Mile High Roundtable: Record Projections & Bold Predictions for Broncos' 2020 Season
James Campbell (@JamesC_MHH): In this season with so much upheaval, a unique set of circumstances, and with the team so young on offense, the Denver Broncos could post anywhere from 6-to-10 wins and have the season be considered a success of sorts. 9-7 seems like a good prediction. If this team can get hot, and make the playoffs somehow, the Broncos will be a team that no-one will want to face.
At a minimum, fans in Broncos Country will want the team to be competitive in every game and compete for a playoff spot. With the expanded playoffs, 9-7 might be enough but a lot will depend on Drew Lock, the ability of the offense to gel quickly as well as Pat Shurmur's play calling.
The Broncos have to find a way to navigate the early growing pains and grind out the ugly wins, but later in the season, a general competency from the offense and Lock should be a reasonable expectation.
The offensive line should look competent, better on the left side while the right side is more of a work in progress. The defensive line and edge rushers should be formidable, especially with the additions of Jurrell Casey, McTelvin Agim, and the emergence of Dre'Mont Jones. The secondary starters seem set, but the depth is a little concerning.
Bold Prediction: Between A.J. Bouye, Bryce Callahan, and Justin Simmons alone, the Broncos get 18 interceptions, including three pick-sixes.
Bonus Prediction: The Broncos finally break their five-season streak of not returning a punt for a touchdown.
Hot Take: It all comes together for Garett Bolles, who gets the same O-line coach two years in a row for the first time in his career, looks like a top-10 NFL tackle, and essentially forces the Broncos to extend him based on his play.
Keith Cummings (@KeithC_NFL): The Broncos need some luck before they find their feet. The defense plays well enough to keep the Broncos in competition before Lock hits his stride. The Broncos play well in the division and it gets them to 10-6 and back in the playoffs.
Bold Prediction: Jerry Jeudy has a great season and goes for 1,000 yards.
Carl Dumler (@CarlDumlerMHH): If the Broncos can weather the early storm of difficult games after this crazy offseason, they should set themselves up for a nice late-season push and be one of the teams no one wants to face in the playoffs. I predict the Broncos will go 9-7 this year and be one of the more talked about teams next offseason as a Super Bowl darkhorse.
This year, though, the defense will once again be top-10 and be a big reason they stay in it early and the offense will see a nice bump to 24 points per game this season.
Bold Prediction: The Broncos end up with over 2,000 yards rushing this season and finish top-3 in the league for rushing efficiency. Lock will have his moments but the run game is what will define this offense.
Thomas Hall (@ThomasHallNFL): The Broncos will shock the NFL by putting together a 10-6 season even without star pass rusher Von Miller. The team wins some close games early on the strength of their run game and then it will be the Lock show as he finishes the year strong, leading the Broncos to victory in their last four games to get them into the playoffs.
Bold prediction(s): Simmons leads the NFL in interceptions with eight picks and Dre’Mont Jones takes over the starting role by mid season and finishes with seven sacks.
Chad Jensen (@ChadNJensen): The Broncos will feel the sting of losing Miller initially but it'll be overcome with surprising alacrity. The 2020 season was never about Miller; it's always been about Lock and the offense.
We already knew what a vaunted pass rush led by Miller towing behind it an impotent offense looks like. 5-11. 6-10. 7-9.
If the Broncos, as an organization, were ever going to take that next step, it all comes down the quarterback. And that's why fans should remain optimistic this season. All the Vons and Chubbs, all the king's horses and men, without a franchise quarterback, couldn't carry the Broncos to the playoffs.
Lock's presence and emergence last year has altered that equation. I'm predicting a 10-6 finish this year, which won't be good enough to win the AFC West but it'll get the Broncos into the dance.
Bold Prediction: The Broncos finish the season with two 1,000-yard rushers as Lindsay and Gordon go gangbusters in 2020.
Trevor Judge (@TrevorJudge): On paper, this 2020 Broncos team has improved in just about every position group compared to last season. The loss of Miller is a massive blow, though. Prior to Von’s injury, I had the Broncos going 10-6 and squeezing into one of the Wild Card berths. Miller's absence could objectively amount to as many as two losses. However, if there is one thing I learned so far from Vic Fangio, it’s that he knows his personnel and how to make adjustments.
No one player will replace Von, but the team has decent depth with Jeremiah Attaochu and Malik Reed to help shoulder the loss with a committee. Above all, though, let’s not forget how inept the offense was in 2019. It is really hard to believe we will experience a similar result from this new Pat Shurmur-led offense that’s added plenty of additional “juice” with Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and Melvin Gordon.
The offensive line (even with Ja'Wuan James opting out) is still better than it’s been in quite some time. The Broncos went 7-9 last year with some of the worst QB play in recent memory through the first 11 games of the season. You’d have to assume the Broncos improve on this with a full season of Lock at the helm with his bevy of new offensive weapons.
I expect Denver to finish 9-7 and have an outside shot of still making the playoffs. However, if Sutton misses any significant amount of time, we may be looking down the barrel at more of a .500 season.
