Broncos depth chart battle: KJ Hamler vs. DaeSean Hamilton
Denver Broncos depth chart battle: KJ Hamler vs. DaeSean Hamilton.
The Denver Broncos made two very exciting moves to open the 2020 NFL Draft when they selected wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler with back-to-back picks.
Jeudy’s role on the team should be obvious — he will be the number two receiver to open the season barring something unexpected.
Behind Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy, however, the Broncos’ wide receiver depth chart seems to be pretty much up for grabs, provided the top four involves fellow 2020 draft choice KJ Hamler out of Penn State.
The Broncos’ no. 2 receiver down the stretch last season with Drew Lock throwing passes was DaeSean Hamilton, who was targeted 24 times in the final five games of 2019.
Hamilton is entering his third NFL season and because of his experience as a pro, he shouldn’t be counted out just yet for the 2020 season, in my opinion.
With that said, the drafting of Hamler certainly puts Hamilton’s spot on the depth chart as the number one slot receiver in jeopardy.
Broncos 2019 snap counts at wide receiver
- 1. Courtland Sutton, 933
- 2. DaeSean Hamilton, 653
- 3. Emmanuel Sanders, 355 (traded in-season)
- 4. Tim Patrick, 287
- 5. Fred Brown, 100
No other receivers played 100 or more snaps for the Broncos last season, but that list right there shows you exactly why the Broncos went out and used their top two selections in the 2020 NFL Draft on the wide receiver position.
This unit lacked reliability and depth beyond Courtland Sutton, though Hamilton provided a solid slot option for Drew Lock down the stretch and Tim Patrick had some brilliant moments.
With that said, the Broncos’ offense was missing an element of speed at wide receiver, at least speed that could actually threaten the deep part of the field.
After the trade of Emmanuel Sanders, life became even more difficult for Courtland Sutton, whose 2019 campaign is more and more impressive every time you watch through it. He can probably count on one hand the opportunities he got in single coverage.
The additions of Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler alleviate that.
Not only will Jeudy be on the field a lot, but the Broncos will likely use a lot more ’11’ personnel (one back, one tight end, three receivers) compared to last year with Rich Scangarello as the offensive coordinator.
With that being the case, there are a number of teams throughout the league who have had tremendous success in 11 personnel with a young quarterback and young receivers. Notably, of course, are teams like the Jaguars and Giants last year with Gardner Minshew and Daniel Jones, respectively.
Other teams whose offenses have taken off with this personnel grouping as their primary alignment with young quarterbacks include teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys.
Broncos fans are not used to seeing a lot of 11 personnel but this is something college offensive skill players are more used to than the 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends) or 21 (two backs, one tight end) West Coast system the Broncos have been utilizing since 2015.
Although that kind of offense can still be dynamic and have success in today’s NFL (see: Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, etc.) the Broncos are built to thrive in 11 personnel, and that can include both KJ Hamler and DaeSean Hamilton.
As far as the player who will open the season atop the depth chart? At this point, my guess is it will be Hamilton, but that may be a conservative guess based solely on seniority. Everything in me wants to say Hamler is going to win the job outright with his speed and big-play ability, but Hamilton is a pro and he’s going into the 2020 season with his back against the wall.
It wouldn’t surprise me if he was one of the most improved players on the team this year, giving the Broncos a stable of four players at wide receiver who could really make an impact in 2020.
Eventually, it would surprise no one if KJ Hamler sees more targets than Hamilton, but so much of that depends on how quickly Hamler acclimates to the speed and strength of NFL defensive backs in the slot.
Next. Early 2021 NFL Draft needs for the Broncos. dark
The Broncos were understandably very excited to get Hamler in the second round of the draft, and because of the investment they made in those two young receivers, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hamler as the primary slot receiver to open the season with Hamilton rotating in as the fourth guy.