5 Reasons Why Broncos' Future is Brighter Than Meets the Eye
Following their 23-3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs this past Sunday, the Denver Broncos secured their third straight losing season. For a team and fanbase that had not had back-to-back losing seasons prior to the current streak since 1971 and 1972, the consistent ineptitude is something not many following the team can stomach, let alone remember.
Being embarrassed twice by the Division-rival Chiefs (outscored 53-9 in 2019) on top of not having beaten them since Week 2 in the 2015 season can leave a very poor taste in the mouth of those in Broncos Country, but all is not lost for this team and organization. The Broncos simply aren't up to the caliber of many of the NFL’s best teams in 2019, but that was always likely to be the case.
For the past few seasons, the Broncos have seemingly been in a ‘soft’ rebuild. The Manning era, capped by the Super Bowl 50 victory, was always likely to have its bubble popped once the five-time NFL MVP and many of the aging veterans moved. Such is life in the NFL, where the only guarantee is turnover and change.
Sure, those in charge at Dove Valley have continually stated that this team was being built ‘to win now and from now on’ and in 2016, with still many pieces on defense still intact, this might have been true. However, every season since has been more of a rebuild in practice, even if those in charge would not acknowledge it publicly.
The seasons following the Manning years have been dreadful. Playing such milquetoast options at quarterback such as Trevor Siemian, Case Keenum, and Joe Flacco, in ‘complement’ with a continually struggling offensive line, and an aging defense inevitably regressing towards the mean from the ‘all-time’ unit it was back in 2015, this team was not in a good place.
On top of the issues at quarterback, offense, and a good but not great defense, the coaches that have been in place simply weren’t good enough. Could the front office have done a better job in talent acquisition? Sure, but personnel, front office, and coaching staff should undoubtedly share in the blame for the team’s descent into ‘the world of suck’.
Two great wins under exciting rookie quarterback Drew Lock had Broncos’ Country flying high, but those feelings made a quick crash landing as the wind was taken out of the sails against a legit Super Bowl contending Chiefs team that was not only far healthier than Denver, but had much more to play for as a first-round bye was on the table for Kansas City.
Only a fool or pure homer could watch this 2019 version of the Chiefs, with the reigning MVP in Patrick Mahomes, likely the best WR-TE duo in football in Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, an offensive wizard in Andy Reid calling the plays, and a defense that is playing at the highest level they have seen in some time, and point to how the Chiefs have never won a Super Bowl — meaning this 2019 team can’t be a contender.
Does that mean the Chiefs will win it all? No, but the only team playing near the Chiefs’ current level in the AFC is the Baltimore Ravens.
So the Broncos ran into a buzzsaw on Sunday. It hurts in the moment, no doubt. Again, having become the Chiefs’ current whipping boy of sorts, many in Broncos Country have regressed back towards bleak hopelessness for this team. Coming off of an unexpected victory over the playoff-caliber Houston Texans under the excitement of Lock, hopes were rightfully high only to be dashed by Kansas City.
This should not have been an unexpected outcome, as not only are the Chiefs very talented but Denver simply is not on their level. The Broncos are far from hopeless, but in comparison to the talent of Kansas City (as well as their current bill of health in comparison to Denver’s), it would have been one of the shockers of the season for Denver to go into Arrowhead and pull out the ‘W’.
Just as Chris Harris, Jr. stated on Tuesday when asked what the Broncos' biggest missing piece is. “We don’t have just a missing piece," Harris said. "We have a lot of missing pieces.”
That is true of this Broncos team as it is currently constructed. The offensive line, specifically the play of the right side in right guard Austin Schlottmann and right tackle Elijah Wilkinson, was horrifically inept on Sunday as Lock was constantly under duress. On top of issues on the offensive trenches, the Broncos were seemingly an injury away from pulling fans out of the stands to suit up and play on the defensive line on Sunday.
Banged up and at a massive talent disadvantage? That is a recipe for disaster.
So this 2019 Broncos team can’t compete with a Super Bowl contending team in the on the road at one of the most difficult road venues in football in Arrowhead Stadium? No one should be surprised by this in hindsight.
However, and this is key, despite the struggles of this team not only in 2019 but over the years following the Super Bowl Victory, the Broncos could be contending for the playoffs as soon as next season.