Bold Prediction: Rookie receivers rarely eclipse the 1,000-yard mark. From everything we have seen from Jeudy in his college career and throughout training camp, I like his chances of breaking that trend. If Sutton does in fact miss time, Jeudy is going to have a lot of pressure to step into that No. 1 role right away, but I think he’s more than up for the challenge.
Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL): It's easy to knock a win or two from the 2020 projection after Miller's likely season-ending injury. But this is a 53-man squad and an 11-player defense. As good as Von is, and as tangible as his loss is, Denver boasts enough talent — coaching included — to weather the storm.
So long as the Broncos survive the inevitable early-year hiccups, the ship eventually will be righted. This is a team that was built to get better as the months wear on, with or without Von. They will go as far as Lock takes them — and the potential is limitless.
If the Broncos can go 7-9 in 2019 with subpar quarterback play for three-quarters of the season, inferior personnel, and inexperienced coaching, I'm not backing down from my original prediction: 10-6 and a Wild Card berth. Believe, Broncos Country. Believe.
Nick Kendell (@NickKendellMHH): The Broncos finish 8-8 with an up and down year, ending 2020 with as many questions as they entered the season.
Lock has flashes of brilliance only to be plagued by inconsistencies. The offensive line struggles at tackle for another year but the offensive weapons show their emerging elite potential.
The defense will finish top-10 but will also show some age and lack of depth as the season wears on and injuries and fatigue take their inevitable toll.
Lock does enough to warrant another year starting in 2021 but 2020 isn’t nearly as spectacular for him as many in Broncos Country are conjuring currently. The Broncos do climb out of their three consecutive losing season streak though finishing at .500 with sights on the playoffs in 2021.
Hot Take: Dre’Mont Jones usurps snaps from Shelby Harris and becomes the de facto starter for the Broncos opposite Casey.
Bob Morris (@BobMorrisSports): The Broncos finish 9-7, second in the AFC West, and push for a wild card spot, but lose out on tiebreakers. However, there’s renewed optimism that the Broncos have taken the next steps toward being a playoff contender.
Lock takes time to find his rhythm but is playing well in the second half of the season and does more than enough to show he’s the guy the Broncos can build around.
The Broncos have some issues at offensive tackle, but Bolles and Demar Dotson are 'adequate', even though neither one proves he’s a long-term guy. Otherwise, the offense doesn’t have major issues and the younger guys show they can be part of the future.
The defense finishes in the top-10, with Bradley Chubb coming along slowly but playing better by season's end, Casey showing he still has plenty in the tank and some of the younger players show promise as either future starters or quality depth players. But the search continues for off-ball linebackers, other than Alexander Johnson, who are good in coverage.
Bold prediction: Jeudy finishes second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, behind Joe Burrow.
Luke Patterson (@LukePattersonLP): The Broncos finish 6-10 and it's a fourth straight losing season. Denver still can’t beat Kansas City in the regular season, and the season ending injury to Miller displaces the Broncos' defense in a major way.
The second surgically repaired leg on Chubb is still a major concern Denver will need to manage. The Broncos could possibly lose both elite pass rushers in the same season due to injury.
However, the pandemic insures another year for Lock and Vic Fangio.
Bold Prediction: Lindsay will request trade by the end of season. Looking for a pay raise, Lindsay recognizes that if Gordon has a nice year in Denver, he could technically hold out for more money, especially after the Browns just resigned Joe Mixon (four years/$48 Million). There's not enough room for two alpha backs. Optics suggest Pat Shurmur wanted Gordon. If Broncos wanted to pay Lindsay he’d be under a new deal already.
Lance Sanderson (@SandersonMHH): After seeing the news about Miller, my expectations for this team took a massive hit. While I believe the defense is still going to be legitimately good and borderline elite this year, losing an emotional leader and player the caliber of Miller could cost the Broncos a couple of games this year.
The onus is squarely on the shoulders of Lock, and he has to take charge. Now. No questions.
If the Broncos want to get to a double-digit win total, Lock and the offense have to be able to carry their weight. They definitely have the potential to do so.
I really wanted to give the Broncos a 10-win season, but Miller is good enough and makes enough key plays that I'm not ready to do so just yet. Give me 9-7 and a possible playoff team.
Bold Prediction: Bryce Callahan shows that he is back to true form and takes the next step as a coverage cornerback, leading the team with eight interceptions.
Hot Take: Bolles shows more consistency this year, earning a Pro Bowl nod as an alternate.
Erick Trickel (@ErickTrickel): Denver is going to start slow, but it'll all come together. They have so much potential on offense and with a strong defense they end up going 10-6 for second place in the division.
Hot Take: Essang Bassey has the best season of any rookie and performs as the team's best corner.
Bold Prediction: Jones and Agim both end up with more snaps than Harris by season's end. They both show much more as a pass rusher and as a run defender.
This article was compiled by Lance Sanderson.
Follow MHH on Twitter @MileHighHuddle.
