NFL.com predicts A.J. Bouye to be most-improved player on Broncos in 2020
Will new scenery help Denver Broncos cornerback A.J. Bouye have a better season in 2020?
The Denver Broncos added several pieces to their starting defense this offseason. One of those came via a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars when they sent a fourth-round pick for cornerback A.J. Bouye.
Bouye arrives west to the Broncos from down south from a struggling team in the Jaguars. It was one of those situations where the player just needed to find a new home to help continue to make the most out of his career.
Cynthia Frelund of NFL.com took a player from each who she thinks will be the most-improved. In her explanation as to why she chose Bouye, Frelund acknowledges Denver’s defense being more superior to Jacksonville’s, therefore, better success for the cornerback.
"Bouye, acquired in a trade with the Jaguars this offseason, allowed a 103.8 passer rating last season, which was more than double his average from the previous two seasons (51.9), per PFF. My model forecasts Bouye’s production to look a lot more like his 2017 and 2018 output due, in part, to the net effect of playing in a better defense that features perennial Pro Bowler Von Miller and franchise-tag recipient Justin Simmons."
The presence of other Pro Bowl defenders certainly helps Bouye’s case for being a most-improved candidate. The success of each level on a defense creates a chain reaction where, if one level does its job properly, the other levels are likely to have the most success they can.
That is where pass rushers such as Von Miller and Bradley Chubb come in. Both pass rushers have had tremendous success in the league (even if Chubb has only played 20 of a possible 32 regular season games. The expectation is that Chubb will be like his old self in 2020.
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A fresh start is bound to help Bouye get back on his feet and stay there. With him becoming the team’s number one cornerback, is there pressure on him? He said two months ago that there wasn’t, as he came into Denver to replace Chris Harris Jr. Bouye should be fine.