So what are the pieces the Broncos are missing and can they fix it all in one offseason? Given the reality of where this team is at currently, probably not everything. However, even looking at teams competing for the Super Bowl now, there are always strengths and weaknesses to every roster. It is up to the coaching staff and players to overcome these weaknesses.
So why will the Broncos be able to find these pieces to help catapult themselves towards playoff contention in 2020?
Cost-Controlled QB
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For starters, this team has the ultimate contention chip that the NFL has in place under the current collective bargaining agreement; a rookie quarterback. In 2020, the Broncos’ likely starter — Lock — will only cost $1,593,328 against the salary cap making him the 38th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL.
Much like Russell Wilson during the Seahawks ‘Legion of Boom’ era, the Broncos will be able to allocate resources to other areas of the roster while rostering an absolute bargain at quarterback. With nearly half the league paying a quarterback $20 million or more, that gives the Broncos a massive leg up in their ability to bring in talent in free agency or retain their own free agents. This, of course, is all null if Lock is not ‘the guy’ but it does give Denver a massive leg up in surrounding their quarterback with talent.
Tons of Cap Space
On top of the flexibility that is afforded with a cost-controlled QB, the Broncos were already going to have ample cash to throw around this offseason. With a projected $65,877,871 million in cap space that can move up to nearly $85 million by moving on from the injury-riddled Ronald Leary and offseason acquisition bust Joe Flacco, Denver is going to have some money to play with in the 2020 offseason.
A Grip of Draft Capital
However, the offseason fun doesn’t stop with free agency, but carries over into the NFL Draft as the Broncos will have five selections in the top-100, and seven picks in the first four rounds. Denver is likely to have some movement during the draft, given they will have more picks than they'll have roster spots available heading into April, but the chance at continuing to stack young talent on a roster that is already overall very young and trending up is exciting not only for 2020 but beyond.
Reinforcements
Finally, and perhaps rather optimistic, is the projected return of players this team desperately could have used in the 2019 season. With the likes of Bradley Chubb, Bryce Callahan, and Ja’Wuan James set to (hopefully) return fully healthy next season, the addition of a top-five-caliber edge rusher, on top of a starting-caliber tackle and cornerback, could provide a gigantic boost to the 2020 team, to say nothing of solid contributors such as cornerback DeVante Bausby and Andy Janovich. That is a whole lot of money and lack of contribution from players piled up on the injured reserve.
Coaching Continuity
On top of the cap space, draft capital, and an overall young roster improving, the Broncos should also have something rather underrated going for them in 2020; continuity. Given the massive upheaval of the roster over the last few seasons, on top of new schemes from the offensive, offensive line, and defense, this team was always going to have some lag time as it became familiar and comfortable with so many new schemes.
It was easy to see this taking place early this season as the Broncos, both on offense and defense, look discombobulated and disheveled. Considering the Broncos are historically one of the best teams in the first-quarter-of the season in the history of the league, thanks in large part to an altitude advantage, staring 0-4 is something that will happen about as often as Halley’s Comet passing earth every 75 years.
How it Happens
So given the Broncos' massive amount of resources, both salary cap and draft capital, on top of a young team that should return a good amount of highly paid talent back to the depth chart, how couldn’t the Broncos be contenders in 2020? With a quarterback on the cheap with massive upside, young emerging weapons on the offense, and a defense playing well above their talent level given injuries, this team has all the potential in the world to turn things around and in a hurry at that.
There will be debates aplenty about the Broncos’ offseason direction. From how the team should use their salary cap space, to whom they should re-sign, to the best direction in the lottery that is the draft. Either way, even despite a slap back to reality that the Broncos’ loss to the Chiefs was this past Sunday, for the first time since the Manning era, it feels like this team is not only heading in the right direction, but as hope for the near future.
Sure, there are still two regular-season games left to cherish, but the 2020 offseason has the potential to be one of the most fun Broncos Country will have had in a while. Hope springs eternal every offseason for every team, but it is far more warranted in Denver than it has been in a while.
Don’t get bogged down in the myopic view of single-game outcomes for a poor injury-riddled team, but instead think big picture. The Broncos are closer than many people think.
Follow Nick on Twitter @NickKendellMHH and @MileHighHuddle.
