Denver Broncos: Bryce Callahan named team’s unsung hero of 2020

What is an unsung hero? In terms of the NFL, it can be described as a player or coach that had a big impact on his team if you look closely. So, who is the unsung hero of the Denver Broncos?

Nick Shook of NFL.com picked his own for each AFC team. For the Broncos, he decided to go with cornerback Bryce Callahan.

Shook makes a good point in the usage of Next Gen Stats, acknowledging that Callahan defended five passes and intercepted two. Next Gen Stats also tallies targeted expected points, in which Callahan was able to negate 25.6 points.

Basically, those are touchdown-saving plays.

Callahan also allowed a passer rating of just 46.9 in 2020.

Callahan joined the Broncos in 2019 but missed the entire season that year with a foot injury. To be able to get this recognition is pretty great.

Also, as you can see in his explanation, Callahan was a solid choice even for just one thing in my opinion: He did not allow a touchdown as the nearest defender.

Unfortunately, with the Broncos not being one of the top teams, or even anywhere near the middle of the league, some players are just overlooked. Broncos Country knows all about that.

Who else on the Denver Broncos is worthy?

As I mentioned above, not a lot of people are necessarily talking about the Denver Broncos, and it’s not like they’re a completely horrible team.

That being said, there are some other players you could consider as being an unsung hero for this team.

Malik Reed, OLB

Malik Reed played extensively in place of the injured Von Miller throughout the 2020 season.

Reed had eight sacks, 53 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and an astonishing 17 quarterback hits.

Reed made the most of his chance to replace a legend even just for one season. This was a huge example of what Reed is capable of and hopefully, we will be able to see Reed progress throughout his entire career in Denver.

Tim Patrick, WR

Tim Patrick and the other Broncos wide receivers had to step up big time following the injury that knocked Courtland Sutton out for the 2020 season.

Patrick became a favorite target of quarterback Drew Lock’s, being thrown to 79 times and catching 51 of those passes, which is about a 64.5 percent catch rate.

Patrick is a tall receiver who showed some of his athleticism, going up for some difficult catches. He scored six receiving touchdowns, which led the team.

Deshawn Williams, DT

Heading into the 2020 season, I fully expected Deshawn Williams to be a spot player, especially with Jurrell Casey being on the roster. Oh, how things change.

Casey suffered a season-ending injury and that spelled good news for Williams in terms of playing time. In his limited action, Williams recorded 37 tackles, two sacks, and an interception. He provided plenty of pressure against opposing quarterbacks (six quarterback hits) and running backs.

Casey could very well end up being a cap casualty heading into the 2021 season. That would potentially make Williams a crucial part of the team’s defensive line going forward.