Broncos' Quarter-Pole Awards, Top- & Lowest-Graded Players Revealed
The Denver Broncos are limping out of the first quarter of the 2020 season with a 1-3 record after netting a win against the New York Jets. The Broncos are a team that is battered and bruised with seemingly all their best players either sitting on injured reserve or sidelined.
The injuries have been a big reason for the Broncos' terrible start but the team hopes to turn things around over the next 12 games to maybe resurrect the season. It's a tough task but once Denver gets healthy, anything can happen.
While we can look to the future, this article is going to reflect back on the first four games and which players graded out the best, as well as handing out the awards at the quarter pole of the season. For the highest-graded player thus far and the Broncos' MVP, check out the video above.
When grading over more than one game, the process is much the same. Each player starts with a grade of 50 and the grade will either get raised or lowered based on each snap and the player's impact on the play.
The difference is, after Week 1, each player enters the next game with the grade he earned coming out the last. It's a cumulative effect. As a result, the number of points that are added and subtracted is adjusted to cover a multiple-game span.
The higher a player is over the 50-point mark, the bigger the positive impact he has made, while the farther a guy might be under 50, obviously, the implications are more negative. The awards are added to the equation but keep in mind: no player can win more than one accolade.
The quarter-pole awards will be handed out at the end of the article, except for the MVP, which goes to the highest-graded player and is in the video at the top of the page.
The Positive
Noah Fant | TE: 78.5
There are a couple of issues with Fant, primarily as a blocker and handling bracket coverage. In one game, drops were also an issue. However, his work as a receiver has been fantastic when he does get the ball.
With Courtland Sutton on IR, Fant has stepped up and it's going to be interesting to see what the Broncos' offense does with him possibly missing Week 5. Fant is also the winner of the Offensive Player of the first four weeks because of how reliable, for the most part, he's been. Denver has gotten some big plays out of him as he is poised to really have an excellent year.
Shelby Harris | DL: 80.3
Harris has easily been the team's best defender, which is why he is also the winner of the Defensive Player of the first four weeks. While he could stand to be more consistent as a player, he has some major moments of greatness as a run defender and pass rusher.
What Harris is showing this year is a lot better than what he put on tape in 2019 and he's showing more quickness while adding moves to his arsenal to cause disruption. He could finally be in line for the big contract he aimed for last offseason.
Melvin Gordon | RB: 77.6
While it has not been outstanding by any means, Denver is getting good play from Gordon overall. He's been very inconsistent running the ball, though some of that falls on the interior blocking issues Denver has had.
Gordon has also done really well as a receiver out of the backfield, minus a fumble in Week 1. With Phillip Lindsay out with an injury for all but two quarters to open the season, the Broncos have found themselves relying on Gordon, and thankfully, he's been solid for them.
Mike Purcell | NT: 80.0
Purcell has played himself into an extension from the Broncos as a really tough run defender. As a pass rusher, he has shown improvement, but he's still not a guy to get consistent pressure. He has been a constant force on a defensive line that's been hit hard with injuries.
Michael Ojemudia | CB: 79.8
While his game against Pittsburgh was filled with issues, Ojemudia has been outstanding in the other three games. While he has allowed 1.24 yards per coverage snap on the season, it is a measly half-yard per coverage snap if you take out that Steelers game. That half-yard would be best in the NFL. So it's clear he had one bad game but has been great on the other three weeks. This is why he is the Defensive Rookie of the first quarter of the season.
The Negative
Lloyd Cushenberry | C: 29.9
It started off promising with a solid game vs. the Titans, but since then, Cushenberry has played terribly. With how he's looked, it's clear he wasn’t ready to be the starter and might not even be good enough to be worthy of a spot on the bench. Denver needs him to bounce back and play better or he needs to take a seat.
Justin Simmons | S: 41.2
After his 2019 season, expectations were at an all-time high for Simmons and he has not come close to meeting them over the first four games. He wins the Defensive Dud award because of how hyped he was entering the season and how terrible he's been in three of the four games.
Simmons is either being used differently or is just out of position a lot. If he is being used differently than he was in 2019, that needs to change because it's hurting the defense. Simmons needs to turn the ship around and fast.
