Broncos talent-laden roster is going to make for tough decisions

Aug 26, 2024, 9:52 AM | Updated: 9:52 am

Denver Sports Analyst

The Denver Broncos looked sharp in their final preseason game. Things looked easy against the Arizona Cardinals, and the Broncos played like a well-oiled machine.

I like when the preseason has wrapped up. In two weeks, the Broncos will open the regular season on the road with Bo Nix starting at quarterback!

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep Wrangler TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Clearly Talent is There

I don’t want to be Broncos HC Sean Payton or GM George Paton this week. The front office and the coaching staff will be making decisions on the construct of the roster with the cut-down day deadline coming up on Tuesday afternoon. The difficulty in creating a 53-man roster and a practice squad is higher here than other teams because of the talent they have.

These tough decisions are created because of the players they’ve added through various ways this offseason. The Broncos are seen by national outlets as a team that lacks talent, and Las Vegas has their over/under win total at 5.5 wins. For anyone who knows football, both seem outlandish.

The Broncos have talent, but they have unknown talent. That’s why their roster is much better than national outlets will give them credit for. Now, not every position is crammed with talent – and they do have some depth issues that are a concern (offensive line, defensive secondary). However, deciding how many wide receivers, running backs, and pass-rushers to keep is going to be a headache. It’s a problem because they have talent overflowing at those positions – and others.

The Broncos are a lot more talented than the national media gives them credit for… They have talent. It’s just not name value talent. I don’t know what the record will be, but I’m hammering the over.

— Mark Schlereth (@markschlereth) August 25, 2024

Not every position is chock-full of talent. However, there are many players who would be great on the 53-man roster – or the practice squad – who will not make the team because there’s not enough room. I’m also curious to see how many players the Broncos lose to other teams if they try to sneak someone to the practice squad.

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Catching On

Rookie RB Audric Estime is quickly becoming a fan favorite. Broncos fans were excited about the Notre Dame back when the Broncos picked him up on Day 3 of the 2024 NFL draft. Anytime you have a power player who makes highlight plays by running over defenders, fans are going to appreciate his game – like they do Javonte Williams.

There is no doubt that Estime is a power player. Running over people is the hallmark of his game. However, that’s not the only club in his bag. In fact, I think Estime could be a more well-rounded player than some give him credit for. During training camp it has become obvious watching practice that he catches the ball better than he got credit for coming out of college.

Estime does a good job of looking passes into his hands, and I like the way he tucks the ball away quickly after the catch. Although he’s known as a powerful runner, Estime can be trusted as a receiver out of the backfield. If he continues to prove himself in pass protection, Estime can be a three-down player.

it's been clear this entire #BroncosCamp that rookie RB Audric Estime is a better receiver than some thought coming out of college. @DenSports1043

— Cecil Lammey (@CecilLammey) August 25, 2024

Jaleel McLaughlin is likely to be the leading receiver out of the backfield, and Williams is the starter – and he’s the clear-cut lead for first- and second-down touches. However, if he gets a chance, Estime has the well-rounded skill set to prove that he can be a three-down player – and a damn good one – for the Broncos.

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Play the Matchups at QB2

Everyone was focused on the quarterback competition in the preseason finale. It’s the lead story from the game, and now it seems more concrete than ever that the Broncos are going to keep all three quarterbacks on the roster.

So, what do they do with Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson. They’ve named Bo Nix the starter, and I believe he should start the whole season. Who is the backup? Stidham may seem like the best option to be the no.2 quarterback because he’s a steady player. Wilson may seem like the best option to be the no.3 quarterback because he’s still going through ‘football rehab’ with Payton.

However, playing the matchups with the backups could be the best plan. Stidham is steady, and he many not lose you a game if the opponent is somewhat limited. Wilson is a wild card, and he’s going to make some boneheaded plays. However, he might be the better option when you need a ‘Hail Mary’ type of player in a tougher matchup.

The Broncos shouldn't name a #2 QB. Play the match ups. If Bo goes down in a game vs a high powered offense and they're trailing, play Zach Wilson. If it's a game you're leading vs a lame offense play Stidham to manage it https://t.co/mFlhMlBBwL

— Chad Andrus (@chadandrus) August 25, 2024

Payton isn’t going to be stuck with one backup if he feels that playing the matchups is a better plan. Stidham is likely to be the primary backup to Nix, but Wilson may get a chance if the matchup is right.

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Coulda Been Better

I’m a big fan of Moon Knight. The Marvel Comics character is often seen as a ripoff of DC Comics’ Batman, but that’s not entirely the case. Marc Spector (Moon Knight) has multiple personalities, so his character is much different depending on which perspective the reader gets to see. That’s why I was so excited when actor Oscar Isaac was tabbed to play Spector on Disney Plus.

Moon Knight season one could have been better. I thought Isaac did a great job playing the tormented lead character, but the writing was sporatic and the show didn’t ‘hit’ with audiences the way I wanted it to. In fact, the show is a bit of a convoluted mess. They rushed the story at times, and I feel they left out many parts of the character.

That’s why I was surprised when reports surfaced last week that season two of Moon Knight has been green lit by Disney. The MCU failed to impress with most of their streaming shows outside of Loki. Fans didn’t seem as receptive to Moon Knight, although some Marvel ‘fan boys’ raved about the show. I’m not an MCU fan boy, but as a huge fan of the character, I want to see more – but I want to see it better executed by the writers.