Denver Broncos: 6 cornerstone players key to the future

Six cornerstone players for the future of the Denver Broncos.

Turning around a franchise takes a core of cornerstone key players who provide leadership and great play. The Denver Broncos have a solid core building and are right on schedule to building a winner.

Most fans show little patience with their franchise, and rightfully so. Many organizations focus on finances and not the on-field product. That has never been the case in Denver, as the Broncos have always been committed to winning.

That commitment has oftentimes derailed rebuilding efforts as team decision-makers focus on trying to win throughout the next season instead of laying the groundwork for years to come. When the desire to win is shortsighted, it creates a sense of desperation, and the team jeopardizes the development of players and cultures for today’s goals.

Over the last several years, the team has begun to invest wisely in young talent and has invested wisely in key positions to build a winner long term. As the AFC West seems to be building solid programs throughout the division, a long-term winner should be John Elway and Co.’s goal.

Elway has amassed several young talented players in building the current team, and the plan seems to be right on track. Several of these players should be and must be apart of the core moving forward.

Here are the top six players who should be prioritized for the franchise’s next five seasons.

6. Noah Fant, TE

In most cases, tight ends are not the cornerstones of organizational success. In this case, Noah Fant is just that. He is at the core of this team and should be considered an intricate piece to its current and future success.

Fant is a complete offensive player. He competes in the run game and is adept at being at the point of attack or pinning down defenders leading to successful runs outside.

Fant’s size and speed make him a nightmare for defenses, similar to the AFC West’s tight-ends (Travis Kelce and Darren Waller). GM John Elway has seen what premier tight ends have done against this team and was wise to get a player with Fant’s talent to add to the Broncos offense.

Additionally, Fant is a big-bodied receiver capable of winning in the red-zone. This is an area the team has lacked playmakers for years.

Fant’s ability to win connected catches cannot be understated and should help the team score points for years to come.

This complete package tight-end should remain with the team for a decade-plus.

5. Jerry Jeudy, WR

A cornerstone receiver is needed in today’s NFL game, and Jerry Jeudy seems to be just that.

Jeudy continues to show his ability to create separation continues to make us all marvel. Mind you, this does not mean Courtland Sutton is not in the plans, but due to the contractual control of Jeudy and the recovery time for Sutton, there is a good chance that if the team had to pick one, Jeudy might be with the team longer than Sutton is.

Jeudy continues to impress and is on pace for 74 catches for 870 yards and 4 touchdowns. For a rookie playing with three different starting quarterbacks in a COVID-19 impacted season, there is a lot to love about his opening campaign.

Jeudy seems to always be open, and for a team developing a quarterback, that ability cannot be understated.

As the offense grows together, Jeudy’s impact should increase leaving the offense with a dynamic weapon for years to come.

4. Justin Simmons, S

A cornerstone at safety is not always a priority, but for this team, it absolutely should be.

Justin Simmons has been a key matchup for the Broncos in several games this year and significantly impacted the Broncos’ chances to win. Simmons is a perfect fit for what Broncos do, and his presence is essential to Vic Fangio’s defense.

Simmons continues to develop, which is delightful for Broncos fans and frightening to offenses around the league. Simmons has grown from a solid young player to an All-Pro.

Still just 27, Simmons has many years of elite play ahead of him, and the Broncos would be wise to lock him up to ensure the team has future success. There is no young player behind him, and his fellow safety, Kareem Jackson, has a non-guaranteed deal with a large-cap number.

Meaning, Jackson may be a player the team moves on from sooner rather than later.

So, a team with no safety experience with a zone-heavy scheme could be disastrous for the team’s ongoing success moving forward.

So, a five-year-deal for Simmons would fit perfectly for their window.

3. Bradley Chubb, OLB

As a cornerstone for the Denver Broncos, Bradley Chubb plays one of the most important positions in football. A top-flight edge rusher is tough to find and even harder to keep.

Chubb continues to rebound from his knee injury into a great player for the Denver defense.

Chubb has 6.5 sacks so far this season and seems to be hitting his stride. The 24-year-old should continue to get better.

https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1330653739972059137

Chubb’s size and physicality should help him age well as he continues to refine his technique, ensuring he remains an impactful defender of the next several seasons.

His 1st round contract status also provides the team with leverage of his 5th-year player option and the franchise-tag for additional seasons.

All-in-all, Chubb should remain a cornerstone for this team for many years to come.

2. Garett Bolles, LT

How the world has changed in 2020… Garett Bolles has turned himself from a punchline to an elite cornerstone left tackle who earned Pro Football Focus top ranking for tackles in 2020.

Bolles has excelled in the run game as well as providing the quarterback with an anchor on the left side for the first time since Ryan Clady manned the blindside.

Bolles’s effort to turn himself into an elite performer is nothing short of amazing. Bolles has been battered and beaten by Broncos Country for his propensity for committing penalties.

This year has been different. Bolles has maximized his athleticism by cleaning up his footwork and trusting offensive line coach Mike Munchak. The Hall-Of-Fame lineman turned top-flight coach, Munchak has been able to maximize what Garett Bolles does well and help him eliminate many of his false steps.

It is now clear that Bolles should remain with the team for several years, even at Bolles’ advanced age (28 years old).

Offensive tackles typically age well and remain productive into their mid-to-late 30’s. Elway should be working on a deal with Bolles today to keep him in orange and blue for a while.

1. Drew Lock, QB

Drew Lock is a cornerstone at the most important position in professional sports.

Whoa, calm down Broncos Country, and hear me out.

Lock has not etched himself into the quarterback position for the next decade. However, he should be on the plan until further notice.

The impact of Lock being successful dramatically increases the likelihood the Broncos are competitive sooner, and for a longer stretch of time.

As we saw during Denver’s win against the (6-3) Miami Dolphins, Lock has seemed to ‘get it.’ He adapted to the counterpunch of Dolphin’s coach Brian Flores and played well against a tough, playoff-bound team.

Lock must continue to improve on his footwork (ala Garett Bolles), and let the game slow down (again ala Garett Bolles). But, there is no reason it can’t, and the payoff for Denver is huge if it does.

Denver Broncos: 4 bold predictions in week 12 vs. Saints

The Denver Broncos have yet another tough matchup against the top-seeded New Orleans Saints of the NFC South. Here are 4 bold predictions for this game.

If Lock isn’t the plan, or the team makes a quick move to cut bait, the opportunity to win soon gets pushed back as the team must focus on developing yet another young quarterback.