Two Ex-Broncos Make Dubious NFL List
Denver Broncos fans like to see certain players getting recognized with a Pro Bowl bid or an All-Pro award. It's a sign that these players were a bright spot, even if the season didn't go as expected.
However, Broncos fans don't want to see a player be a detriment to the team. For one reason or another, these are the players that fans would rather not have on the roster, regardless of how well the season went.
This brings me to Bryan Knowles — formerly of Football Outsiders and now writing for FTN Fantasy — and his annual Keep Choppin' Wood Team, which looks at examples of bad performances, bad contracts, and bad decisions by players, coaches, front offices, and even owners.
Here is Knowles' explanation for the "keep choppin' wood" name:
The team itself is named after a hairbrained motivational attempt gone wrong from 20 years ago. Jack Del Rio, then a rookie head coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars, placed a stump of oak and an ax in the locker room, as a symbol for his players to “keep choppin’ wood” – to keep at it, and keep putting the work in, and so on and so forth. Pro Bowl punter Chris Hanson immediately showed what a bad idea it was to have an ax just sitting around, injuring himself when he attempted to swing the ax at the stump, only to have the blade bounce off and gash him in the foot. And every year since, we’ve picked a team of Woodchoppers – a tradition we’re proud to carry over here to FTN Fantasy.
Two ex-Broncos were named to the list this season, and they shared a similar characteristic: the team parted with both during the season.
First, we come to edge rusher Randy Gregory, who I've already covered as the Broncos' worst free-agent signing under GM George Paton. Gregory was ultimately traded to the San Francisco 49ers in a late-round draft pick swap, with the Broncos picking up the bulk of his salary.
Gregory had been signed to a five-year, $70 million contract in 2022, missed the bulk of the season with injuries, then fell out of favor with a new Broncos' coaching staff just three games into the 2023 season.
While Gregory did have his moments in his first game with the Niners, it didn't last. He had just 2.5 sacks and 11 pressures in 12 games with the Niners — a far cry from the six sacks and 29 pressures he had in 12 games in 2021, his final season with the Dallas Cowboys.
The other member of this team is safety Kareem Jackson, who was active for eight games for the Broncos but missed six because of suspensions. While one can debate whether or not Jackson should have been flagged for illegal hits in certain cases, the reality is that his play had declined, and he didn't show a willingness to adapt his play style.
The Broncos ultimately waived Jackson, and the Houston Texans claimed him. He was active for two games with the Texans, the team that drafted him in the first round out of Alabama and with whom he spent the majority of his career.
As much as Broncos Country may have been frustrated with those two, fans know they're not alone. The AFC West rival Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers all had players or coaches who made Knowles' team.
Consider Kadarius Toney and Jawaan Taylor (both current Chiefs), Josh McDaniels (ex-Raiders head coach), Kenneth Murray (Chargers linebacker), and JC Jackson (opened the season with the Chargers before being traded).
Or consider Broncos legend Von Miller. Fans may have been sad to see the Super Bowl 50 MVP go when the Broncos traded him to the Los Angeles Rams midway through the 2021 season. However, he barely saw the field in 2023, the second year of a massive six-year contract the Buffalo Bills gave him.
You are free to read about who else Knowles had on his team — and know that you aren't alone when it comes to dealing with bad individuals during the 2023 season.
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