Broncos biggest roster hole from one year ago is back
The Denver Broncos have had what many would consider a solid offseason, but the roster is not perfect.
Of course, few NFL rosters are perfect but to win the Super Bowl – or in the case of the Broncos, to get out of the AFC West – will require a roster that is close to it.
The Broncos will not have to worry about having a quarterback that can help put points on the board. Russell Wilson will be the cure to what has been a predictable, boring and unproductive offense for years. But Wilson can’t play on both sides of the ball.
Wilson’s athleticism can help make up for the team’s lack of a major name at the right tackle position. He can help Albert Okwuegbunam become a much better player than he has shown thus far in his career and he can make all of the players around him better.
The team may still have some holes to fill, but the secondary is going to need some more help. Despite all of the work that was done by the Broncos last offseason to improve a weak cornerback spot, more needs to be done before the 2022 campaign kicks off.
Despite missing the playoffs in each of Vic Fangio’s three years as head coach, the Broncos did field a competitive defense. In order to try and put forth a well-balanced team, George Paton should put more work into building up the secondary.
Who do the Broncos have in the secondary?
Justin Simmons is the one name the team can look to and immediately feel confident in. Simmons is always available to play and he does so at a high level. One of the best safeties in the league, Simmons is the unquestioned defensive leader of this team.
Last year’s first-round pick, Patrick Surtain, should be ready for an encore and he has the ability to become one of the best overall cornerbacks in football. But beyond Simmons and Surtain, that is where the questions start.
Ronald Darby is penciled in to start at the other cornerback spot but how confident can the team be in that? He missed games last season and so did second-year player Michael Ojemudia, who appeared in just two games.
The signing of K’Waun Williams looks to be one of the better under-the-radar moves that any team has made. He can come in and play the nickel corner spot and should be one of those players willing to get in and mix things up on defense.
Essang Bassey is back with the team to provide depth, but certainly, more is needed.
At safety behind Simmons, the Broncos don’t have a true starting strong safety on the roster unless Kareem Jackson is brought back. They could move second-year player Caden Sterns over to that spot, but it remains to be seen what the team has in mind.
Behind Simmons and Sterns, the Broncos have Jamar Johnson, P.J. Locke and free-agent signing J.R. Reed.