3 Reasons Broncos DL Matt Henningsen Should Win Open Starting Job

With the loss of DeShawn Williams, the Denver Broncos are looking for a replacement. The Broncos lost Eyioma Uwazurike to a suspension for gambling that takes him out for a year, which limits those competing for the job, at least for the moment, as the team could look to add from the free-agent market.

With those on the roster, only a few are battling for the job. The second-year Matt Henningnsen and Mike Purcell seem to be the favorites for the job, but Jonathan Harris has received a lot of praise over the first days of training camp.

If Harris can keep it up, he could be in play. However, he received praise during 2022 training camp, only to be non-existent during the preseason games. These games will be vital for his chances at the starting job this summer.

For now, the battle is mainly between Henningsen and Purcell, and the former should have the edge over the latter. There are a few simple reasons why. Let's dive in.

Age

One of the reasons is the age of the two players in the hunt. Purcell is 32 years old and is nearing the end of his career, while Henningsen turned 24 in early July.

There are questions about the Broncos' defensive line and the future status of the position, so figuring out what they have in Henningsen is a must. He saw the field consistently during the 2022 season, though he only played 230 snaps. For the 2022 preseason, he was great, and it boosted him onto the roster, and this year it could boost him into a starting job.

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Versatility

Another reason Henningsen makes more sense for the starting job is his versatility compared to the lack thereof from Purcell. While Henningsen played primarily as a 4i/5-technique, he can also play inside from the 0-technique to a 3-technique.

Purcell doesn't have that versatility, as he is best suited as a two-gapping 0/1-technique who can play some 2/3-technique. The farther out from the nose Purcell was moved, the less effective he was.

Speaking of versatility, installing Henningsen in the starting unit provides more flexibility with the others on the defensive line and the Broncos' edge rushers. That also can keep Purcell in reserves for obvious run situations since he doesn't offer much as a pass rusher.

Pass-Rush Potential

The final point deals with Purcells limited pass-rush ability. D.J. Jones and Zach Allen are good against the run but offer much as a pass rusher. Jones does his best work when working farther inside, and Purcell would push him out as a 4i/5 technique.

So a starting trio of Henningsen, Jones, and Allen would give Denver the most versatility with the unit without sacrificing pass-rush ability or run defense.

The Takeaway

There is a lot of time until the Broncos make that decision, and Harris still has a role to play in this battle. He isn't the only one, though.

Henningsen has to show up in the preseason games even more than he did as a rookie if he wants to secure the starting job.

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