With the Super Bowl behind us, teams are forced to move on from the 2022 season and look towards 2023. In a series of articles, we will recap the past season, and look at how teams are positioned at their skill positions for next September.
Denver Broncos
Current Available Cap Space: $8.469 Million
Upcoming Draft Picks: Round 3 (68th, 69th), Round 4 (108th), Round 5 (140th), Round 6 (194th), Round 7 (247th)
To say that the 2022 season for the Broncos was a disappointment wouldn’t even begin to describe the disaster of the past calendar year in Denver. The Broncos believed they were just a quarterback away from competing for a Super Bowl, resulting in a trade for Russell Wilson. They gave up multiple picks (including two 1st rounders) and players to acquire the aging quarterback. They then hamstrung the team further by inking him to a massive 5 year, $242 million contract that won’t even kick in until the 2024 campaign.
Wilson was unable to lead his new team to the successful season they expected, and they now will watch the Seahawks use its former pick at 5th overall in the coming draft to likely select a game changing talent after teams ahead of them scramble to pick their quarterback of the future.
The Broncos did re-enter the first round of the draft by trading their top edge rusher Bradley Chubb to the Dolphins, but that was just for a fleeting moment, as they recently agreed to send that pick (along with a 2nd rounder) to the Saints to get the formally retired Sean Payton to coach the team in 2023.
With a new ownership group, led by Walmart heir Rob Walton, there’s been no shortage of spending in Denver. But the draft capital they have spent, as well as the cap issues they have created, may have closed the window on the team’s chances of a Super Bowl moving forward.
Coaching:
The team gave Nathaniel Hackett all of 15 games before deciding he wasn’t the man they wanted leading the team into the future. Instead, they played the last 2 games of the 2022 season under interim coach Jerry Rosburg. Hackett had built a strong reputation over his 8 seasons as an offensive coordinator, particularly during his time in Green Bay. But his dismal 4-11 record as head coach in 2022 clearly didn’t cut it for the new ownership group.
It was apparent that they wanted to make a splashy move entering the 2023 offseason. After some lengthy negotiations, they acquired the rights to hire Sean Payton from the New Orleans Saints and signed him to a reported 5 year deal averaging $18 million a year. Payton, who temporarily retired after the 2019 season, brings with him 15 years of head coaching experience with the New Orleans Saints, a sparkling 152-89 record, and a Super Bowl ring.
There’s no doubt that Payton is one of the top offensive play designers, but he also had Drew Brees at quarterback for all but one of his years in New Orleans. He’ll now have his work cut out for him with Wilson at quarterback, but given his reputation and pedigree, he might be the only coach available to get the best out of Wilson in 2023. He’s already stated that Wilson won’t enjoy the free reign he had under Hackett, including not allowing his personal coaches into the facility, so the off field issues that the Broncos dealt with regarding Wilson should be a thing of the past.
Payton has been adjusting the roster since free agency opened, not only to improve the team on the field, but to reset the culture of the locker room. There was some in-team fighting that aired on national tv, as well as a lineman who was caught rolling his eyes at Wilson attempting to give a mid game pep talk. Payton has moved on from all players involved, and is reportedly shopping his two outspoken receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. Payton could be the coach to lead the Broncos back to the playoffs, and he’s starting that process off from the locker room out. That being said, with the lack of draft picks and impending cap troubles it may take longer than Broncos fans would like.
The Broncos brought in Joe Lombardi, grandson of Vince Lombardi, as offensive coordinator for 2023. Lombardi, who was fired from the Chargers after the 2022 season, has 4 years of experience as coordinator on two different teams. While the Chargers offense excelled with Lombardi coaching up Justin Herbert in his first season, he was criticized in 2022 for his inability to adapt his offense to either defensive schemes or injuries to his offensive playmakers.
Lombardi has a history with Payton, working as an offensive assistant and then quarterbacks coach in New Orleans for 12 seasons, spanning 2 stints. While Payton is known for calling his own plays, this, theoretically, will shelter Lombardi and allow him to focus on rebuilding what’s left of Russel Wilson.
The Broncos went through a lengthy process to replace former defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, including interviews with former Lions head coach Matt Patricia, and former Jets head coach and current analyst Rex Ryan, before they brought in Vance Joseph for the role. Joseph will be familiar with the organization, as he was the head coach in Denver for two seasons, leaving with a disappointing 11-21 record.
Joseph, who has spent the past 4 seasons as the Cardinals defensive coordinator, will bring his blitz heavy defensive scheme to a team that, despite their record, still had the 7th best overall defensive rating in 2022. His background as a defensive backs coach was certainly a factor in his hiring, as the Broncos defense is built around safety Justin Simmons and breakout superstar cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Joseph is a safe hire for Payton, but he will have to work some magic to bring the best out of the front of his newly acquired defense.
Quarterbacks:
The only thing Russell Wilson should remember about the 2022 season is the impact it had on his bank account. He’s tied to the Broncos for the foreseeable future, as the club has no real out from his massive contract until 2026. He was clearly declining in Seattle before the trade, and his first season in Denver went about as poorly as it could go.
