Top 10 Denver Broncos Players Going Into the 2022-23 Season
Of all the crazy shenanigans that happened this past off-season, the Broncos made one of the biggest blockbuster moves we’ve seen in awhile. The Broncos sent Noah Fant, Shelby Harris, and Drew Lock alongside two first round picks, two second round picks, and a fifth round pick for Russell Wilson. Denver has struggled to find a consistent answer at quarterback since Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset. They don’t speak of what has happened since then at Quarterback. Russell Wilson will solve that problem immediately. Now the question is can they make the playoffs with the competitive AFC? This team has been on the cusp of the playoffs for years or at least many claim that but now comes the moment of truth will Russell Wilson put them over the top and get back to the playoff promised land?
Russell Carrington Wilson is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos, and formerly for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. Russell Wilson is already one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. The Broncos made one of the biggest eye-popping trades in recent memory to acquire his services.
His 2021 season was a bit disappointing, but he did have a hand injury that completely disrupted his mechanics. Even when he did return, it was still thrown off. Also, the Seahawks just weren't a good football team.
Russell Wilson is still a top 10 quarterback in the NFL. He'll solve the Broncos' biggest problem, which for the last several seasons has been their quarterback. However, there could be growing pains since he's in a new environment with a first-year head coach in Nathaniel Hackett. Oh, and he'll have some strong competition in the AFC West with Mahomes, Herbert, and Carr.
He will bring stability and consistency for the Broncos, and they desperately needed a quarterback they can rely on. The 2022 Broncos' success will lean on how quickly Russell Wilson can adjust to his new environment. If Tom Brady's and Matthew Stafford's moves are any indication, Wilson should do just fine.
Justin Simmons has risen to the top as one of the best safeties in the NFL. He had a quiet 2021 season and hasn't been the same as his 2019 season in terms of stats, but in coverage, he's pretty good - easily a top 5 safety in the NFL. Overall, he's played much better over the last 3 seasons than in his early seasons. He has certainly earned that contract.
I expect more of the same from him in 2022. PFF has him as the top corner in football, and it's not hard to see why. He had 5 interceptions and a passer rating of 59.4. His versatility is another thing that can't be overlooked. It will be interesting to see how he's used with a new defensive coordinator.
Patrick Surtain is entering his second year after an impressive rookie campaign. He had 4 interceptions and 58 combined tackles. Transitioning from college to the NFL as a cornerback can be really tough. It would be a blessing if he was merely serviceable last year, but he was much more than that.
He could be the next Jalen Ramsey or Jaire Alexander, except his rookie season was arguably better than the aforementioned elite All-Pro cornerbacks. He has the potential to elevate his game to the next level in year 2. Assuming he does that, watch out AFC West because they got a scary cornerback duo in Mile High.
Denver hit a home run with that pick, and I don't think anyone is upset they passed on Justin Fields now.
Bradley Chubb, I believe, still has potential. I don't think anyone is questioning that. He has the abilities to succeed at the NFL level. Unfortunately for him, injuries have plagued his career up to this point.
He had a great 2018 season with 12 sacks as a rookie, then missed most of the 2019 season. In 2020 he made a Pro Bowl, and last year he missed significant time. Playing just 25 games over the last 3 seasons isn't exactly a good sign. This is a big year for him since it's his 5th year. If he wants a contract, he's going to have to prove that he can stay healthy.
The Broncos did get some help for their pass rush, so it should help him out. But with a contract year, the pressure is on. If he stays healthy, 2022 could be among his best seasons. But again, that's a big if.
The Broncos brought in Randy Gregory to help their pass rush. Like Chubb, Gregory has had trouble staying on the field, although it was due to violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He has done better in the past few years, but something that's a bit concerning for Denver is he hasn't even played a full season.
Last year he had 19 tackles, 6 sacks, and 43 pressures in 12 games. He originally re-signed in Dallas, only for the Cowboys to tweak the deal after it was already agreed to. So long story short, he signed the exact same deal with Denver instead.
I think if he stays on the field, he could take some of the pressure off Chubb and make a nice formidable duo. He has the talent to be successful. But again, we haven't seen a full season out of him.
The Broncos brought in Glasgow a few years ago, and while he's overall slightly above average, he was one of the better pieces on the Broncos O-line. He is recovering from an injury he suffered last year, so he may not be the starter right away. But when he's out there, he did open some running lanes for Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon.
As long as he's serviceable and lets the running backs get some open lanes, the Broncos should be satisfied. They did restructure his contract, so clearly they want him back for 2022.
Kareem Jackson is getting up there in age. He's 34 now, and to be honest, I'm surprised he's still playing at an impressive level. 2022 will be his 13th season in the league. As long as he stays healthy, which he's done a pretty good job of doing over his career, I expect he should continue to put up good numbers for the Broncos.
The question is, when will he start to decline? We'll have to wait and see.
Javonte Williams was kind of under the radar last season, but I wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be the main bell-cow running back with Melvin Gordon just sort of there moving forward. The two had very similar stat lines with the exact same amount of carries and just a few yards difference. It makes you wonder what could've been if Williams did get more of the workload than he did.
Williams has also shown he can be a decent pass catcher as well, making him a formidable threat all around.
Courtland Sutton may finally break out into a legitimate receiver. He had an outstanding 2019 season but hasn't recaptured that same glory due to injuries and inconsistent quarterbacks. Now with Wilson, he has more opportunities to develop and can trust his quarterback more than he used to.
He should be the top receiver on the depth chart, so I imagine he'll have a strong connection with Wilson and in turn, he'll develop and really shine. If he does well, he'll get some recognition around the league.
Let me start by saying, yes, I know his stat line doesn't look worthy of being on this list. He missed significant time last year and didn't score a touchdown at all in 2021. Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton are both in the same boat when you remember who they were dealing with at quarterback.
Numbers-wise, Jeudy hasn't shown he belongs on this list. But it comes with the caveat that his quarterback has been inconsistent. Now, all of that has changed. I'm predicting Jerry Jeudy to have a breakout season.
It may be a bit of a hot take, but with Russell Wilson taking the reins of the offense, there's a lot more stability and consistency from the quarterback. This in turn will boost the confidence of the receivers, who can have a better working relationship with Wilson. This is his chance to shine, and I'm expecting he'll take advantage.