Broncos still ranked in last tier of AFC hierarchy
The Denver Broncos may have made some moves this offseason, but people still aren't sold on them being a better team than they were last year, even after getting a Super Bowl-winning head coach. Let's face it, last year we were a bottom-five team in the league, which is why they had a top-five pick […]
The Denver Broncos may have made some moves this offseason, but people still aren't sold on them being a better team than they were last year, even after getting a Super Bowl-winning head coach.
Let's face it, last year we were a bottom-five team in the league, which is why they had a top-five pick before trading it away. This team was awful last year.
But, they made some moves that on paper you would think make them better. I mean, there is no way but up, right? One NFL analyst seems to think the Broncos are still in the bottom tier of the AFC hierarchy.
Before Broncos fans fax us a few thousand copies of Sean Payton's résumé, specifically the part where he inherited a 3-13 team from 2005 and turned it into an NFC title game participant in Year 1 … we hear you. Truly. He's an elite coach. But the situations are not nearly as congruous as they might seem at first blush. The AFC West remains a bear as long as Mahomes and Herbert are in the division, which is a tougher road now than Payton faced when he came into the NFC South 17 years ago. The Russell Wilson reclamation project is also a hurdle, and though the Broncos appear to be buttressing the 34-year-old QB this offseason with a number of offensive signings, what we saw last year can't really be memory-holed. The Broncos might be stronger right now than the other teams listed beside them. But Denver doesn't have a draft selection before No. 67 overall. The Colts and Texans are currently scheduled to draft a combined six times before the Broncos make their first pick of 2023.
The Broncos got better. So, I don't really agree with this. Do I think that they will be competing for the playoffs? No. But, I do think they are a team that is much better than the other teams listed in the bottom tier like Houston and Indianapolis. They addressed needs all over the roster, but more importantly on the offensive line.
