Broncos' Position Groups: Rankings & Grades Ahead Of Playoff Debut

The Denver Broncos are getting fresh to return connected nan Buffalo Bills successful nan Divisional Round of nan playoffs aft earning a first-round bye. This rematch is simply a chance for nan Broncos to nonstop immoderate revenge connected nan Bills for ending their play successful nan Wildcard Round past year.

As we await this heavyweight bout, we're looking backmost astatine nan play to gauge wherever nan Broncos tin amended for nan playoffs. 

Today, we're grading and ranking nan Broncos' position groups, highlighting what each did well, and discussing wherever they request to amended successful nan playoffs. Let’s get into it. 

Interior Defensive Line

The Broncos' interior protect statement was an outstanding portion this season, moreover arsenic D.J. Jones, John Franklin-Myers, and Malcolm Roach each missed time. Zach Allen and institution were reliable for opposing violative lines to handle, and these Broncos put together a awesome twelvemonth arsenic walk rushers and tally defenders. 

There isn’t a batch nan Broncos' D-line tin do amended successful nan playoffs than it did successful nan regular season, extracurricular of uncovering moreover much consistency. The portion had its down moments arsenic some tally defenders and walk rushers, and eliminating those could thief transportation nan Broncos to different championship. 

Rank: 1st

Outside Linebackers

If it weren’t for immoderate late-season hiccups and issues, this position group would astir apt get an A and rank astatine nan top, but nan problems are difficult to ignore. The portion was awesome astatine getting aft nan quarterback, and its extent went unmatched arsenic Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, and moreover Que Robinson stepped up erstwhile needed. 

Where they request to amended is successful rush-lane discipline, which became a large rumor precocious successful nan season. That deficiency of subject would let quarterbacks to widen plays, either for important gains done nan aerial aliases connected nan ground. Jonathon Cooper is chiefly responsible, but everyone had their moments here. 

Rank: 2nd (Tied)

Safety

Talanoa Hufanga carries this room, arsenic he is specified a disruptive force. Brandon Jones had immoderate issues, but he wasn’t a liability.

P.J. Locke and Devon Key played good erstwhile they had to measurement successful for Jones. Unfortunately, Jones appears to beryllium done for nan season pinch nan pectoral wounded he suffered successful Week 15.  

Where this portion needs to amended is tackling and shot skills. The information tackling was inconsistent crossed nan team, and nan Broncos can’t support allowing yardage to leak.

As for shot skills, nan deficiency of takeaways is an issue, particularly erstwhile you watch truthful galore passes deed their hands only to autumn incomplete. 

Rank: 2nd (Tied)

Offensive Line 

This portion did a bully occupation each season. Still, nan O-line decidedly had its down moments, particularly fixed nan injuries they've had to woody with. Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz person been nan stalwarts of nan units, earning Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors, but nan Broncos request everyone connected their A-game for a Super Bowl run. 

The O-line's biggest rumor was nan deficiency of consistency, particularly pinch its tally blocking. In nan playoffs, you request that tally crippled to beryllium capable to grind retired games, truthful nan Broncos person to fig retired their issues and show they tin excel arsenic overmuch arsenic a run-blocking portion arsenic they do arsenic pass-blockers

Rank: 4th (Tied)

Cornerback

Ja’Quan McMillian has had a bully season, and Patrick Surtain II started rough, but he sewage things figured retired and, successful immoderate ways, had a amended twelvemonth than he did during his Defensive Player of nan Year run. However, Riley Moss has been an rumor not only pinch penalties but besides pinch getting mislaid successful sum complete nan past fewer weeks, and Jahdae Barron has been hit-or-miss. 

The astir important area nan Broncos request to amended is getting Moss to play well, but besides eliminating immoderate miscommunications successful their coverage. A batch of those issues impact Moss often making mistakes, starring to aggregate large plays complete nan past fewer weeks of nan season. 

Rank: 4th (Tied)

Special Teams

The Broncos' typical teams portion was unspeakable to commencement nan season, but it sewage things figured retired and ended nan play arsenic 1 of nan team's champion units. Wil Lutz and Jeremy Crawshaw brought stableness arsenic specialists, while nan return crippled and sum units took monolithic strides. 

As nan Broncos push for a Super Bowl, they request to move those adjacent calls into large plays. Marvin Mims Jr. has been adjacent to breaking aggregate important returns, and nan Broncos person been adjacent to blocking a fewer punts. If they tin move those into nan large plays, this portion could bust done to nan adjacent level.

Rank: 6th

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Wide Receiver

Denver has struggled to find a accordant No. 2 receiver to complement Courtland Sutton, moreover though Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant person had their moments. Mims being radiated successful arsenic a playmaker tin make this a vulnerable unit.

However, to go genuinely dangerous, these Broncos request to find consistency successful making plays, their hands, and way running. Everything astir this portion could beryllium acold much accordant than it has been this season. 

Rank: 7th

Quarterback

The commencement of nan play wasn’t awesome for Bo Nix, but successful aggregate games, he was unspeakable extracurricular of nan 4th quarter. However, he quickly settled down and started playing great, but location are still 2 awesome concerns pinch his game. 

Nix has immoderate bad habits successful really he handles pressure, starring to issues and panic moreover erstwhile location isn’t immoderate pressure. He besides has problem moving nan middle-to-intermediate area of nan field, wherever galore playoff teams struggle to defend. 

These are areas nan Bills will beryllium keying into, and nan onus is connected Nix to show betterment and make them pay.

Rank: 8th

Linebacker

Justin Strnad has been playing great, while Alex Singleton is showing his prowess arsenic a tally defender, moreover arsenic nan Broncos screen his issues successful coverage. However, Dre Greenlaw has struggled to enactment connected nan field, and erstwhile he has been healthy, his play hasn’t been astatine nan level expected. 

Denver needs to find a measurement to debar specified a glaring weakness successful sum from its linebackers, and it starts pinch Greenlaw gathering expectations. If nan Broncos tin get that corrected without having to consistently shadiness their sum to compensate for nan linebackers' issues, this defense could scope different level. 

Rank: 9th

Running Back

The wounded to J.K. Dobbins derailed things, arsenic RJ Harvey has not shown consistency arsenic a runner to beryllium nan apical back. Jaleel McLaughlin is showing signs of life, while Tyler Badie yet made immoderate plays successful nan play finale. But arsenic things guidelines now, only Harvey should beryllium guaranteed a spot connected nan roster adjacent year. 

Denver has struggled to create a crushed onslaught tin of taking unit disconnected nan passing game, and a batch of that falls connected Harvey. The blocking has been problematic arsenic well, but Harvey is consistently looking for nan large play and spending excessively overmuch clip down nan statement of scrimmage. 

Rank: 10th

Tight End

Evan Engram has been a bust signing owed to nan deficiency of playmaking successful nan passing game, and he offers thing arsenic a blocker. Nate Adkins has dealt pinch a knee wounded for overmuch of nan season, while Adam Trautman has been arsenic inconsistent arsenic it gets. 

In truthful galore ways, Denver needs betterment retired of this room. Adkins needs to enactment patient and support playing astatine his level arsenic a blocker, while Trautman needs to find consistency. The Broncos past request Engram to go a much viable limb successful nan passing crippled than he has been. 

Rank: 11th

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