Dalton Risner | LG: 30.7
The winner of the Offensive Dud is Risner who had a promising rookie season but has seemed to regress in Year 2. He isn't holding his own as a pass blocker and is really struggling to deal with stunts and twists. As a run blocker, defenders are shooting through running lanes because he has poor positioning on his blocks. Risner was the 'chosen one' at left guard, but he has been playing at a level that isn't acceptable for a starter.
Bryce Callahan | CB: 36.3
Once Callahan got move to the slot vs. the New York Jets, he settled down and started playing well. He showed he can't handle boundary work, which should have been expected considering his relative inexperience. Even so, he was playing terribly out of position, which really does hurt his grade. Hopefully, he can continue to rise up being back in the slot.
Nick Vannett | TE: 33.8
The 'blocking' tight end has shown signs of regression in that department since his rookie year. In his first season as a Bronco, Vannett has been terrible out there and almost all of his issues start with his footwork. He isn't living up to expectations or to what Denver brought him in for and if that doesn't change, he needs to take a seat.
Other Noteworthy Grades
Jerry Jeudy | WR: 60.0
The rookie is on the verge of having that great breakout game, but he is on pace for over 900 yards with going 55 or more in each game so far. Denver needs more from Jeudy as it tries to move forward without Sutton. The Broncos hope the rookie's drop issues in the first three games are behind him.
Kareem Jackson | S: 58.3
While his play has been more positive than negative, Jackson is showing major signs of aging already. His reaction time is slowing, which is leading to him being out of position often. He still does well against the run but the Broncos need him in coverage too.
Graham Glasgow | RG: 48.6
Denver gave Glasgow $44 million over four years to provide stability at right guard, but that isn't happening. While he is staying out there, he's one of the lowest-graded guards in the NFL per Pro Football Focus, and that really reflects the poor play he has on tape. The coaches are quickly approaching a pivot point where they need to consider shaking up the offensive line and put Glasgow at his best position — center.
Josey Jewell | ILB: 67.1
It wasn't the best of starts for Jewell. Although he wasn’t great, he also wasn’t terrible. Jewell had the best game of his career against the Jets, which is what really flipped his grade from below 50 to over.
Bradley Chubb | OLB: 78.8
It was a rough start for Chubb as a pass rusher, but he finally broke out vs. the Jets. His play as a run defender has been good and consistent throughout the season, but Denver needed more. The Broncos need Chubb to stay at this high level for the rest of the season.
Awards at the Quarter Pole
Offensive Player: Noah Fant
With the MVP going to another offensive player, there was only one other option for this award since I'm not doubling up. Fant has had his issues with drops, bracket coverage, and blocking but for the most part, when Denver has needed him, he's answered the bell.
Defensive Player: Shelby Harris
Harris re-signed after his free-agent market wasn't what he thought it'd be and it is paying off well for him. He has been good as a run defender and more consistent as a pass rusher. If he keeps it up, he could finally get that big payday.
Offensive Rookie: Jerry Jeudy
KJ Hamler has missed a lot of time and Cushenberry has been terrible. Jeudy started the season off rough with three drops in two games but has picked up at least 55 yards in each game and is on pace for over 900 yards, without even having his breakout game quite yet.
Defensive Rookie: Michael Ojemudia
Another one that is simple. No other rookie on defense has played close to as well as Ojemudia has. Essang Bassey was doing alright before getting benched vs the Jets. Outside of the Pittsburgh game, Ojemudia finds himself in the top 10 for most major statistical categories for a corner.
Comeback Player: Bradley Chubb
There just isn't another option, really. Callahan would be considered if he had been playing well. Chubb has struggled at times, but he emerged last week, which is why he earns this one.
Coach: Bill Kollar | D-Line
What can I say here? No position has been as depleted as the Broncos' defensive line. Jurrell Casey is out for the season, Dre'Mont Jones and DeMarcus Walker have missed the last two games with injuries, while Harris and Purcell are banged up but still thriving. While the play hasn't been great, Coach Kollar is doing his damnedest to keep things chugging along with at least one new face on the line each week.
Offensive Dud: Dalton Risner
A strong rookie season is great, but you have to build upon that in Year 2. Risner isn't just failing to do that, he is undoing the work he did as a rookie.
Defensive Dud: Justin Simmons
As said with his grade, Simmons has been flat-out terrible out there, and while he hasn't been the worst defender game-to-game, his high expectations haunt him, rendering his quarter-pole body of work crushingly disappointing.
Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel and @MileHighHuddle.