Wilson set new career lows in completion percentage, wins and touchdowns, and seemingly failed to integrate himself into the locker room. He was reportedly continuing to use audibles from his time with the Seahawks at the line of scrimmage, even as late as November, as well as bringing in his own personal coaches into the facility, creating a rift between him and then head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Wilson has failed to show any resemblance of the dual threat quarterback that led Seattle to back to back Superbowl games in 2013 and 2014.
The offensive line for the Broncos played poorly in 2022, leading to Wilson being sacked a league high 55 times, but he also doesn’t seem to possess the escapability that he once had. Sean Payton helped to turn an undersized, mobile quarterback into a hall of famer during his time with New Orleans, so if he can get Wilson on board with the offensive schemes, there’s still hope. The Broncos have a strong array of offensive weapons, and are clearly focusing on rebuilding the offensive line, so if Wilson can even become an effective game manager who only needs to make the occasional big play, Denver has a chance to turn around this offense.
To add some security behind Wilson, the Broncos signed former Patriot and Raider Jarrett Stidham to a 2 year contract. Once praised by Bill Belichick, the 2019 4th round pick hasn’t exactly shown much at the NFL level, with 6 touchdowns and 7 interceptions over 13 appearances on his resume. He’s athletic, has good size and a decent arm, but to this point the NFL just seems to be too fast for him. Relying on him to be the savior if Wilson continues to decline is unlikely to yield strong returns.
Wide Receiver/Tight End:
Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy’s names came up on the trade block as free agency opened, but for now they’re both still with the organization. When healthy, they give the team a dynamic one two punch at receiver, though health has been far from a given amongst the pair.
Sutton gives them a big bodied presence that can make contested catches, but hasn’t matched his 2019 season where he went for over 1,100 yards and 6 touchdowns. He tore his ACL at the start of the 2020 season, and hasn’t looked as explosive since he returned to the lineup. He finished the 2022 campaign with 829 receiving yards, but only 2 touchdowns on 109 targets. The Broncos are certainly expecting more big plays out of the 6th year wideout. He also recorded his lowest yards per reception in 2022, which likely has a lot to do with the quarterback play.
The Broncos selected Jerry Jeudy with the 15th overall pick in 2020, and expected his abilities as a crisp route runner with excellent quickness to pair well with Sutton’s work on the field. That marriage hasn’t been without its warts, but Jeudy took steps forward in 2022, starting in 14 games and bringing in career highs in receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns. After beginning his career with a dismal 47% catch rate, he’s improved that over the past 2 seasons to roughly 67% percent, which is a testament to his work off the field as well as his improvement on his in game focus. Jeudy is a slender man, and has missed a number of games in his short career due to injury, but looked like a receiver on the rise If Payton can coach up Wilson. If the offensive lines gives him time, Jeudy could be set for a breakout season in 2023.
Tim Patrick is the 3rd receiver every team wants. He had topped 700 yards on over 50 receptions in both 2020 and 2021, scoring a combined 11 times. He’s as reliable as they come on third downs as well, and brings his high end speed to an offense that opens things up for everyone else on the field. Unfortunately, he also suffered a torn ACL, and missed the entirety of 2022. While his rehab has been progressing, hoping that he will return to his full abilities in 2023 may be a long shot.
Behind those 3, there hasn’t been much to get excited about in the wide receiver room. KJ Hamler has only been in 23 games over his 3 year career, and ended 2022 with 7 receptions on 14 targets. He’s also reportedly suffered a partially torn pectoral muscle while doing some offseason training, putting his availability for the start of the season in doubt. There are some young bodies that may mature into usable pieces, but the Broncos passing offense will rely heavily on its two big name receivers.
The Broncos traded away promising tight end Noah Fant to the Seahawks in the deal for Wilson, and then selected rookie Greg Dulcich in the 3rd round to take over at the position. Unfortunately Dulcich was hampered by injuries and missed most of the offseason programs, only suiting up for 10 games, with just 6 starts in 2022. Dulcich will have to learn his second offensive playbook in his 2nd year in the NFL, but offers Payton an intriguing blend of size and receiving talent that can be moved almost anywhere on the field. Despite his size (6 ‘4’’, 243 pounds) Dulcich isn’t much of a blocker, which will potentially limit his snaps, but if utilized properly Dulcich can be worked into an offense to become a real threat across the middle.
Albert Okwuegbunam was probably who the Broncos management had in mind to take over their tight end position before drafting Dulcich, but he had a hard time earning snaps in 2022, finishing the season with only 18 targets over 8 games. While he dealt with some injuries, it seemed like Okwuegbunam was in the dog house for most of the year, and only averaged 34% of the offensive snaps when he suited up on game days. With a new coaching staff in place, it will be up to him to impress and earn some playing time in 2023. His size is impressive, but, like Dulcich, he isn’t known as a solid blocker, and lacks the crispness as a receiver that Dulcich possesses, so he will be in tough to earn more minutes.
The Broncos also signed tight end Chris Manhertz from the Jaguars to bolster their tight end group, and unlike both Okwuegbunam and Dulcich, he excels as a blocker, so while he won’t put up impressive numbers this season, he adds to Payton’s toolbox in a very valuable way.
