With a new offensive nucleus in Denver, will the Broncos be able to make the jump back to the playoffs?
The Denver Broncos have not seen playoff success since they won Super Bowl 50 with Peyton Manning as their sheriff. The Mile High city has been 27-37 since their Super Bowl victory in 2016.
The Broncos come into 2020 led by a receiving corps that is looking to turn this offense into a dangerous unit. Jerry Jeudy was drafted in the first round in this past year’s draft. The Broncos hope he will be the route technician and speed demon of the offense. Cortland Sutton is coming off his first Pro Bowl season in 2019. DaeSean Hamilton and KJ Hamler give Denver solid options in the slot.
Overall, the Broncos have a pretty diverse receiving group and it will be exciting to see what they can do when together on the field.
Of course don’t forget about 2019 first round pick Noah Fant. Fant ranked inside the top 20 TE’s in terms of receptions (40), receiving yards (562), YAC (330), and total TDs (3).
Fant reminds me of former Broncos’ tight end Julius Thomas in terms of their speed, height, and weight. Fant looks to be as dangerous of a receiving threat as Thomas was during his prime.
Of course all eyes will be on 2nd year QB Drew Lock. In just 5 games, Lock had a 4-1 record and threw for 7 touchdowns and over 1000 passing yards. If Lock can build off the end of 2019, the Broncos can finally have the offensive firepower they have been desperate for.
Let’s take a deeper look at the Broncos 2019 season, 2020 offseason, and what lies ahead in 2020.
2019 Team Ranks
| Total Offense | 28th (4777 yards) |
| Passing Offense | 28th (3115 yards) |
| Rushing Offense | 20th (1662 yards) |
| Total Defense | 12th (5392 yards allowed) |
| Passing Defense | 11th (3609 yards allowed) |
| Rushing Defense | 16th (1783 yards allowed) |
| PPG | 17.6 |
| PPG Allowed | 19.8 |
| Offensive Line Ranks | |
| PFF | 12th |
| Football Outsiders (Run Block) | 11th |
| Football Outsiders (Pass Block) | 25th |
Coaching Staff Changes
| Pat Shurmur replaces Rich Scangarello as OC |
| Mike Shula replaces TC McCartney as QB Coach |
| John Pagano replaces Brandon Staley as OLB Coach |
Offseason Additions
| Melvin Gordon RB |
| AJ Bouye CB |
| Jurrell Casey DT |
| Graham Glasgow G |
| Sam Martin P |
| Nick Vannett TE |
| Jeff Driskel QB |
| Christian Covington DT |
Offseason Losses
| Connor McGovern C |
| Chris Harris CB |
| Derek Wolfe DE |
| Will Parks S |
| Andy Janovich FB |
| Joe Flacco QB |
| Devontae Booker RB |
| Casey Kreiter LS |
2020 NFL Draft
| Round 1 (15) – Jerry Jeudy WR Alabama |
| Round 2 (46) – K.J. Hamler WR Penn State |
| Round 3 (77) – Michael Ojemudia CB Iowa |
| Round 3 (83) – Lloyd Cushenberry C LSU |
| Round 3 (95) – McTelvin Agim DT Arkansas |
| Round 4 (118) – Albert Okwuegbunam TE Missouri |
| Round 5 (178) – Justin Strnad LB Wake Forest |
| Round 6 (181) – Netane Muti G Fresno State |
| Round 7 (252) – Tyrie Cleveland WR Florida |
| Round 7 (254) – Derrek Tuszka Edge North Dakota State |
2020 Schedule with record vs opponents since 2017
| Week 1 – vs Tennessee Titans 10:10 PM ET ESPN (MNF) | 1-0 |
| Week 2 – at Pittsburgh Steelers 1 PM ET CBS | 1-0 |
| Week 3 – vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4:25 PM ET FOX | 0-0 |
| Week 4 – at New York Jets 8:20 PM ET NFL Network (TNF) | 1-1 |
| Week 5 – at New England Patriots 1 PM ET CBS | 0-1 |
| Week 6 – vs Miami Dolphins 4:05 PM ET CBS | 0-1 |
| Week 7 – vs Kansas City Chiefs 4:25 PM ET CBS | 0-6 |
| Week 8 – BYE | |
| Week 9 – at Atlanta Falcons 1 PM ET CBS | 0-0 |
| Week 10 – at Las Vegas Raiders 4:05 PM ET CBS | 3-3 |
| Week 11 – vs Los Angeles Chargers 4:05 PM ET CBS | 4-2 |
| Week 12 – vs New Orleans Saints 4:05 PM ET FOX | 0-0 |
| Week 13 – at Kansas City Chiefs 8:20 PM ET NBC (SNF) | 0-6 |
| Week 14 – at Carolina Panthers 1 PM ET CBS | 0-0 |
| Week 15 – vs Buffalo Bills TBD | 0-2 |
| Week 16 – at Los Angeles Chargers TBD | 4-2 |
| Week 17 – vs Las Vegas Raiders 4:25 PM ET CBS | 3-3 |
Miscellaneous Notes
| Vic Fangio enters 2nd season as HC of DEN |
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DEN went 4-1 with Drew Lock as starting QB in 2019
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| 2019 Offense Play Selection |
| Pass – 57.1% |
| Rush – 42.9% |
| PFF Top 5 Graded Players in 2019 |
| 1. Justin Simmons FS 90.7 |
| 2. Alexander Johnson LB 88.5 |
| 3. Courtland Sutton WR 83.1 |
| 4. Kareem Jackson SS 82.3 |
| 5. Von Miller OLB 79.3 |
| Players who opted out of 2020 season |
| Kyle Peko NT |
| Ja’Wuan James RT |
Burning Question: Can this offense compete among the elite of the AFC?
Bottom Line: Drew Lock returns with a more stable offense this year. Two new wide receivers, a new running back who can run and catch, and a healthy offensive line. The free-agent signing of Melvin Gordon will help bring the offense become more dynamic.
This defense led by Von Miller and Bradley Chubb will continue to be the identity of this team. These position groups are why Broncos fans should be excited about their chances in the 2020 season.
Predicted Win Range: 8-10
