Broncos Draft: Syracuse offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron
The Denver Broncos can still get one of their biggest needs for a great price, even after losing their draft picks from the Sean Payton trade.
The Denver Broncos still have a ton of roster issues that need to be fixed, and not a whole lot of draft picks to fix them. Sure, getting Sean Payton was crucial, but getting him doesn't fix all of the issues this team had.
However, one of their biggest issues can still be fixed, even though they don't have a pick until the third round. It's safe to say the Broncos need help on the offensive line, where they allowed Russell Wilson to be sacked 55 times last season, tied with Justin Fields for the most in the league.
Not to mention guys like Dalton Risner will likely not be coming back unless the Broncos want to pay the man big bucks for what could be average production.
So, the quick fix to that is targeting offensive line in the draft, where even at pick 67 they can get a guy who can produce right away. Matthew Bergeron, an offensive lineman from Syracuse, is that guy.
Here is what Pro Football Focus thinks of Bergeron:
Bergeron plays within himself consistently. It’s why even when he loses, he’s usually still hanging on for dear life and it rarely looks ugly. Bergeron has played both sides of the line in his career and has all the tools to stay at tackle. A move to guard doesn’t seem like it would improve his performance. His steadiness is his calling card, but we would love to see Bergeron get a little more violent and take the fight to the defenders.
Bergeron was barely a top-900 recruit in the 2019 class, but he played 403 snaps as a backup tackle during his true freshman season before taking over as a starter as a sophomore. Against some very talented ACC edge defenders this past season, Bergeron earned an impressive 80.9 pass-blocking grade. He still needs to improve his balance as a run blocker, as evidenced by his 69.0 run-blocking grade. His anchor as a pass protector will be what gets him drafted in the first few rounds.
The 6'5" offensive lineman played all but five of his snaps at left tackle, but that doesn't mean he can't play the other positions if needed. His technique is sound and solid and his game is obviously pro-ready.
If the Broncos could snag Bergeron, the 54th-ranked player could help the Broncos out a ton, but, he has to be available at 67, which there is a huge chance he will be. Not every team ahead of the Broncos is going to need an offensive tackle, and there are five others that are ranked higher than Bergeron.
If they could get him though, that would be an amazing start to trying to build an offensive line that can take care of Wilson.
You can read the rest of Bergeron's report by PFF here.
Featured Image Via Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
