So far, the Denver Broncos have been moderately active in free agency. Here we will give the team grades for each of their moves so far.
George Paton inherited a team that had Vic Fangio as head coach and Drew Lock as the quarterback. One year later, he now has the Denver Broncos boasting Nathaniel Hackett as head coach and Russell freakin’ Wilson at quarterback.
In his second free agency period with the Denver Broncos, Paton has reinvigorated this franchise and has helped propel them back into Super Bowl contention.
The Wilson trade has been the highlight of the offseason across the NFL, and perhaps the most needle-moving move for any club.
Yeah, there have been some significant trades and signings, but nothing has changed the direction of a franchise more than the Denver Broncos going from Teddy Bridgewater to Russell Wilson.
Now that the Broncos’ biggest issue is resolved, we are able to focus on lesser but still important issues and holes on this team.
George Paton has filled a couple of them, and this article will put George Paton in school. We are grading his free agency up to this point. Obviously, an A+ is the best and an F- is the worst.
Being that I am a teacher, this is an appropriate and fun piece for me to tackle.
Denver Broncos free agency haul grades
Trade for Russell Wilson – A+
There is not much more to be said.
Russell Wilson is a Denver Bronco after spending 10 years with the Seattle Seahawks where he won over 100 games and threw for nearly 300 touchdowns.
Wilson is turning 34 this season and has said he’d like to play for at least another 10 years.
So, Denver could very well have a super long-term solution on their hands as long as Wilson can continue to play at a decent enough level.
He is still firmly in his prime and has thrust Denver into Super Bowl contention.
This is an A+ move, especially considering that Paton did not have to dismantle the Broncos’ offensive core, outside of Noah Fant.
Albert Okwuegbunam should be able to fill in just fine, and even if he struggles a bit, Wilson can rely on all of Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, and Jerry Jeudy in the passing game.
Hopefully, KJ Hamler can produce as well.
Trading for Russell Wilson is the move of the offseason.
Denver Broncos free agency haul grades
DJ Jones – A, Randy Gregory, C+
DJ Jones may not be a household name, but the former 49er is one of the very best run stuffers in the entire NFL.
In fact, among defensive tackles, Jones ranked 1st in the NFL in 2021 in run stop win rate, ahead of players like Arik Armstead and Christian Wilkins.
Denver ranked 15th against stopping the run in 2021, so this unit will need to keep up with their dominant secondary, which is set to return Ronald Darby, Justin Simmons, and Patrick Surtain II.
DJ Jones signing with the Broncos did not make the top headlines, but it’s a very good signing for a 27-year-old player ready to hit his prime.
Randy Gregory was drafted in 2015 and has played in just 50 career games, missing a ton mostly because of off-the-field issues which turned into suspensions.
Gregory has never played a full season; his 14-game 2018 season was the highest mark of his career.
In 2021, he enjoyed a decent season, but nothing special. He notched 6 sacks, 19 total tackles, 17 quarterback hits, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 interception in 12 games.
Playing on a defense that featured Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, perhaps we should have expected more production, especially given the 5 year, $70 million contract that Paton handed Gregory.
I think it’s a massive overpay for a slightly above-average player who struggles to stay on the field.
Hopefully, he and Bradley Chubb, who also has availability issues, can stay on the field this season.
Their ceilings are through the roof, but the floor for both players is hideously low. I hope Randy Gregory proves me wrong, but I do not like this signing.
Denver Broncos free agency haul grades
Josey Jewell – A
Again, not a super flashy signing, but Jewell is an underrated player who was starting to play some elite football for the Denver Broncos before tearing his pectoral early in the 2021 season.
The two-year, $11 million deal he signed makes sense for both sides. Jewell should rebound from this injury and pick up right where he left off, perhaps signing a richer contract next offseason.
Calvin Anderson and Tom Compton – B-
Calvin Anderson has been a primary backup for the Denver Broncos for the past couple of seasons. I think we’ve seen the ceiling for Anderson. He competed for the starting right tackle spot last year, but that job went to Bobby Massie.
Perhaps Anderson has some untapped potential, but he’s entering his 4th season and we’ve seen little return.
Tom Compton is a journeyman offensive linemen who has experience playing inside and outside. He is not good in the passing game but excels in the run game. He is a backup-level player who has experience playing in the scheme that Hackett will install. He also has experience with Butch Barry, who is the team’s new offensive line coach.
He was the assistant offensive line coach for the 49ers, where Compton spent the past two seasons. If Compton cracks the starting lineup, the Broncos are in trouble.
Josh Johnson – C-
Josh Johnson is a journeyman quarterback who has played for all 32 NFL teams, every single CFL team, and probably some other teams in leagues we have not heard of.
I am kidding. Johnson has been a backup his entire career and it appears that he will be QB2 in Denver this season. I think the team could have done better here.
Malik Reed, B-
Reed has spent his short career with Denver and has shown some pass rush skill, but it’s clear he is an OK backup.
He led the team in sacks in 2020, but he often has trouble setting the edge. He’s a fine backup and a decent re-signing.
Alex Singleton, C
Singleton is a bad linebacker who happens to rack up a lot of tackles, so I think people could assume that he is better than he actually is. To me, this is a depth signing for the linebacking room, as they are surely set to start Josey Jewell and Baron Browning in 2022 and perhaps beyond.
DeShawn Williams, B
DeShawn Williams has been a very solid player for the Denver Broncos since arriving in 2020.
In his two seasons, he’s racked up 3 sacks, 76 total tackles, and 11 QB hits. He’s a great rotational piece for the team, even if he’s a bit undersized.
Denver Broncos 5 CBs the team must add with Davante Adams in Vegas
The Denver Broncos and general manager George Paton don't have time to rest. They need to add more cornerbacks with Davante Adams heading to Las Vegas.
Williams should remain in Denver for a while, in my opinion. He has a job and he does it well when he’s called upon.