While the Denver Broncos have made headlines because of the starters they’ve recently added, what about players who won’t start for the team?
One of the worst things for a team to be is top-heavy. A team who is top-heavy generally has good or very good players as their starters but generally lacks the necessary depth to withstand an NFL season. For the Denver Broncos, their roster and the overall depth is in a great spot, and it’ll take more than just the weekly starters for them to win games.
Identifying hidden gems on the roster or players who might not get as much attention as they deserve is something that is worth digging into.
While the Broncos’ offseason has been filled with the names Russell Wilson, Randy Gregory, and DJ Jones, the team has several players who probably won’t start for them week to week but are still hugely important for the success of the team.
It is good to have two of every position. What do I mean by this, though? Last year, the Broncos signed both Bobby Massie and Cameron Fleming to battle for the right tackle position.
This year, they signed both Tom Compton and Billy Turner for the right tackle position.
They also re-signed Melvin Gordon to go with Javonte Williams, drafted Nik Bonitto, and signed Randy Gregory to beef up the pass rush.
Having players in multiples can do nothing but help a team, so who are the most important non-starters on the Denver Broncos?
KJ Hamler is an important non-starter for the Denver Broncos
Hamler missed most of the 2021 season with a torn ACL but played in 13 games in his rookie campaign in 2020. He started just four games, so it’s clear that he isn’t going to be a weekly starter, especially given the other receivers the team has.
However, if Hamler can regain the speed he possesses, it could be a messy time for opposing defenses. Hamler’s ability to stretch the field is very important–Russell Wilson is one of the very best quarterbacks on the planet throwing the deep ball. In most deep ball-related statistics, he is at or near the top.
All of Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, and Jerry Jeudy can gain separation in their own ways, but something that can’t be taught is pure speed, which is what Hamler has.
If Hamler can get and stay healthy for 2022, the Denver Broncos’ offense is going to be an insanely hard unit to stop.
Melvin Gordon is another important (projected) non-starter for Denver
Nathaniel Hackett’s offenses predominantly line up in 11 personnel, which means there is one tight end and one running back on the field at a time.
If this holds true for Denver in 2022, we can expect to see one running back on the field about 60 percent of the time for the team.
I think it is a safe bet that Javonte Williams slides in as the true RB1 for the Denver Broncos in 2022, leaving Melvin Gordon as the 1B option for the team.
If that is indeed the case, Gordon’s importance to the team cannot be overstated.
Gordon is entering his age-29 season and has been in the league since 2015. He has seen quite a bit of football and is a very consistent player who has produced most seasons of his career.
With the brand new coaching staff, the transition in offensive schemes might be harder for some players.
Having a veteran like Gordon in the mix could solve a lot of issues, especially if Javonte Williams misses time with an injury of sorts.
Gordon isn’t an elite running back, but he’s been rock solid in his time in Denver and is someone who is vitally important to the team.
Nik Bonitto is another (projected) non-starter who is extremely important to the team
In 2021, the Denver Broncos had the league’s worst pass-rushing situation. In free agency and the draft this year, they added Nik Bonitto and Randy Gregory, while also moving Baron Browning to EDGE full time.
Their investment in their pass rushers is obvious, but there is still some uncertainty with the unit.
Both Chubb and Gregory have struggled in their careers with consistency and staying on the field, and if that happens again in 2022, a projected backup for this upcoming season, Nik Bonitto, is someone who could see the field very quickly.
As of now, he is essentially a pass rush specialist. He’s got to get stronger, but his speed and ability to get to the quarterback is evident.
Bonitto would give Denver another solid option if one of the projected starters goes down.
While Malik Reed, Jonathon Cooper, and Stephen Weatherly surely tried their best, their best was simply not good enough for the team to maintain an adequate pass rush presence.
Now that a young guy like Nik Bonitto is in the mix, the Denver Broncos should rest easy knowing they have an adequate backup if something were to go wrong.