NFL’s Power Rankings launch Broncos into top-10 after start of free agency

What a difference a month makes.

In the official NFL.com Power Rankings that came out after the Super Bowl, the Broncos were ranked No. 23 in the league entering 2022. Those were published on February 15 and Around The NFL writer Dan Hanzus had the following to say about Denver:

New offseason, same burning question for the Broncos. Who is the quarterback? A trade for Aaron Rodgers would be a seismic addition on the level of Peyton Manning a decade earlier, but that still feels like something of a pipe dream, even with former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett now in the big chair in Denver. At some point, the Broncos need to get this figured out. They’ve churned through offensive coordinators and head coaches with relentless intensity since their Super Bowl 50 win. It’s time to restore some stability to the game’s most important position.

Flash forward to today, March 22, and Hanzus dropped another edition of the Power Rankings after the first round of free agency. The Broncos, of course, landed Russell Wilson in a blockbuster deal to solve the QB issue and also added D.J. Jones and Randy Gregory in free agency. Hanzus noticed, and the Broncos shot up the Power Rankings all the way to No. 9 with the following description:

“Broncos Country: Let’s ride.” Russell Wilson has arrived with a new catch phrase and the promise to save the good people of Denver from QB purgatory. The opportunity to trade for a superstar quarterback is rare, so credit general manager George Paton for being aggressive and getting the deal done. The Broncos gave up multiple first-round picks to land their franchise quarterback, but the sting of the sticker price will dissipate when Wilson is playing like an MVP next fall. The Broncos went from pretender to contender overnight when they acquired Peyton Manning in the spring of 2012. A decade later, they pulled off the same trick.

While the specific improvements to the defense aren’t acknowledged, that has to be part of the justification for such a massive leap. Of course Wilson is the overwhelming reason, but don’t discount how much Jones and Gregory will improve Denver’s D. The only teams currently in front of the Broncos? The Bills, Rams, Chiefs, Bengals, Buccaneers, 49ers, Packers and Chargers.

That’s two AFC West teams and four from the AFC overall. Can we just flash forward to September? This season should be spicy.
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