Five moves the Broncos could regret not making this offseason
May 9, 2019, 9:35 AM
Live a life without regrets. It’s an old saying you see on t-shirts, bumper stickers, tattoos (hopefully not misspelled “No Regerts”) and I’m sure you’ve heard it plenty of times before.
It’s a mantra the Denver Broncos move forward with as they conduct business out of UC Health Training Center. They have made multiple moves this offseason – trading for players, releasing players, picking up free agents and drafting players to put together what they hope is the best roster possible for the 2019 season.
However, they are not perfect. No team is. But the Broncos are not in a situation coming off back-to-back losing seasons where they can get a whole lot wrong if they want to compete and push for a wild card spot.
Here are five moves the Broncos could regret not making this offseason:
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5. Bringing back C.J. Anderson
Yes, I know, cue a bunch of “C.J. is your boy” comments, but hear me out. The Broncos have a need for improved depth at the running back position – depth that C.J. Anderson could willingly provide.
Anderson showed well last year with the Rams as they made their way to the Super Bowl. His play was key down the stretch over the final few games of the regular season with starter Todd Gurley battling a knee injury. Just like he did with the Broncos for years, Anderson proved to be critical late in the season and in the playoffs.
The Rams let Anderson hit the open market this offseason and it was the Lions who saw plenty of value in the addition of the veteran back. In Detroit, Anderson will push second-year pro Kerryon Johnson for the starting job and should provide the team with a quality reserve player at the very least.
Denver doesn’t need a starter, but they need better depth.
I’ve talked to Anderson about Broncos starting running back Phillip Lindsay and he loves the young runner. Anderson has told me in the past that he would have loved to be in a backfield with Lindsay. Both undrafted free agent gems found by the Broncos, Lindsay and Anderson would’ve a nice 1-2 punch for the Broncos in 2018 – and that could’ve worked in 2019.
This year, Denver has Lindsay as their lead back and we should see a larger role for Royce Freeman. Those two at the top of the depth chart give the Broncos a dynamic duo at the running back position, but take a look at what’s behind them.
Devontae Booker is still here taking up a roster spot. He struggles to stay healthy and has not looked that impressive when he does get onto the field.
You can easily reach the conclusion that Anderson would at least be an upgrade over Booker. Behind Booker, the Broncos don’t have much except for Khalfani Muhammad and undrafted rookie Devontae Jackson – both around 175 pounds each.
They say you can never go home, but it would’ve been nice to bring Anderson back to the Mile High City to bring some size, experience and more heart to the backfield.
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4. Re-signing Shane Ray and moving him to inside linebacker
Things fell apart with 2015 first-round pick Shane Ray. First, his body fell apart, as Ray battled several injuries during the course of his Broncos career. Second, the relationship he had with the former coaching staff fell apart for some reason, and that’s why Ray was a healthy scratch over the final month of the 2018 regular season.
It would’ve been nice to keep Ray around in 2019, but not as an outside linebacker.
Ray is fast, physical, has a nose for the ball and is known as a sound tackler. Those are traits that would’ve fit perfectly at inside linebacker for the Broncos. Imagine what new head coach Vic Fangio could do with the raw tools of a player like Ray.
Yes, his body breaking down would be a concern playing on the inside, where the contact is constant. But I wonder if the team could’ve convinced him to change positions.
It’s not like Ray would cost an arm and a leg, either. The Broncos could still sign him in fact, as Ray has yet to be picked up by any team out there. The Seahawks, Raiders and Colts have shown interest in Ray – likely as a pass rusher.
I’m actually surprised the Chiefs haven’t shown interest in Ray, but they have moved on from pass rushers like Dee Ford this offseason as they move to a 4-3 scheme. Ray hasn’t found a new team yet, and is unlikely to come back to the Broncos as an inside or outside linebacker.
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3. Keeping Matt Paradis
The Broncos don’t know who their starting center is going to be yet in 2019. We are on the verge of rookie minicamp and OTAs, plus training camp will be here before you know it. It’s kind of scary to think that the team’s quarterback of the offensive line has yet to be set.
That could’ve all been solved if the team had wanted to keep around Paradis.
A sixth-round pick out of Boise State in 2014, Paradis was a rock-solid starter for the Broncos for four seasons (2015-18). He was a warrior who played through double hip injuries in 2017, but Paradis saw his 2018 season cut short by a lower-leg injury and he was limited to just nine games.
The broken right fibula may have scared off the Broncos. Sources tell me there were a couple of low-ball offers for Paradis from the Broncos, but prices weren’t in the same ballpark of what the center wanted.
The Panthers ended up gladly signing Paradis to a three-year, $27 million deal in early March. The contract pays him $9 million annually, a price tag less than what Mitch Morse ($11 million annually) got from the Bills on the open market.
Paradis wasn’t cheap, but it’s not like he broke the bank, either. Now, reports are coming out that Paradis will be ready for the Panthers by summer and they had no issues with his leg injury or recovery process. If the Broncos don’t get quality play from Connor McGovern, Sam Jones or whoever is going to start at center, it’s going to look bad in hindsight.
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2. Sticking with Shaq Barrett
The Broncos could’ve kept Shaq Barrett after all. The undrafted free agent out of Colorado State in 2014 was quite the find for the Broncos. In college, Barrett was a sack artist, what I call a “forced fumble specialist,” and a player known to block kicks. He brought all of those skill sets with him to the pro level and was a quality reserve for the Broncos for years.
Sure, Barrett likely wanted a larger responsibility on defense and that may be why he ended up leaving this offseason. That’s nice in theory, but that’s not what Barrett got when he signed with the Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay only signed him to a one-year, $5 million contract.
He may have a bit of a larger role in Todd Bowles’ 3-4 defense with the Bucs, but it’s not like they committed to him long term. Barrett could have a really strong year in 2019 and then he’ll hit the open market again.
It seems like Denver could’ve given him more long-term security and not had to give up the farm in the process.
As I’ve pointed out before, the Broncos need better depth at pass rusher. Behind Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, the team is seriously lacking.
Sure, guys like Jeff Holland (who I’ve compared favorably to Barrett) are nice, but it would be even better to have a horde of pass rushers to turn to if injuries strike on the depth chart.
The Broncos want to play great defense in 2019, and they’re poised to do just that. However, it would’ve helped greatly to have a player like Barrett as a rotational player with great experience and skill. Instead, the Broncos have unproven players to turn to behind their superstar duo of Miller and Chubb.
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1. Drafting Devin Bush
I believe in Noah Fant’s ability. When I say the Broncos could regret not drafting Devin Bush, it has little to do with Fant, although the two players will be tied together for their pro careers because of what transpired during the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Broncos earned the No. 10 overall pick in the draft and when the time was winding down to make the pick in the first round, they ended up trading with the Steelers.
Pittsburgh moved up for Bush, while the Broncos moved back to No. 20 and were happy to select Fant. It’s a move that could sting if Bush turns into the next great Steelers linebacker.
