Weatherly, a 2016 seventh-round pick out of Vanderbilt, has a decent amount of experience in his six-year NFL career. He’s made 16 starts in 64 games, totaling 93 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and six sacks. Last season, in which he played for the Panthers for half the year, he made nine starts and this season, back in Minnesota where he played his first four years, he’s played in six games making nine tackles.

Weatherly does have a connection with Broncos general manager and former Vikings executive George Paton, who played a hand in drafting Weatherly in Minnesota.

“He knows my work ethic,” Weatherly said of Paton. “He knows I like to grind and I like to compete.”

Paton made the move for Weatherly largely because of the Broncos’ lack of depth at outside linebacker. Bradley Chubb and Andre Mintze are on the injured reserve, while Von Miller hurt his ankle last Thursday against the Browns and is day-to-day.

That leaves just Malik Reed, Jonathon Cooper and now Weatherly, if Miller can’t play Sunday against Washington. Still, Weatherly has much to learn.

“Wherever coach sees me playing and fitting in, I want to get out there and do it full speed — (special) teams and defense,” Weatherly said. “(Outside linebackers) coach (John) Pagano sat me down Day 1 after he shook my hand and said, ‘Alright, let’s go through this film’ and I was like, ‘Alright, coach.’ So I grabbed a notebook and tried to write down as much as possible — it’s definitely between the ears at this point.

“That’s what this whole week of practice is for. I need to go out there and first show the coaches I have an understanding of the playbook and then after that it’s a really core step to earn the trust of the guys on the field.”

Weatherly intends to soak up as much knowledge as possible from Miller,

who he considers one of the greatest pass rushers of all time.

And no matter how long Weatherly ends up in Denver, that may be his greatest benefit from the trade, personally.

“Luckily there was a spot in the OLB room right next to him, so I snagged that one,” Weatherly said. “I spent a long time behind (Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter) and (Vikings edge rusher Everson Griffen) and now coming here and seeing another elite pass rusher who’s gifted in a whole other arena to see how he moves, how he looks at offensive tackles, how he breaks down film... I just want to be a sponge.”

Weatherly finished his news conference with a loud clap and an emphatic “let’s go!” making clear just how excited he is for his new journey.

It was a refreshing perspective, as Weatherly showed there’s still a lot left to play for — personally and as a team — despite a four-game losing streak.