Denver Broncos: 7 exciting things to look forward to after the bye

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DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 16: Tim Patrick #81 of the Denver Broncos runs with the ball after making a reception against the Oakland Raiders at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on September 16, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

2. WR Tim Patrick returning

If you’re a fan of any of the 31 other teams, you may not react very strongly to the return of Tim Patrick off of IR for the Broncos.

After all, this is a guy with 23 career receptions, one touchdown, and only 17 career games played with a lengthy injury history dating back to college.

But Patrick is an improving, ascending player who could very well be the Broncos’ WR2 going forward, and these final seven games will be his audition.

Patrick is 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, and while he’s not known for his blazing speed, he’s got excellent build-up speed with his long strides. He also has a huge catch radius and gives the quarterback plenty of room for error.

He didn’t have any catches in the Broncos’ first game of 2019 before breaking his hand and getting placed on injured reserve, but with Emmanuel Sanders off to greener pastures in San Francisco, Patrick will undoubtedly see some targets and get the chance to make some plays.

The Broncos would be wise to spread the ball out upon his return and see if they can’t use the size they have on the outside to win contested-catch situations.

Denver desperately needs a spark at the receiver position outside of Courtland Sutton, and Patrick has the playmaking skills to be just that.

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