4 Denver Broncos predictions during the 2022 NFL Draft
4. George Paton opens and closes the draft with pass rushers
Needing to crank up the pass rush, the Denver Broncos open the draft by selecting a pass rusher and the end draft by selecting another.
Bradley Chubb will be playing in the final year of his deal and will need to be extended if the Denver Broncos decide they want to keep him around. Randy Gregory is incredibly talented but a huge question mark for many reasons.
Gregory has already gone under for shoulder surgery and the draft has yet to happen. It isn’t expected to be major, but he will miss some important time in the offseason rehabbing.
At a vital position, the Denver Broncos had question marks for this season heading into free agency, but even with the addition of Randy Gregory, the question mark still exists.
Selecting a pass rusher like Nik Bonitto with their first selection would be a steal. Someone who has the athletic profile of future Hall of Famer and Ring of Famer, Von Miller, and Bonitto would be a fit for what this defense wants to run.
Even if Bonitto just fits in as a rotational pass rusher this season, if Chubb or Gregory have productive seasons, this selection will still hold value.
Look at Shaq Barrett and how much he meant to the Denver Broncos in 2015.
This class has a really deep pool of edge rushers, so George Paton should definitely do what he does a lot of, double-dip.
Taking a Michael Clemons or whoever George Paton has a fancy for to close out the draft, someone who can play solid snaps if you need would be a dart worth throwing to backup the depth at one of the most important positions in football.