PFF's Take on Broncos' Biggest Roster Need is Highly Questionable
The Denver Broncos have several needs this offseason to upgrade the roster. To most fans and analysts, the offensive line needs a massive injection of talent.
With several players failing to develop over the last few seasons and previous snap earners set to hit free agency, Denver would be wise to focus heavily on upgrading the O-line as priority No. 1 now that Sean Payton has been hired as head coach. A tad more under the radar, but still pressing for the Broncos, is the team's needs at edge rusher and at running back.
The Broncos have talent on paper at the edge spot, with Randy Gregory and Baron Browning projected as the team's 2023 starters. However, both players have dealt with many injuries that have resulted in missed time and dropped play levels over their NFL careers.
Behind those two sit Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto. While both have had flashes, they still need to project as starters in the NFL, given their size, length, and base-package limitations setting the edge. The Broncos currently roster Jonathan Martin but given his contract, he very well could wind up a cap casualty before free agency starts.
At running back, the Broncos have Javonte Williams and Chase Edmonds. With Edmonds as a likely cap casualty, given his contract structure, and Williams coming off a significant knee injury where he tore multiple ligaments in his knee, the Broncos probably need to find a starting-caliber running back this offseason to help the offense. Unfortunately, Williams might take a while to return to his rookie season form, assuming he returns in 2023.
A bigger dark-horse need for the Broncos is the interior defensive line. With question marks surrounding what type of defense the Broncos will run in 2023 under whomever Payton brings in to be the team's defensive coordinator, the Broncos have a massive Dre'Mont Jones sized-hole on the depth chart.
The interior defensive line is certainly a need, but it is surprising to see Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson list it as the Broncos' biggest offseason need.
In the article, Monsoon writes that the Broncos had seven players with 165 or more snaps last season. Dre'Mont, on the interior, though, was the most notable man.
"Dre'Mont Jones earned the highest PFF pass-rushing grade of the group at just 67.3. He produced 45 pressures on 448 rushes."
What kind of front the Broncos will be playing next year will go a long way in determining how imperative the team's need along the D-line will be going into the offseason. Regardless of the scheme, the front office should be confident about D.J. Jones at 0 or 1 technique. After that, though, the Broncos have nothing but questions inside.
Coming off of a solid bounce-back season, Mike Purcell's future in Denver could be questioned. If Denver transitions to a scheme with fewer pure nose snaps, will the soon-to-be 32-year-old's cap savings of just under $3.5 million be too enticing to keep Purcell?
The Broncos did draft two interior defensive linemen last season in Eyioma Uwazurike and Matt Henningsen, and while both had brief flashes in their rookie seasons, can either be trusted as a full-time starter next year as former Day 3 picks? Denver also currently has Jonathan Harris on the roster for next season, but given his career to date, he appears to be a back-end-of-the-rotation type of player.
Fortunately, the Broncos have many quality players returning to the roster in 2023 coming off of the injured reserve list. While still possessing five picks in the 2023 draft and means to create cap space to be aggressive in free agency, Denver will do what it can to add talent to areas of weakness.
The offensive line, edge, and running back seem like more obvious needs on the surface, but as Monson stated in his article, the Broncos need "an upgrade inside to maintain the defense's level next year."
D-line is definitely an under-the-radar need, but according to PFF, it's the Broncos' biggest need.
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