Denver Broncos: Way too early 2021 roster predictions
By Noah Smith
Running Back
The running back room remains familiar, with a new face added through the draft. Phillip Lindsay’s option will be picked up by the team in the form of a 2nd-round tender and will be brought back on a short-term deal.
The team will rely on the combination of Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay to help bolster the offense. However, with Gordon likely out of the lineup to start the year with an impending DUI situation, Royce Freeman and rookie Javonte Williams should see plenty of action early and will get valuable experience.
Wide Receiver
With Courtland Sutton coming back from a torn ACL, Drew Lock gets his favorite target back in the lineup, and the two should build upon what was already strong chemistry in 2019. Jerry Jeudy steps into the number two receiver role and will take some of the pressure off of Courtland Sutton as he returns from injury.
With Tim Patrick‘s breakout year in 2020, his demand on the open market increased significantly. The Broncos do have the option to retain Patrick as a legitimate number two receiver, but instead, allow him to walk and earn a larger role with another team as the Broncos develop their young receiving corps.
The loss of Tim Patrick is certainly a massive blow to the Broncos, meaning the young receivers must be ready to take on an increased role in the offense. Young players like K.J. Hamler, DaeSean Hamilton, and Tyrie Cleveland need to show the reliability and upside the Broncos bet on when deciding to move off of Tim Patrick.
To round out the receiving corps, Dionte Spencer returns on a team-friendly deal and resumes his responsibilities as a return man. Spencer will surely see some time in the offense as a slot receiver and gimmick player, but Spencer makes his money as a Special Teams star.