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Denver Broncos: Ranking every WR ever drafted in second round

By Travis Wakeman

ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 24: Eddie Royal #19 of the Denver Broncos runs back a kickoff against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium on December 24, 2011 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo won 40-14. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 24: Eddie Royal #19 of the Denver Broncos runs back a kickoff against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium on December 24, 2011 in Orchard Park, New York. Buffalo won 40-14. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – JANUARY 01: Eddie Royal #19 of the Denver Broncos advances the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 1, 2012, in Denver, Colorado. The Chiefs defeated the Broncos 7-3 as the Broncos advanced to the AFC playoffs. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – JANUARY 01: Eddie Royal #19 of the Denver Broncos advances the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 1, 2012, in Denver, Colorado. The Chiefs defeated the Broncos 7-3 as the Broncos advanced to the AFC playoffs. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

WR. Virginia Tech. 2. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 847. EddieRoyal. player

2008

The Broncos took Eddie Royal with the No. 42 overall pick of the 2008 draft and he was a perfect fit for the offense. As a rookie, he caught 91 passes. To this day, that is the second-most receptions in a season by a rookie in NFL history.

If he stayed on that pace throughout his career, he would have gone down as one of the best players in Broncos history and easily be No.1 on this list. But his production never again approached what he did as a rookie.

Royal was still an effective player for the team, catching 115 passes over the next three seasons, but that wasn’t enough to convince the organization to keep him around. He became an unrestricted free agent following the 2011 season and was scooped up by the rival San Diego Chargers.

He was solid for them as well and posted a career-high eight touchdown receptions in 2013.

But it’s hard not to wonder how much more Royal would have done in Denver if circumstances were different. In 2008, he and Jay Cutler formed a terrific combination. It was Cutler who Royal caught 91 passes from.

But when the team hired Josh McDaniels as its coach in 2009, he moved on from Cutler by trading him to the Chicago Bears. In that exchange, the Broncos received Kyle Orton and he and Royal just didn’t have the same kind of chemistry.

Royal finished his career in Chicago with Cutler.

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