PFF is calling for Denver Broncos to sign former division rival
Pro Football Focus listed one trade or free agent acquisition every team should make before training camp and has the Denver Broncos targeting LB help.
We’re finally at less than one month before the Denver Broncos open up 2022 training camp, which means it’s time for some last-minute and potentially big-name additions to the roster.
Pro Football Focus put together a list of players all teams should consider signing or trading for before training camp opens up, and their pick for the Denver Broncos is an intriguing one.
PFF picks LB Anthony Hitchens as a pre-camp must-have for Denver Broncos
According to PFF’s Doug Kyed:
"The Broncos have yet to re-sign Alexander Johnson, so he’s available, as well. Denver ranked 20th in Seth Galina’s linebacker unit rankings."
Yes, there are a handful of intriguing free agent linebackers still available, including the veteran Hitchens who has been a starter for the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys basically since he came into the league in 2014.
A former Iowa Hawkeyes standout, Hitchens would be joining a Denver Broncos defense whose clearest area of weakness at this point is at the off-ball linebacker position.
The Broncos seem to have a ton of confidence in Jonas Griffith, and based on what we saw from Griffith last season, it’s hard to really sit here and say that confidence is misplaced.
More than just an issue of who is going to start, I think the Broncos’ linebacker group is not exactly revered thanks to the overall depth of the unit as well.
The team did make a relatively minor addition in the 2022 offseason by signing free agent Alex Singleton, who has played a lot for the Philadelphia Eagles both on defense and special teams.
They also have third-year pro Justin Strnad, a former fifth-round pick out of Wake Forest who could have an impact for the team on third downs.
Still, you can’t help but like the idea of adding a veteran linebacker at some point in time. The Broncos’ depth is questionable and it was severely tested last year.
The closer we get to training camp, the more prices on these players are going to go down.
Getting a player like Hitchens — who never played with Josey Jewell at Iowa, but that would be amazing to see for Hawkeyes fans — or someone else with experience could be on George Paton’s to-do list in the near future.