4 Winners, 3 Losers From Broncos' 2021 NFL Draft Haul

The NFL draft brings out the most polarizing opinions in fans and their favorite teams. The draft can bring hope and promise, or it can bring severe disappointment and disdain.

But fans aren't the only ones navigating that roller coaster of emotion. The draft can have the same effect on the veteran players in the locker room within those organizations as well.

New blood often brings change. For better or worse. Fans feel the excitement for the draft, while some players might feel dread and have to suffer the actual ramifications.

After all, this is a business for players. A career. Talent with cost-controlled contracts often signal the end of a veteran player's tenure with a franchise. Other players may breathe a massive sigh of relief as their team passes on taking a promising young prospect at their position, opting to give them one last shot at keeping their job.

It's a dark and cruel mistress, the NFL draft. For some, it's the beacon of hope. For others, it's the first hint of the proverbial pink slip.

The Denver Broncos made 10 selections in this year's draft, most of which bolstered the roster in a positive way. The depth that GM George Paton added o the club, while also filling a couple of critical needs, has the fanbase buzzing with excitement.

Which current Broncos players could be feeling the heat with this incoming draft class, and which could be breathing that sigh of relief? Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Broncos' 2021 draft haul.

Winner: Drew Lock | QB

The most obvious winner of this year's draft haul comes at the most critical position in all of sports. Even though the Broncos brought in Teddy Bridgewater to provide a veteran presence as well as competition for Lock, there was an opportunity for the team to draft Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields with the ninth overall selection.

Denver opted to stick with its young signal-caller and veteran hedge, taking Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II instead and extending Lock's opportunity audition as The Guy for the franchise.

This is a win for Lock, at least for now. Rumors are swirling that Denver could trade for reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. This is still a situation worth monitoring.

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Loser: Bryce Callahan | CB

The best ability is avail-ability, and Callahan hasn't exactly been on hand consistently for the Broncos the past two seasons. He missed all of the 2019 campaign and a handful of games last season while dealing with a multitude of injuries.

To mitigate the risk of the injury-prone Callahan, the Broncos grabbed a pair of cornerbacks in free agency in Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby, then doubled down in the draft by taking the aforementioned Surtain as well as LSU slot corner Kary Vincent, Jr. late on Day 3.

Callahan's injury history, as well as his bloated contract relative to his production, could see the veteran slot cornerback on his way out of town post-2021. The Broncos are also expecting second-year pro Essang Bassey to return from the torn ACL that prematurely ended his promising rookie campaign last year.

It's a numbers game, and Callahan could find himself on the outside looking in.

Winner: Calvin Anderson | OT

One of the biggest holes remaining on the roster going into the draft was at the right tackle position. Despite projected starter Ja'Wuan James having multiple concerns for missing the vast majority of the past two seasons due to injuries and opting out of the 2020 season, as well as depth tackles Elijah Wilkinson and Demar Dotson not being retained, the Broncos chose not to address the position via the draft this weekend.

Anderson showed out in relief of Garett Bolles in the Broncos' Week 14 win over the Carolina Panthers late last year, but the rest of his limited play was mediocre at best. There was an obvious need to at least address the position with a late-round selection but the Broncos drafted elsewhere.

Anderson must have a fan within the coaching staff. It bodes well for him that nobody else was added in the draft.

Loser: DaeSean Hamilton | WR

The Broncos already had a crowded receiver room going into the draft, but they still chose to add to the group late on Day 3 by bringing in a boom-or-bust receiver in Auburn's Seth Williams. While Williams projects as a boundary receiver with red zone versatility, Hamilton could be on the outside looking in when it comes time for training camp.

Hamilton, a former fourth-rounder, has struggled to find footing as a pass-catching option in the Broncos' offense. He has had major inconsistencies catching the ball and has had a big chunk of his reps stolen by Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler.

Without adding special teams versatility like Tyrie Cleveland or a consistent pass-catching presence like Tim Patrick (who could also be labeled a 'loser' in this situation due to his contract and trade availability), Hamilton could very well be looking for a new home come September.

Winners: Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson | S

Even though the Broncos drafted Caden Sterns and Jamar Johnson with back-to-back selections in the fifth round, Simmons and Jackson have to be ecstatic after this weekend. Denver has had depth concerns at the safety position for the past couple of years now.

Sterns and Johnson are highly productive and incredible athletes at the position, offering a lot of versatility to the group. They also offer the opportunity for both Jackson and Simmons to catch a breather every so often during games.

Simmons hasn't missed a snap over the past three seasons, a true testament to his iron man mentality. He's arguably the best safety in the league. But it would be nice to preserve him by rotating in a solid piece like Johnson or Sterns to keep Simmons fresh and operating at the high level that the Broncos are accustomed to.

Jackson, who will be 33 years old this season, is entering the twilight of his career. A true banger at the position and one of the best leaders in the locker room, he should become a great mentor for these two young guys. Sterns and Johnson could snipe some snaps from him over the course of the season, but it could also extend his career here in Denver as well.

Denver added quality depth to the room and opened up even more possibilities for this secondary in doing so.

Loser: Lloyd Cushenberry | OC

Even though the Broncos took a major step forward with their offensive line play last season, there are still concerns about Cushenberry. Though he started all 16 games, he struggled mightily last season against the strength of NFL defensive linemen, and couldn't figure out how to pass off blocking responsibilities against twists and stunts at times.

Enter Quinn Meinerz, a behemoth of a man with high-quality instincts and a mean streak rivaling that of an enraged bull. While it seemed like they were content to let this group continue to grow, the Broncos chose to select the Wisconsin-Whitewater product in the third round in order to bolster the depth of the interior of the offensive line.

The problem is, Meinerz could win any of three of those positions in camp. On top of the selection of Meinerz, Denver also has second-year pro Netane Muti waiting in the wings.

Putting the best five players on the line is always a priority, and Cush isn't nearly as physical in the running game as either of those two players. There are multiple ways Cushenberry could lose his job this season. Adding Meinerz added another threat.

Follow Lance on Twitter @SandersonMHH.

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