Denver Broncos 2020 New Year’s offseason wish list
2020 Free Agency — Defense
Re-sign S Justin Simmons
This is self-explanatory. Simmons was probably the Broncos’ best draft pick from 2013-2017. He’s a building block for this franchise and a star both on and off the field.
Sign Titans CB Logan Ryan
With the recent news that Chris Harris Jr. turned down a two-year extension from the Broncos at the trade deadline worth $12 million annually, you have to wonder where the Broncos are at with bringing him back.
I’d still love to see it, but a lot of that is sentimental as Harris is a Ring of Fame Bronco and a legendary player for this franchise. Sometimes things just don’t work out, though.
Although I hope Harris and the Broncos can work something out, I’m skeptical of it at this point and I think this year’s class of free-agent cornerbacks is stellar.
Many on Twitter have been suggesting Dallas Cowboys free agent Byron Jones, who would be an excellent option as an athletic, physical player who could take Harris’ spot in the nickel as well as play outside and play some safety.
With that said, I think Logan Ryan may be one of the best fits available in free agency for the Broncos. He’s as physical as you will find at the cornerback position, and he’s been productive now both for New England and Tennessee.
This season, he is having a career year with 113 total tackles, four tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 8.0 quarterback hits, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, and a whopping 18 pass breakups.
He’s a stud, and could probably line up wherever the Broncos need him to in their defense. He’s also going to be 29 this year compared to Harris who will be 31.
Re-sign DL Derek Wolfe
This is going to be an interesting situation. Wolfe will probably get a solid deal on the open market but he’s only got one 16-game slate on his record in the last five years. He’s got a long list of injuries and part of me wonders if he won’t take a bit of a team-friendly deal for that reason.
He has stated he wants to play his whole career for Denver, and I hope we see that happen. Wolfe was balling this season with a career-high 7.0 sacks in just 12 games.
Sign Giants DL Leonard Williams
The Broncos have a number of options on the defensive line in free agency, but one player I’m really fond of us former Jets first-round pick Leonard Williams.
Prior to this past season, Williams was racking up quarterback hits at an incredibly high rate, averaging more than 20 per year. The top two players on the defensive line in free agency this year in the QB hit department are Robert Quinn, an edge player, with 24, and Chris Jones, a defensive MVP candidate, with 20.
Williams entered the league in 2015 and averages 20 QB hits per 16 games.
Imagine having that kind of consistency on the defensive line along with Wolfe coming back and Von Miller/Bradley Chubb off the edge.
Williams is also only 25.
These moves would give the Broncos a projected lineup in 2020 of:
DE: Derek Wolfe
NT: Mike Purcell
DE: Leonard Williams
LOLB: Von Miller
ROLB: Bradley Chubb
ILB: Alexander Johnson
ILB: Todd Davis
FS: Justin Simmons
SS: Kareem Jackson
CB: Logan Ryan
CB: Bryce Callahan
And that’s without getting to the 2020 NFL Draft.