Edge Rushers
It’s crazy to have written about the Broncos’ defensive line, and yet not mention any of the edge rushers yet.
The Broncos are so incredibly deep on the defensive front.
Obviously, the great Von Miller needs no introduction or explanation. He is a superstar.
The Broncos drafted Shane Ray in 2015 to be the heir apparent to DeMarcus Ware, and entering his third season last year, he looked like he was going to be that guy.
Then, he suffered a wrist injury that landed him on IR for half the season, and affected his play from that point forward.
It’s understandable why Ray wanted to get back on the field so quickly, but in all honesty, he probably should have taken the entire season to get right.
It seems like Broncos Country is split on Ray’s future with the team. To me, he’s a potential star that the team needs to continue investing in.
Many fans have created an unnecessary rivalry between Ray supporters and Shaq Barrett supporters.
Barrett has been a stellar edge defender for the Broncos since coming on as an undrafted free agent in 2014, and is in a contract year. This will likely be the last year the Broncos are able to have both or possibly either he or Ray.
For now, the Broncos have a very deep group of edge players, three of which are still on rookie contracts. The third player is 2018 first round pick Bradley Chubb.
The Broncos did not expect Chubb to be available to them with the fifth overall pick, and they may have come away with a major steal in round one of the draft, despite picking fifth.
Chubb is an excellent edge player who will play outside linebacker according to head coach Vance Joseph, and with his size profile (6-foot-4, 270 pounds), he looks a little bit like Jadeveon Clowney coming out of South Carolina.
The Broncos have enviable depth off the edge with those four players, but they are stacked behind those guys, even. Here are some other players to look out for:
Deiontrez Mount: The Broncos picked up Mount during the preseason last year, and he ended up on the active roster near the end of last season, and played well in the season finale where he got his most extensive snaps.
Marcus Rush: Former Michigan State star and preseason superstar who signed a future contract with the Broncos and can give them a lot of high effort off the edge.
Stansly Maponga: A fifth round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft out of TCU, Maponga is likely on his last chance to make an NFL roster in Denver.
Jeff Holland: The Broncos got a steal in undrafted free agent Jeff Holland, who had 9.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss along with four forced fumbles this past year at Auburn. His length and production off the edge could help him crack the opening day roster.