5 Most Crucial Upgrades Broncos Have Made in 2020

The Broncos have made a lot of changes offensively since last time the cleats hit the grass.

A lot can change in a year's time, especially for an NFL team in the midst of a rebuild. Denver Broncos' GM John Elway doesn't like to use the 'R' word because he believes it comes off like an excuse for losing, but that's just what the front-office czar has done. 

Thanks to the bang-up job of Elway and the front office, the Broncos have now stacked the roster with lauded back-to-back-to-back draft classes. Due to the infusion of youthful talent, the Broncos have undergone a sea change. 

Nowhere is that more apparent than on offense. Just looking at last season's opening-week starting lineup and comparing it to the projected 2020 unit, the two versions of the Broncos couldn't be more different. 

To illustrate just how much turnover, and I mean that in a very positive sense because after all, the Broncos finished in the bottom-5 in almost every major offensive category last year, take a look at the five positions that have been upgraded since the season-opener. 

Quarterback

Old Face(s): Joe Flacco, Brandon Allen

New Face(s): Drew Lock, Jeff Driskel

Analysis: This isn't a position that was upgraded this past offseason, as Lock received his shot to start in Week 13 of last season. But took the bull by the horns and would never relinquish the job. 

As a result, the Broncos jettisoned Flacco and let the band-aid starter Allen depart in free agency. Lock was the Broncos' second-round pick last year (No. 42 overall) and was drafted to be the team's future franchise QB. So far, so good. 

The Broncos were so encouraged by Lock's 4-1 debut down the stretch that the front office invested heavily in the coaching and personnel department, building the nest around the young gunslinger. 

Tight End

Old Face(s): Jeff Heuerman, Troy Fumagalli, Andrew Beck

New Face(s): Noah Fant, Nick Vannett, Albert Okwuegbunam

Analysis: Heuerman remains with the Broncos but his time in the Orange and Blue could be coming to an end on the heels of the team signing veteran Vannett and drafting Okwuegbunam in the fourth round. 

Fant is the crown jewel of the team's TE position, though. While he was on the roster to open last season, he came into his own in relief of Heuerman as the schedule wore on and would eventually set multiple franchise rookie records for a TE. 

This year, the Broncos' 2019 first-rounder will be the team's TE1 and is poised to have a Courtland Sutton-esque leap forward in Year 2. 

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Wide Receiver

Old Face: Emmanuel Sanders, DaeSean Hamilton, Tim Patrick

New Face(s): Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Tyrie Cleveland

Analysis: Sanders was and is a fine veteran wideout. But after the Broncos traded him mid-season, the supporting cast behind Sutton was lackluster. 

Even once Lock was inserted, the likes of Hamilton and Patrick failed to take any attention off of Sutton, allowing teams to very much scheme him out of the game. With Jeudy hitting the roster, the Broncos now have two bonafide No. 1-caliber receivers, while Hamler will give the offense a 4.27-second threat to take the top off. 

With the underneath zones loosened up, it'll allow for multiple wideouts and receivers to eat, including Sutton, Jeudy, and Fant — to say nothing of the running backs. 

Running Back

Old Face(s): Phillip Lindsay, Royce Freeman, Devontae Booker

New Face(s): Melvin Gordon, LeVante Bellamy. 

Analysis: Lindsay remains as potent Pro Bowl-caliber RB, as does Freeman, but the Broncos chose to let Booker walk. The big move here was paying Gordon $16 million over two years to come in and essentially serve as the 1a or 1b to Lindsay. 

The RB competition will dictate which one takes the lead. Meanwhile, Bellamy was signed as a college free agent and could very well push Freeman for a roster spot. 

Right Guard

Old Face: Ronald Leary

New Face: Graham Glasgow

Analysis: Last year was Leary's most productive as a Bronco but it still wasn't anything to write home about, especially considering all the money the team paid him as a free-agent acquisition in 2017. The Broncos replaced Leary by signing one of the NFL's best interior O-linemen last season in Glasgow. 

Bolstering the interior with reliable talent should not only help Lock in pass protection but also in blasting open holes for Lindsay and Gordon. Throw in 2020 third-rounder Lloyd Cushenberry III and it's possible that by the time the dust settles, the Broncos will have upgraded two positions over their 2019 opening-week starting lineup. 

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.