The Denver Broncos' dream season came to a heartbreaking end at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. The Broncos were expected to win five games this season, and they far exceeded that and made the playoffs — a good sign for a rebuilding team that dealt with the largest dead salary-cap hit in history.
It was a great rookie season for Bo Nix, and the Broncos will now shift their focus to improving this roster and building around their potential franchise quarterback. The Broncos will have plenty to work with, as they have an estimated $48 million salary cap, plenty of draft picks, and wealthy owners who can circumvent the salary cap by using contract bonuses.
The Broncos' 31-7 loss to the Bills revealed in living color exactly what positions need to be upgraded. Let's examine why they need to be upgraded, along with one draft option and one veteran option, to fill these needs.
Why: This year, the unit failed to produce. Javonte Williams is set to be a free agent, and the Broncos shouldn't consider retaining him. Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin should be kept around, but their lack of consistency should guarantee them a job, though Estime’s draft status helps him.
Tyler Badie showed promise before his injury but missed the rest of the season on injured reserve. He returned for a measly two carries in the playoffs.
Veteran Option: While there isn’t a top guy in free agency, solid options exist to add a veteran presence to the room. Unfortunately, the two options that stand out the most — Jaylen Warren and Jordan Mason — are both restricted free agents.
Another thing is you want to avoid big contracts to running backs, which rules out Aaron Jones and Najee Harris if they don’t re-sign with their current teams. So, no veteran option stands out, but the Broncos need to add someone to the room.
Draft Option: The draft is the opposite of free agency, with plenty of options. Ashton Jeanty is the top guy, and while the draft process is not fully underway, many connections have already been made between him and Denver.
However, the one I like best is Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson. He's done well as part of a committee and as a receiver, and his ability to hang in as a pass protector is top-notch. Henderson could help round out the room and use his skill set without having to move up to draft him like they may need to do with Jeanty.
Why: This might catch some flak, but Courtland Sutton isn’t a No. 1 receiver. He is a high-end No. 2, and the Broncos need that top guy in that position.
Marvin Mims Jr. has come on as the third option, Devaughn Vele is the fourth, and hopefully, Troy Franklin continues to grow and can become that fifth receiver. The Broncos need that top guy who can strike fear in defenses and help dictate coverages.
Veteran Option: Chris Godwin is one of the favorites in free agency, along with Tee Higgins and Amari Cooper. However, the two best options are not currently free agents. One likely won’t hit free agency and would need to be traded for.
It all depends on what the New York Jets want to do with Davante Adams, who many expect to be released, and Garrett Wilson, who would need to be traded. Adams can be a bit of a diva, which could be scary to bring in with Sean Payton’s personality and what would be a second-year quarterback.
However, Wilson would be a dream get, and Denver should be all over trying to trade for him. What he does best is an ideal fit for what Payton likes to do on offense and is currently lacking in this wide receiver room.
Draft Option: While this isn’t a great receiver class at the top, there are options for the Broncos, who have found explosive plays within their current room but still need a consistent different-maker and coverage dictator. At this early moment in my draft evaluations, I'm unsure whether there is a receiver that fits that bill in this class to be a legit No. 1 in a way the Broncos need it.
