Player grades for Broncos' preseason Game 2 revealed

The Denver Broncos fell to the Seattle Seahawks 22-14 in preseason Game 2, but it wasn’t all bad. There were some major concerns from the Broncos, and some players stood out in a negative way.

Of course, there were also players that stood out in a positive way. I have gone over the game, breaking down the film, and put the players' respective performances through my grading system.

Here are 22 players that are worth talking about for what they did on the field in Seattle.

The Good

Malik Reed, OLB: 93.2

So far, Reed is the star of the preseason, and there isn’t anyone close to him. He has tallied multiple pressures and sacks, and has simply been hard to block. It isn’t a case of just beating up on guys who won’t be making an NFL roster either, as he has dominated primary backups in the two games he's appeared in already. Considering the news that Denver has waived Jeff Holland, it's almost a safe bet to wager that Reed is 100% making this roster.

Shelby Harris, NT: 92.9

Denver has high expectations for Harris this year, and if this preseason game is a sign of things to come, he will meet and exceed them. This scheme fits him perfectly and he can really be that Akiem Hicks piece on this front. Harris' ability to generate pressure and clog lanes was on display against the Seahawks in his limited playtime. Hopefully, the Broncos can find a way to bring him back beyond 2019 because he is looking at a huge payday after this season.

Dalton Risner, LG: 88.2

Risner had an excellent first game and followed that up with an excellent performance in Game 2. There are still a few issues that stand out, particularly controlling blocks on the move and with controlled movements in motion. He made some great blocks in the running game, though, and held his own in pass protection.

Su’a Cravens, S: 86.1

It's great to see Cravens performing. Playing at a lighter weight is clearly beneficial for him as he is quite a bit quicker. There are still a couple of issues in coverage in terms of being in the proper place, but he looks like a completely different player than last year. His ability to come downhill has serious potential, and it's great news for the Broncos he is putting it together.

Alexander Johnson, ILB: 85.3

PFF had Johnson as the Broncos' highest-graded player in Game 2, but I'm not sure what they saw. Don’t get me wrong, he had a good game, but there were a few mistakes that really stood out. Against the run, he filled the wrong hole a couple of times, and while he was quick in coverage, he was out of position. It's a drastic improvement and the potential is showing itself, but still has a ways to go.

John Leglue, OL: 84.8

It was a pleasant surprise to see how well Leglue did. He worked a lot at right guard, and for the third/fourth unit offensive line, he was the best one out there. There were a few times the defense got the better of him, but he was the best looking reserve lineman and it wasn’t even close, outside of Jake Rogers, and I am not counting Wilkinson among that group.

Elijah Wilkinson, OT: 81.2

The backup tackle had a pretty good game in Seattle. Wilkinson was part of a unit that struggled, but he did fine himself and wasn’t the problem. There were a few times he got manhandled on the ground, and gave up a few pressures, but it didn’t happen often. On the other side of things, he stonewalled rushers on the majority of his pass-blocking snaps and got some good push on the ground.

The bad

Chaz Green, OL: 9.3

This was a signing to help bolster the offensive line depth, but it may have done more harm than good. Green was undoubtedly the worst offensive lineman out there, for either side. He was beaten multiple times in pass protection, and as a run blocker — his strong suit — he was driven back and was easily shed by his opponent often. It was hard to watch Green get beaten and manhandled like he was.

Trey Johnson, CB: 13.6

What can be said about Johnson’s game? He looked like he didn’t belong out there and got picked on. At one point early in the offseason, he garnered some positive buzz, but that has all quieted. Johnson looked lost out there on the field and struggled to handle his assignments in coverage.

Jake Brendel, C: 19.6

Brendel got looks at backup center, and had a couple of bad snaps and got little push in the running game. What he looked best at was coming in on combo blocks, but even that was iffy at times. Denver’s depth on the offensive line is very poor.

Quinn Bailey, OL: 27.5

Bailey looked solid in the HoFG, but his game against Seattle was replete with struggles. His feet moved like he was wearing lead boots, and he allowed defenders to get leverage on him over and over, which they used to drive him back.

Joe Dineen, ILB: 32.9

An early fan favorite at linebacker, Dineen was lost on the field in Seattle. Time and time again he was reading and flowing to the wrong place on the field, which hurt the unit's run defense. His coverage was slow and his feet were moving like they were stuck in cement on the field.

Steven Dunbar, WR: 33.9

His routes were lumbering and he struggled to get away from defenders in coverage. With a bad fumble against the Falcons in the HoFG and a bad performance against Seattle, Dunbar should be seeing less time on the field.

DeMarcus Walker, DE: 47.1

After a strong Hall of Fame Game, Walker was very disappointing against Seattle. The only way he has been able to get pressure all preseason has basically been off of stunts, but he wasn’t able to do even that vs. Seattle. When attacking head-on, Walker was kept out of the play, and he got washed out of lanes in the running game.

Other notable performances

CBs De'Vante Bausby: 68.5 and Isaac Yiadom: 66.1

The two primary backup corners actually had a solid game, but they both showed that there are still areas that will be of concern when they take the field. They both got lucky on a couple of deep shots to D.K. Metcalf where he was unable to haul in the ball. Bausby got beat by a double move early in the route, while Yiadom got completely turned around. Both had a couple of moments of panic that they need to reign in.

Don Barclay, RG: 55.3

Barclay has received criticism for his performance in Seattle. While he did struggle and gave up multiple pressures, he also had some good blocks to open running lanes on the ground. Was it the best? No, but for a backup lineman, it was far from the worst.

Josh Watson, ILB: 80.1

Watson needs to get recognized for the solid game that he put together. He played off-ball and attacked the edge and had good plays at both positions. Flashing his versatility with where he lined up could be an added boost to help him potentially make the Broncos' roster.

George Aston, FB: 61.7

It is a bummer Andy Janovich got hurt. He was up and down in the game with a great block on Royce Freeman’s 50-yard run, which was followed by a whiff not long after. In his place, Aston stepped up modestly well. Aston wasn’t as inconsistent as Janovich can be with his blocks, but wasn’t as impactful as Janovich as a blocker when he hit the blocks. Aston showed potential to be a weapon out of the backfield, though.

WRs Trinity Benson: 77.8 and Nick Williams: 79.2

These two receivers have different skill-sets and are fighting, potentially, for one spot on the roster. Both had big catches for 26 (Benson) and 24 (Williams) yards, respectively, and showed what they can bring to the offense. These two are two to keep watching as the preseason continues.

DeShawn Williams, DL: 79.4

He didn’t have any huge plays, but he was consistent. Running lanes were clogged, Williams was hard to move, and he got decent push in the passing game. Being consistent is something you look for when looking for a reserve defensive lineman, but Williams needs to step it up and start making a few plays here and there to really help his case.

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.

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