Broncos: 7 free agent defensive linemen the team could sign in 2021

5. Sheldon Rankins, Saints (age: 27 in April)

Sheldon Rankins is a former first-round pick out of Louiville (12th overall in 2016) who has struggled to stay consistently healthy in his first five NFL seasons.

Rankins has missed 10 games over the past two seasons and he missed another seven games in his rookie season. He didn’t miss a game from 2017-18 and that is where we obviously saw his potential rise to the surface.

His productivity — at least statistically — came to a peak in 2018 when Rankins started all 16 games and racked up eight sacks, 15 QB hits, 12 tackles for loss, and 25 total pressures.

Over the course of his NFL career so far, Rankins is averaging four sacks every 16 games played, which is not bad if you can get him for the right price in free agency.

Broncos fans would have to be understandably leery of adding a player with injury concerns in free agency after having so many issues with guys like that in the past, but Rankins’ first-round pedigree and age lead me to believe he could be a risk worth taking.

Again, the price has to be right.