Post-Draft Power Rankings: Denver Broncos underestimated again

NFL.com’s Elliot Harrison provides early 2019 Power Rankings. The Denver Broncos have been overlooked once again.

The Denver Broncos are no strangers of being underestimated.

In a post-draft power rankings column, NFL Network’s Elliot Harrison has placed the Denver Broncos last among all of the AFC West, and 14th out of 16 AFC teams. They are ranked 26th in the entire league.

Frankly, I disagree with the placement of the Broncos in his power rankings. Here is his explanation:

"“The Broncos seriously improved their football team early Friday evening. No longer will offensive line be a sore spot for John Elway, as the team added a physical player who can play multiple spots up front in Dalton Risner (No. 41 overall), then swung around to get quarterback help — otherwise known as Joe Flacco insurance — in Drew Lock with the very next pick in the draft. There were analysts, including scouting emperor Gil Brandt, who felt he was one of the top QBs in the draft. It sounded like Flacco would be irritated if Denver took a quarterback in the draft. Nobody cares if you’re mad, bro.”— Elliot Harrison, NFL Network"

Here is what doesn’t make sense: Harrison says some really good things about the Broncos’ 2019 NFL Draft,  such as adding offensive lineman Dalton Risner. The offensive line is much improved on paper.

However, the Broncos are ranked 25th? That does not make sense to me at all. This is Denver’s second consecutive really good draft. There are going to be some picks that will make an immediate impact and some that are going to take some time (like Drew Lock).

The thing that confuses me the most is how the Oakland Raiders potentially made some questionable picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, and yet they are ranked three spots higher than the Broncos.

The Broncos should see a lot of improvement on both sides of the ball, with the return of young stars Phillip Lindsay, Courtland Sutton, and Bradley Chubb, among others.

Yes, the team is starting new with a first-time head coach and yet another new starting quarterback, but there is a lot of potential in the young players the Broncos have.

The coaching staff is new and (hopefully) improved from the last two seasons under Vance Joseph and his staff. Vic Fangio has been around a long time and should be able to make good things happen.

I understand power rankings don’t mean a whole lot, especially this early, but it is disappointing (and not surprising) that the Denver Broncos are being underestimated again.