Payton Reveals Why Broncos Didn't Use Rookie Playmaker in Raiders Loss
Sunday’s 17-16 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders revealed a curious development for Denver Broncos linebacker Drew Sanders. Drafted with the Broncos’ first pick in the third round, Sanders was selected because he's a versatile playmaker.
Sanders is still a bit raw in his reads, but he is an athletic specimen who can rush the passer and drop into coverage. Even head coach Sean Payton has said that Sanders makes at least one play in practice that nobody else can make.
With such high praise, isn’t it curious that Sanders didn't see the field once on defense vs. the Raiders? The Broncos desperately needed an impact play from their linebackers and edge rushers, but they failed to deliver.
Denver's starting inside linebackers — Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton — had a solid game curtailing the 'Bronco killer' Josh Jacobs, combining for 14 total tackles. Jacobs was held to a meager 48 yards rushing.
The Broncos did not allow any big gains in the running game, including in the red zone. It obviously was not enough.
On Monday, after watching the film, Payton was asked why Sanders didn't receive a single snap on defense and addressed whether there's a trust issue with the coaches.
“He’s got the trust of the coaches," Payton said of Sanders during a Monday conference call. "Part of it is just finding the packages and the snaps to play. Both Josey and Alex played well. We’ll confidently look at our personnel and see ways where guys can help us, not only in the kicking game—he plays in the kicking game, obviously, in all four phases—but also on offense and defense. It’s not a trust issue.”
What the Broncos needed was an impact play from their linebackers, but there weren't any to speak of. Not a single tackle for a loss. Not one forced fumble. Not a sack, interception, or fumble recovery in sight.
Safety Kareem Jackson managed an interception in the end zone, but the best that the Broncos starting linebacker duo could muster was Singleton’s lone pass defense. The 'Bash Brothers' are a solid but unspectacular tandem. The Broncos needed one spectacular play to turn the tide.
Furthermore, the Broncos' edge rushing group couldn't even manage to make Jimmy Garoppolo nervous in the pocket. The pass rush was non-existent, as Garoppolo had all the time he needed to complete passes.
The edge rushers posted zero sacks and only three quarterback hits. In fact, the Broncos finished as the worst team in the NFL for pressure rate through Sunday’s games.
With such a meager output in impact plays, why was this impact-play machine, as anointed by the Broncos coaching staff, on the sideline? In a game where offensive possessions were at a minimum (six drives for Denver, and seven for Vegas, if you include Garoppolo's kneel-down to end the first half), why wasn’t a playmaker like Sanders out there on defense to attempt to get Russell Wilson another chance with the ball?
If Sanders is trusted and has had praises sung about him all camp, why was he not on the field? The coaches obviously trust their evaluations of rookies since all five 2023 draft picks made the roster, as well as four undrafted rookies.
If the coaches trust Sanders, why wasn't he utilized in the Broncos' first game that counted? Rookie wideout Marvin Mims Jr. saw the field, but not Sanders.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has a lot to prove to Broncos Country, and so far, he's failed to earn back any trust or faith. Not playing Sanders is one curious development that adds another question with no answers.
Sanders is a versatile player who can make plays in coverage and rush the passer from multiple spots. Perhaps he would've been unable to make an impact play. Or worse, messed up on a play. So what if he had?
The Broncos lost anyway. Maybe Sanders could have made that one play that nobody else could make against the Raiders and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Fans will never know what impact Sanders could have had because Joseph was playing not to lose instead of to win.
The Broncos need impact players, and Sanders watching from the sidelines was incongruent with his body of work this summer and what Payton has said about the rookie linebacker.
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