The Denver Broncos have a very young football team and most analysts think this team is on the rise because of the young talent they have. There is one outlet that does not agree. ESPN saw the Broncos among 25 players and put them in 19th overall.
2019 rankings: 23
Blue Chip Players: Bradley Chubb, OLB; Courtland Sutton, WR; Drew Lock, QB; Jerry Jeudy, WR
Notable Graduate Players: Dalton Risner, LG; Elijah Wilkinson, RT; Josey Jewell, LB; Troy Fumagalli, TE; Davontae Harris, CB; DaeSean Hamilton, WR; Su’a Cravens, SS
After trying to run the balance between competing with their former Super Bowl core and completely rebuilding, the Broncos have embraced the second path in the past 12 months, and they have already jumped four spots in this rankings because of it. After releasing first- and second-round picks on Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant and now Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler in the past three seasons, the Broncos have put together some of the best young skill talent in football. Sutton already broke out with 1,112 yards and a 5.7% DVOA in his sophomore season, and Jeudy seems to have a slot to follow with the second-highest Playmaker Score in this year’s class. But whether that talent translates into offensive efficiency will likely fall on the shoulders of quarterback Drew Lock. His second-round status seems to give him a longer shot at becoming a franchise passer. But he produced a 2.2% DVOA and 48.2 QBR in his rookie season, comparable to no. 1 pick and rookie of the year Kyler Murray (-3.1%, 55.7), though more than a quarter of as many attempts since Lock started the season on injury reserve with a thumb injury.
I want to rip this off so badly, but I already know you will in the comments section. I will address the obvious shortcomings in this analysis. First, why is the flippin ‘hell Su’a Cravens on this list? He has not been on the Roncos roster since August 2019!
Second, he calls the Broncos players offensively ‘some of the best young skill talent in football’, yet apparently that equates to about 19th best in the NFL. Third, this guy is then about how the Broncos are old on defense.
Defensively, the Broncos remain older with one young star in pass-rusher Bradley Chubb, as well as sprinkling a handful of interesting prospects. Chubb missed most of 2019 with an ACL tear, but his 34.5 rushes and 12 sacks as a rookie put him on a similar career path as three-time All-Pro teammate Von Miller. And sophomore Dre’Mont Jones of the third round was able to add a third member to her dreadful passrush after breaking on the scene with a Week 16 dismantling of the Lions with 2.5 sacks and two tackles for loss. It could be difficult for Jones, 2018 cornerback of the third round 2018 Isaac Yiadom and 2020 cornerback of the third Michael Ojemudia and defensive approach McTelvin Agim to find extensive playing time in a loaded, veteran defense, but they provide the team with jealous depth in the short term and multiple succession plans in the long term. And third-round rookie center Lloyd Cushenberry could immediately start on offense, replacing deviant free agent veteran Connor McGovern (the Jets version).
It is not that they are a veteran defense with a lot of quality players who may be on or just past their peak, but still opposing teams will present with a lot of problems. I see a Top 5 defense there. They have a less young player in starting roles on defense, but if you look at the offense and how stacked it is with young talent, you can see why this writer would think the defensive side of the ball as old.
Overall, this analysis is quite literally a giant smelly pile of trash. What do you think, Broncos Country?
