Training camp for the Denver Broncos is officially underway, what are some potentially shocking transactions for this year’s 53-man roster?
One of the biggest Denver Broncos roster surprises last year was the immediate rise of now Detroit Lions wide receiver Trinity Benson. His camp and preseason were so strong that it actually created a market for his talents and he was shipped to Detroit.
While I don’t see that big of a leap happening again for anyone, I do think a trade or two occur. Looking at the interior offensive lineman, there are only a few spots available with a log jam of bodies.
Dalton Risner, Quinn Meinerz, Netane Muti, Graham Glasgow, Luke Wattenberg, Lloyd Cushenberry III, and Ben Braden are amongst the group.
Could the Denver Broncos move on from Dalton Risner in 2022?
Speculating on who might get moved, this may hurt some of Broncos Country, but I see a scenario where a team has someone go down at the guard position and they give the Denver Broncos a call looking at Dalton Risner.
As a fan favorite and hometown kid much like Phillip Lindsay once was, and still is to some, Dalton Risner wants to be a Denver Bronco. However, he has had some up-and-down play over the past few seasons.
With him being in a contract year, this could be a situation where George Paton accepts solid draft capital to replenish what the Denver Broncos had to give up for Russell Wilson.
Rinser will no recoup a day one or day two pick even, but if George Paton can acquire a similar haul to what Trinity Benson brought in, I think George Paton would pull that trigger.
Moving on from Risner still gives the Denver Broncos a potential grouping of Quinn Meinerz at right guard and Netane Muti at left guard, with Lloyd Cushenberry III or Graham Glasgow as the center.
My biggest concern with Glasgow playing center is his size. Russell Wilson does a great job of finding passing lanes, but looking through Glasgow could be more challenging for the shorter Russell Wilson.
It does seem that Russell Wilson and Lloyd Cushenberry III make an appearance together in just about every one of his promo videos, so maybe there is a strong quarterback-center relationship brewing there.
2. P.J. Locke is not a Denver Bronco in 2022
Another position with incredible talent and depth is the safety position. From a numbers perspective, someone will be caught in the crossfire.
Who I expect to make the 53-man roster at safety:
- Justin Simmons
- Kareem Jackson
- Jamar Johnson
- Caden Sterns
- J.R. Reed
- Delarrin Turner-Yell
Jamar Johnson is a talented player who will be in just his second season in the NFL. P.J. Locke continues to stand out in every training camp, and Kareem Jackson is versatile and brings leadership along with a physical style of play.
Caden Sterns cashed in on just about every opportunity he could last season. J.R. Reed was signed during free agency and he is expected to contribute via special teams.
Delarrin Turner-Yell was a draft pick this season, so the new staff is obviously intrigued by his talents.
So why will P.J. Locke not be a Denver Bronco?
P.J. Locke will not be a Denver Bronco in 2022 because he outplays his position on the depth chart. During the preseason in 2022, if I had to guess who would take that leap that would warrant interest from another team, it would be P.J. Locke.
Locke is a talented player, truly. Losing him would be a knock on the depth of this safety group, but it wouldn’t diminish it.
This is one of those scenarios where it is a good thing for P.J. Locke as a team sees how well he has developed and thinks he could be a quality starter for their secondary.
Justin Simmons will be the man in that group for years to come, with Caden Sterns looking to grow as his running mate, Kareem Jackson can hold it down until Caden Sterns is ready.
Jamar Johnson and Delarrin Turner-Yell will have the opportunity to grow into quality backups for the Denver Broncos in 2023 and beyond.
Eleven pass catchers make the Denver Broncos’ 53-man roster
Last year only five wide receivers made the Denver Broncos’ 53-man roster, my guess would be seven in 2022.
Wide receiver can be a tender position, with quick twitch athletes and muscles, tweaks happen often. Having a strong pass-catching group will be important for the Denver Broncos and I think that gets made clear by how the roster plays out.
Who makes it:
- Courtland Sutton
- Jerry Jeudy
- Tim Patrick
- K.J. Hamler
- Kendall Hinton
- Montrell Washington
- Travis Fulgham
- Andrew Beck
- Eric Tomlinson
- Greg Dulcich
- Albert Okwuegbunam
It will be a different offense for the Denver Broncos in 2022, no doubt about it. Led by a quarterback who has been wanting to cook for a decade, surrounding him with plenty of weapons seems like a smart move in an effort to keep him happy.
