Denver Broncos Roster Holes
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The Denver Broncos are furiously interviewing coaching candidates and have been for the last week and a half, after that decision is made, it has been reported, that the sale of the team will follow and usher in new owners. The Bronco’s full off-season checklist was detailed in a previous article, but those two aspects are what we can expect in the near future.
Then the team will jump head first into in-house free agency figuring out how to handle the 30 free agents that are currently on the roster. After navigating those waters, the shape of the team will be clearer, and the holes to fill should be more transparent. Then, March 16th, 2022, the Free Agency period opens up and the league will be blasted into anarchy for about 2-3 weeks leading up to the NFL draft. I will do an article in the near future putting targets on possible free agents that could help the Broncos fill holes of players I expect to leave the team.
One of the last things to impact the team before the start of the 2022 preseason festivities is the NFL Draft where the Denver Broncos hold a coveted Top-10 selection, picking ninth overall in what appears to be a quarterback weak draft. Based on my in-house free agent prediction article, I see a few major holes that will open up, that the Broncos can hopefully fill with five selections in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft and Free Agency.
Anticipated roster gaps and positions of need:
- Right Tackle – I anticipate both Cameron Flemming and Bobby Massie depart for contenders or looking for money elsewhere. Calvin Anderson is also a free agent, and I think he’s more fit for swing tackle and LT duties.
- Edge Rusher (OLB) – Both Stephen Weatherly and Malik Reed are free agents, and personally I think at the 9th overall selection the BPA could be an edge rusher who would take Malik’s starting position.
- Quarterback – Depending on your position, either Drew Lock earned 2022 as the starter, we should be drafting and developing a QB in either the first or second round, or the Broncos will bring in a free agent huge name and Drew Lock will be the backup in 2022. Either way, all those scenarios have supporters and doubters so QB continues to be a position of need until proven otherwise
- Cornerback – Bryce Callahan and Kyle Fuller are both free agents and aren’t getting any younger, the Broncos have talent with Ronald Darby and Patrick Surtain II at the starting positions, but fairly uncertain for depth and nickel beyond those two with Michael Ojemudia and recently re-signing Essang Bassey
- Defensive Tackle – both DeShawn Williams and Shamar Stephen are both free agents and Mike Purcell is only as good as his availability (32/49 games in the last three years). Whoever the new coaching staff is, they will likely identify this position as a position of need.
- Linebacker – Seemingly every linebacker on our roster is a free agent besides Baron Browning… assuming that one or two of Alexander Johnson, Josey Jewell or Kenny Young will be resigned, but until they are there is a single linebacker on this roster.
In a future article I will go over what players should be available at pick #9, how national news outlets rank the top ten players of the draft, if the Broncos should simply go best player available or best player at a position of need, and how our second round and third round picks could determine the success of this roster in 2022.
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