The 2021 NFL season saw the Denver Broncos move on from a franchise legend at the EDGE position as they sent Von Miller to the Rams via trade.
Going into the 2022 offseason, the Denver Broncos need a serious upgrade at the position to potentially pair with Bradley Chubb. In a stacked draft class, there are several potential EDGE defenders that the Broncos should target in the 2022 NFL Draft. We’ll take a look at five of them and why they would be an ideal selection for the team.
The 2022 NFL Draft class is absolutely loaded with quality talent at the EDGE position. The Denver Broncos are in serious need of an upgrade at the position. In the 2021 season, the Broncos were among the worst in the league at pass rush win rate and they struggled to get to the quarterback.
With a new defensive staff in place that is emphasizing attacking the quarterback, this is the time for Broncos general manager George Paton to be aggressive in his pursuit of an edge rusher. While he might be able to find an elite edge rusher in free agency, this draft class is too good to pass up an opportunity at adding a proficient pass rusher to the defense.
With that being said, let’s take a look at five potential EDGE players the Broncos should target in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Denver Broncos EDGE target no. 1: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
There have been recent rumblings of Kayvon Thibodeaux not being as loved by NFL GMs as we may have thought at the beginning of the draft process. While this may mean bad things for Thibodeaux’s draft stock, for now, his combine performance may change that.
Several recent mock drafts show the former top national recruit dropping down the board. If this trend continues all the way to draft day, the Broncos could very well be in play for the player many thought would go first overall in this class.
What does Thibodeaux bring to the Broncos in terms of a pass rusher? If you want a sneak peek, go look at his performance against USC in the PAC-12 Championship game from 2020 for reference.
With his larger frame and explosiveness off the ball, he brings plenty of speed and power off the edge, featuring a good variety of pass rush moves and counters. He has the versatility and strength to create havoc on the interior during stunts as well.
Additionally, he has graded very well as a run defender, something that also left with Von to Los Angeles.