Denver Broncos player to watch vs. Cowboys no. 2: Baron Browning, EDGE
I think it goes without saying that defensively, no player is going to be more highly anticipated in the preseason for the Denver Broncos than Baron Browning. Browning made the transition from off-ball linebacker to the edge on a full-time basis this offseason, and the early returns have been outstanding.
Browning has been exploding off the ball, getting after the quarterback, and setting the edge well all throughout training camp. The coaches and players can’t seem to say enough good things about Browning at this point and the hype is real.
The Broncos used a third-round pick on Browning in 2021 and we saw him do a lot of fascinating things as a rookie, including covering Ja’Marr Chase and CeeDee Lamb in the slot on a couple of occasions. What we didn’t see a lot of was Browning rushing the passer.
That was a mistake, and although it may seem like an overcorrection to some, I think the Broncos are making the right call here.
Browning is one of the most special athletes on this roster even considering the number of “freaks” the team has added to improve team speed and athleticism since George Paton came aboard as general manager. Browning is truly a freak among the freaks and putting that athleticism at a premium position like edge just makes the most sense.
We’re going to get the chance to see Browning play plenty of snaps along with rookie Nik Bonitto, the team’s top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.