Best Broncos to Ever Wear the Jersey Number: 70-79
USA Today recently presented its list of the best NFL players to wear a particular jersey number, a list that included four former Denver Broncos players: John Elway, Peyton Manning, Terrell Davis, and Gary Zimmerman.
As we approach the 2023 NFL season, let's have some fun and look at who were the best Broncos to ever wear each jersey number, from 0 to 99.
I used Pro Football Reference's Approximate Value to determine most of the selections. In a few cases, I selected more than one player, whether they were tied in PFR AV or there is more than one player who holds significance to the team's history.
In the eighth installment, which covers 70 to 79, you'll find a number of familiar names and at least one player who has a good case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
No. 70: Dave Studdard | OT
Paul Smith, a defensive line who played for the Broncos from 1968 to 1978, got consideration, but the nod went to an offensive lineman who played with the Broncos during the 1980s.
Studdard was a ninth-round pick by the Baltimore Colts in 1978 but never played for that team. He joined the Broncos in 1979 and played right tackle in his first two seasons with the team.
Studdard spent the 1982 season at right guard, starting nine games, then moved to left tackle in 1983 and started for the next five seasons. His last season with the team was 1998, in which he played 11 games, starting four.
No. 71: Greg Kragen | DT
Claudie Minor, a third-round pick in 1974 who spent nine seasons as an offensive tackle, was considered, but the nod went to one of the most underrated players to suit up for the Broncos.
An undrafted player, Kragen joined the Broncos in 1985, then became a starter in 1986. He would go on to start 116 games in nine seasons and was a force on the defensive line.
The undersized Kragen (for a nose tackle) had 708 tackles and 22.5 sacks with the Broncos and was named to the Pro Bowl in 1989. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1994, then for the Carolina Panthers from 1995 to 1997.
No. 72: Keith Kartz | OL
Garett Bolles, Jerry Sturm, and George Foster all made important contributions to the Broncos. The one who got the nod was an offensive lineman who joined the Broncos in 1987.
Kartz went undrafted but ultimately became a starting offensive tackle as a rookie. In 1988. he moved to the interior, playing at right guard that season, before he moved to center.
He was the Broncos starting center from 1989 to 1993. Kartz started 88 games in seven seasons but was replaced by Dave Widell in the 1994 season.
No. 73: Simon Fletcher | OLB/DE
Some Broncos fans will remember that Chris Kuper wore 73, but as for the best Broncos player to wear that number, it could be nobody but Fletcher.
A second-round pick in 1985, Fletcher played his first two seasons at defensive end, but as a depth player. He moved to outside linebacker in 1987, won a starting job, and thrived in his new role.
Fletcher played outside linebacker for the next seven seasons before moving back to defensive end for his final two seasons. In 11 seasons with the Broncos, Fletcher had 97. sacks, 828 total tackles, 20 forced fumbles, and two interceptions. He was inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame.
No. 74: Mike Current | OT
Orlando Franklin and Ryan Harris are recent Broncos who wore 74, but the best player to wear the number first joined the franchise in 1967.
An offensive tackle, the Broncos drafted Current in the third round of the 1967 draft. He played in just three games, then played one game for the Dolphins, but returned to Denver in 1968.
Current went on to claim the starting job at right tackle and was with the Broncos for the next eight seasons. He earned a Pro Bowl bid in 1969. Current played for the Buccaneers in 1976, then played a second stint with the Dolphins from 1977 to 1979 before he retired.
No. 75: Rulon Jones | DE
The best Bronco to wear this number became one of the most dominant defenders not just in Broncos history, but the NFL overall — and some Broncos fans may not even remember him.
Jones, a second-round pick in 1980, was a depth player as a rookie but made an impact with 11.5 sacks. He won a starting job in 1981 and followed with 9.5 sacks. In both seasons, sacks were an unofficial state.
Jones played just nine games in 1982 because of injuries and wasn't quite as productive in 1983. But from 1984 to 1986, he tallied 34.5 sacks, received two Pro Bowls bid, a first-team All-Pro nod, and was named UPI's AFC Defensive Player of the Year in 1986. He played two more seasons after 1986, finishing with 73.5 sacks for his career.
No. 76: Ken Lanier | OT
Next is another longtime Broncos player who may be among the most underrated to play for the team. Lanier was a fifth-round pick in 1981 and went on to a quality career at right tackle with the Broncos.
He started just 10 games in his first two seasons, but from 1983 to 1992, he started at least 12 games each seasons, with eight seasons in which he started all 16 games. Lanier played for the Raiders in 1993, then returned to the Broncos as a depth player in 1994. Some might consider him the best right tackle in Broncos history.
No. 77: Karl Mecklenburg | LB
Lyle Alzado and Tony Jones are two noteworthy players to wear 77 for the Broncos, but when it comes to the best player, it's no contest.
Mecklenburg was a 12th-round pick in 1983 and didn't see much action as a rookie. But he had seven sacks in 1984, which led to a greater role for him, and he went on to become one of the best defensive players to ever suit up for the Broncos.
In 12 seasons. Mecklenburg had 1,118 total tackles, 79 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, and five interceptions. He was named to six Pro Bowls and received first-team All-Pro honors three times.
Mecklenburg had a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career, but now awaits consideration from the seniors committee for that honor.
No. 78 (Tie): Matt Lepsis | OT
A pair of offensive tackles share this honor. The first one scored the highest in PFR AV and had a quality career with the team.
Lepsis went undrafted and joined the Broncos for the 1998 season, in which he served as a backup tackle. In 1999, he became the Broncos starting right tackle and played there for five seasons.
In 2004, Lepsis switched to the left side and played 16 games in three of the next four seasons. (He missed 10 games in 2006 because of injuries.) Lepsis retired after the 2007 season, at which point his replacement came along.
No. 78 (Tie): Ryan Clady | OT
A first-round pick in 2008, Clady would become a key player for the Broncos for the next five seasons. He started all 16 games as a rookie but was snubbed for the Pro Bowl, though he was named to the 2008 NFL All-Rookie team after allowing just a half-sack in pass protection.
In 2009, Clady again started all 16 games and, this time got Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors. He would go on to start all 16 games in the 2010 to 2012 seasons, earning two more Pro Bowl berths and another first-team All-Pro honor.
Clady played in just two games in 2013 before injuries ended his season. He returned in 2014, started 16 games, and went to the Pro Bowl, but a torn ACL cost him his 2015 season. The Broncos traded Clady to the New York Jets in 2016, and he played in nine games for them before retiring.
No. 79: Barney Chavous | DE
We already mentioned Alzado, who was a dominant force for the Broncos. But the same could be said for the defensive end who played opposite him — and he was a player that remained a force after Alzado was traded.
Chavous, a second-round pick in 1973, started at defensive tackle as a rookie, then moved to defensive end in 1974. He went on to start 178 games in 13 seasons with the Broncos.
Chavous finished his career with 75 sacks and was a consistent presence on the defensive line. He is tied with Tom Jackson for the third-most career starts in Broncos history.
Our next installment will cover numbers 80 to 89. In the meantime, be sure to check out 0-9, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69.
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