With speedsters, big bodies, route running extraordinaire, and strong pass catchers, Russell Wilson will have his pick of the litter with this group. Wide receiver and the secondary will be the most invested group in 2022.
Leaning heavily on the wide receivers, the tight end room will be strong but for different reasons. Eric Tomlinson will be utilized more as an extra tackle, and Andrew Beck will be the swiss-army knife he has proven to be.
There are big expectations for this group. With plenty of experience and a bit of youth sprinkled in with Greg Dulcich and Montrell Washington, this group has a high floor and ceiling.
Camp darlings
Every training camp has a handful of guys that stand out amongst others.
Some obvious candidates for this year include Russell Wilson, Justin Simmons, or Patrick Surtain II, but a list of guys I expect to really stand out this year:
- Courtland Sutton
- Quinn Meinerz
- Micheal Ojemudia
- Bradley Chubb
Beginning with Courtland Sutton, this is the year I think he regains his old form. Sutton came into the league and was immediately classed as one of the stronger receivers. At one point in time, the only defensive back I had ever seen out-battle Sutton in a jump ball was Tyrann Mathieu in the snow game.
Last year Teddy Bridgewater formed a connection with Jerry Jeudy early on.
During camp this year, the bond I think that will be discussed is Courtland Sutton and Russell Wilson. Sutton and Wilson will thrive in tight window situations where Wilson will give Sutton plenty of opportunities.
Courtland Sutton never seemed to be fully confident in his knee last season. Speaking on experience, gaining trust back in a knee is not an easy task.
There is an initial fear or consideration of restraint in the back of your head about making a cut this way, or getting your knee taken out that way.
Fighting through a tough year last year, Courtland Sutton should be back to full strength and confidence in 2022.
Quinn Meinerz, the second-year player, and expected starter at right guard is another guy who should dominate in camp and this season. Finishing the season strong is something Quinn Merinerz prides himself on.
Meinerz played bully ball last season, finishing runs and driving piles along with Javonte Williams, but what Meinerz seems to be the most excited about was his growth in knowledge.
On KOA’s Broncos Country Tonight, Quinn Meinerz mentioned how he is now at the point where is able to look at a defense and quickly diagnose what needs to be done.
Having the ability to just play the game and naturally react without thinking creates a brief moment for an offensive lineman that allows them to get out in front or get their paws on the defender instead of the latter.
Look for Quinn Meinerz to put himself in contention for the best Denver Broncos offensive lineman.
Micheal Ojemudia, a guy who found himself battling injuries and Vic Fangio last season, gets a fresh start with Ejiro Evero. Ojemudia did not see the field much during his second season in the league, but when he did, he played well.
In the season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, Ojemudia had 11 total tackles and two pass deflections. As the Denver Broncos look to transition into a defense that puts out more six defensive back looks, Ojemudia will have the opportunity to continue to contribute as a defender of the football and tackler.
It was a small sample size in 2021, but Ojemudia looked confident and played well against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. If he can build off of that performance, the Denver Broncos will have one of the best fourth cornerbacks in the entire NFL.
George Paton has harped on how strong Bradley Chubb has looked early on this offseason, saying “he’s playing with reckless abandon.” George Paton went on to elaborate on how Chubb has looked like the guy that he had hoped for when he arrived in Denver.
Bradley Chubb’s strength and talent have never been in question, it has just always been his availability. Given how his career has started, in a contract year at that, Bradley Chubb is going to be playing like a mad man this year.
Coach Nathaniel Hackett also gushed about how good Bradley Chubb has looked saying:
"“It’s funny looking back to when we played Denver in 2019 and he was rolling,” Hackett said. “Since I’ve been here — I don’t know what’s happened [in the years since] — but it’s not fun to try and block him.” Nathaniel Hackett (via Broncos PR)"
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Hearing both of these guys rave about one of the few defenders that could make an incredible difference for this team is an exciting sign for Broncos Country.