Denver Broncos: 2022 Draft status heading into bye week
Replacing potential Defensive Free Agents through the 2021 NFL Draft
On the defensive side of the ball, the Denver Broncos could lose safety Kareem Jackson, cornerbacks Kyle Fuller, Michael Ford, Nate Hairston, and Bryce Callahan, linebackers Alexander Johnson, Josey Jewell, and Stephen Weatherly.
Now while it’s unlikely in my opinion they let all of those players go, they are currently scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in 2022.
While the Broncos found a player who looks like a gem right now in Jonathon Cooper, it could still be a smart idea to look at edge rusher in next year’s draft. One of the draft’s top prospects, Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, will be long gone before the team makes its selection.
Other prospects include George Karlaftis (who I mentioned earlier), Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, USC’s Drake Jackson, and Ohio State’s Zach Harrison.
How they address edge rusher in the draft—and I’m positive they will—will depend on what type of defensive system they will be running in 2022 and beyond. It’s key to take players that fit your system.
Conclusion
A lot needs to be determined from now until the 2022 NFL Draft. We don’t know where the team will pick in the draft order but with how things seem to be trending, it might be similar to 2021–ninth overall.
They found their potential running back of the future in Javonte Williams and have a good young core that needs time to get things figured out. It might be a restart in terms of coaching which will set them back but hopefully not too far.
Pat Surtain looks like the real deal but with some room for improvement, so I think that was a good pick. I don’t think there are reasons to believe that the Broncos will miss on a first-round pick this year, so they could hit on yet another one.
They’ve got quite a few options.