Running Backs:
The Broncos handed the ball off to 8 different running backs during the 2022 season. They were riddled with injuries and performance drop-offs at the position, and will hope for less trips to the trainer’s room in 2023.
The Broncos entered the season expecting to build their run offense around the tandem of Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon after they each flirted with 1,000 yards in 2021 despite sharing the backfield. Williams had the look of a burgeoning elite running back that would take control of the offense and relieve pressure off of Wilson, who had his best seasons in Seattle with Marshawn Lynch forcing opposing defenses to respect the threat of the run. While the sample size was small, Williams looked to be on his way to a breakout season, gashing defenses on the ground and adding an intriguing receiving element to his game.
Unfortunately, his season ended abruptly in week 4, as he tore his ACL, LCL and PCL in one fell swoop. It was a devastating injury to the young back, who is still working to fully rehab the knee. The hope is that Williams will be able to suit up in the first part of the 2023 season, but suffering a multi-ligament tear is a major injury, so there has to be a wait and see approach regarding his status for this coming season.
With Williams out, the Broncos handed the keys over to Gordon, who immediately lost them. Gordon, 29, fell off the cliff as the number 1 back, ranking as one of the most inefficient rushers in the league while fumbling the ball at an alarming rate. All the while only averaging only 3.5 yards per carry. Add in the odd sideline tantrum and it’s no surprise he was released by the team mid season.
With a need for a reliable back, the Broncos signed veteran Samaje Perine in the offseason from the Bengals. Perine is entering his 7th year in the league, and performed well in a larger role in 2022 when Joe Mixon missed time due to injury in Cincinnati. He excels in a complimentary role, paired with a more dominant back, so the Broncos are hoping Williams can return to lead back duties and keep Perine in a more suitable role as a change of pace back. Perine has said that the arrival of Payton was a big factor in his decision to sign there, as Payton is a big fan of using a dual back system in his offense.
With the additions the Broncos made along their offensive line, if Williams can come back at 100% of what he has shown, the run game has the potential to be amongst the top in the league. Perine is a nice complimentary player, but the Broncos are betting heavily on Williams’ recovery for the upcoming season.
Offensive Line:
The poor offensive line play for the Broncos in 2022 made it a major focus in free agency, as the team signed right tackle Mike McGlinchey and guard Ben Powers early in the negotiating period. Like their running backs, the offensive line dealt with numerous injuries in 2022 and look to come back this season with one of the stronger groups on paper.
McGlinchey is one of the nastiest run blocking tackles in the league, and will immediately slot in as the new starting right tackle. Powers was ranked in the top 5 in the league in pass protection this past season, and was probably the best left guard available in free agency. Signing these two to long term deals theoretically solves the Broncos concerns at their respective positions for years to come.
Guard Quinn Meinerz was the Broncos highest rated player along their offensive line in 2022, and if standout left tackle Garret Bolles can return from the major injury he suffered in the 2022 season, the Broncos may have one of the best offensive lines in all of football. Payton and his staff have done an excellent job in free agency, and having a strong offensive line will help him try to revive the career of Wilson.
Defense:
The Broncos defense played well given the circumstances in 2022. Patrick Surtain may already be the best shutdown cornerback in the league, and Justin Simmons has shown in the past he can be a difference maker, whether playing as a safety or covering opposing slot receivers. They could use a little more depth behind those two in the defensive backfield, but any coach would love to start off with those building blocks in their back pocket.
At linebacker, the duo of Alex Singleton and Josey Jewell paired well together this past season, as Singleton led the team with a whopping 163 tackles, while Jewell brought toughness and leadership to the group. Denver management would be pleased if they can match that performance again in 2023.
The Broncos will have some turnover along the defensive line and with their pass rush as they try to replace Bradley Chubb’s game wrecking ability. Free agent signee Zach Allen will look to slot into that role after coming over from a terrible Cardinals defense. Allen was one of the few bright spots across the whole Arizona team, and has the potential to be one of the signings of the year.
The Broncos will hope that Randy Gregory will have less injury problems and be able to slip in pass rushing scenarios more than he was able to in 2022, but at 30 years old that seems unlikely. Baron Browning showed some promise in the increased playing time he received due to the trade and injuries, and rookie Nik Bonito was able to get some valuable in game reps, although he will have to spend the offseason getting stronger if he wants to compete at this level. The Broncos play in one of the toughest divisions in football, so having a strong defense that can create pressure on opposing quarterbacks is essential to having any type of success.
Like every team, the Broncos will be battling the injury bug this season after a devastating run of injuries in 2022. Relying on every player who suffered a major injury to come back at full strength is a bit of a long shot, but without and draft capital, that may be what the Broncos are forced to do for the foreseeable future.
While Sean Payton has already begun changing the poor locker room chemistry and has added some very nice pieces in free agency, there’s still a long way to go before people truly begin to believe that Russell Wilson will be the quarterback that leads this team to another Super Bowl.
-Devon Gallant
Twitter: @DevGallant
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