Denver Broncos who need to Step Up
2. Bradley Chubb, EDGE
I think Bradley Chubb has largely underwhelmed since arriving in Denver in 2018. He’s missed significant time in two seasons with injuries and hasn’t exactly done a whole lot this season.
According to Pro Football Reference, Chubb has had exactly one quarterback hit this season. To me, that is beyond inexcusable. I understand that his job is deeper than sacking the quarterback, but the Broncos will need to see some of those sacks during the last four games of the season.
The Broncos play Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Derek Carr, and Patrick Mahomes in the next month, and if the defense wants to hold those passers in check, they’ll need to pressure them.
The Broncos are 16th in the NFL this season, with 30.0 sacks. That isn’t what this defense is accustomed to. Simply put, the defense has to get home more, and Bradley Chubb is the team’s most talented pass rusher, so a lot of the pressure should fall on him.
Chubb doesn’t need to get 3 sacks per game the rest of the season, but he needs to start putting his hands on opposing quarterbacks, for his own sake to earn an extension in the future, and for the team’s sake.
Denver Broncos who need to Step Up
2. Interior Offensive Line
The Broncos’ offensive line has been about average this season. I tend to think the interior is the weakest link, with both Dalton Risner and Lloyd Cushenberry playing iffy at times.
I also think the Broncos’ tackles, Garett Bolles and Bobby Massie, have been very solid this year. They’ve been called for a combined three penalties, and all three penalties belong to Bolles.
I’d like to see the team re-sign Massie, and Bolles, while not playing up to his ceiling from last year, has still been an above average, Pro Bowl level player in 2021.
The interior is where I think needs to see the biggest improvement. Starting with the Bengals, they’ll have their hands full with both Larry Ogunjobi and D.J. Reader, and will eventually have to handle Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs.
All three also need to hold up in pass protection, since the Broncos’ offense is going to have to orchestrate some touchdown drives to keep up with their opponents’ offenses.
Don’t get me wrong, Risner, Cushenberry, and Meinerz are all talented, but they remain the obvious weak point along the line and will need to simply play better the rest of the season.
Another bit to add to this is both Risner and Cushenberry could be playing for their jobs. Dalton Risner has regressed since his rookie season, and Lloyd Cushenberry has played better than last year, but that could be because he was one of, if not the worst starting center in the NFL in 2020.
7 Denver Broncos free agents and others who won’t be back in 2022
The Denver Broncos have a handful of important free agents on expiring contracts and other players who will not be back in the 2022 offseason.
I could see an instance where General Manager George Paton looks to upgrade the interior of the offensive line, and Risner and Cushenberry would be the odd men out.