As we head into the 2022 offseason, which Denver Broncos have still flown under the radar and are the team’s most underrated players?
The Denver Broncos are a team filled with talented players on both sides of the ball. Former general manager John Elway hit on quite a few players in the NFL draft, especially towards the end of his tenure, and current general manager George Paton had a very solid first year, hitting on quite a few players in the 2021 NFL draft.
As we head into the 2022 season, all eyes will be watching to see if the Broncos make a significant move at the quarterback position.
If the Denver Broncos were to land someone like Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson, the team would enjoy success, and some of the players who aren’t currently household names would shoot up the notoriety pole of the NFL and become household names.
As it stands right now, who are the three most underrated Broncos going into the 2022 offseason?
Most Underrated Denver Broncos no .1: Dre’Mont Jones
We all know how good Dre’Mont Jones is. Jones was drafted in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Ohio State and has been making an impact since his rookie year.
Through three seasons, he’s accumulated 28 QB hits, 15.5 sacks, and 86 total tackles in 43 career games played.
In fact, Jones ranks 1st among all interior defensive linemen in career sacks from the 2019 NFL draft, ahead of much more known players like Quinnen Williams and Jeffery Simmons.
In fact, both Simmons and Williams have 32 career QB hits, so Jones is just a bit behind each player, who are viewed as the best at their position.
Obviously, since the Broncos have not enjoyed success in a while, some of our players go unnoticed around the NFL, but it’s clear that Broncos Country understands the value that Dre’Mont Jones brings to the defensive line.
Look for George Paton to give Dre’Mont Jones a long-term extension within the next calendar year. He is an integral part of the Denver Broncos defense and a key piece for the long-term core.
Most Underrated Denver Broncos no. 2: Tim Patrick, WR
Tim Patrick is another example of a great player not getting enough attention. Tim Patrick has worked his way through being undrafted and cut from two practice squads before landing on the Broncos in 2017.
Patrick was nothing more than a practice squad player with the team who played sparingly until 2020.
In 2020, Patrick broke out after Courtland Sutton suffered a torn ACL. Patrick accumulated 742 receiving yards with 6 touchdowns, and put together another solid campaign in 2021, with 734 yards and 5 touchdowns, earning a 3-year extension with the team a few months ago.
In fact, in 2020, Patrick was targeted 79 times and did not have a single drop, which put him in Hall of Fame company with Larry Fitzgerald.
Patrick is one of the core players of the Denver Broncos, and the go-to target during clutch situations.
If the Denver Broncos are able to land a significant quarterback upgrade for 2022, look for Patrick to enjoy his 1st of many 1,000 yard receiving seasons.
Putting up over 700 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons with pathetic quarterback play is impressive enough.
Tim Patrick is criminally underrated and hopefully gets his dues next season.
Most Underrated Denver Broncos no. 3: Albert Okwuegbunam, TE
Albert Okwuegbunam was a 4th round draft pick in the 2020 NFL draft and a former college teammate of Drew Lock.
It was clear that this pick was to help Drew Lock in his development.
Albert O, who is a massive 6’5″, 258 pounds, shocked many at the combine when he ran a 4.49 40 yard dash. He is a hyper athletic tight end, maybe moreso than Noah Fant, and took a noticeable leap in 2021.
Tight ends typically take a few years to hit their stride, and Albert O. is poised to make a giant leap in year three.
In his rookie campaign, he was hardly noticeable, catching 11 passes before tearing his ACL.
In 2021, he came back very strong, catching 33 passes for 330 yards and 2 touchdowns. What sticks out about Albert Okwuegbunam is his catch rate. His catch rate during his rookie season was 73.3%, and was 82.5% during his 2021 season.
His 2021 catch rate was good for 12th in the entire NFL in 2021 and 2nd among tight ends.
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Another thing to watch out for is if Noah Fant ends up being in a trade package for a quarterback. If that does happen, look for Albert O to take over as the TE1 in Denver, and hopefully flourish in year three.