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5 Denver Broncos players we’re desperate for more of after the bye

By Sayre Bedinger

Denver Broncos, KJ Hamler - Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Denver Broncos, KJ Hamler - Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Coming out of the bye week, the Denver Broncos have plenty to prove after a come-from-behind victory in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars. To say the least. It’s been a rather eventful bye week for the orange and blue as Bradley Chubb was traded to the Miami Dolphins in arguably the biggest deal of the 2022 NFL trade deadline, and running back Chase Edmonds was brought in along with outside linebacker Jacob Martin.

So what do we need to see after the bye? Specifically, which players need more playing time and reps on the field? Who should be getting the ball more? Let’s take a look through some players on the roster who deserve more of an opportunity with the bye week almost in the rearview.

5 Denver Broncos players who should play more after bye week

Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos, Albert Okwuegbunam (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) /

1. Albert Okwuegbunam, TE

The Denver Broncos really put Albert Okwuegbunam in the proverbial doghouse. After struggling a little bit early on in the season, Okwuegbunam was effectively benched and hasn’t been on the active gameday roster for three weeks. His inactive streak has coincided with Greg Dulcich coming off of injured reserve (and playing quite well), but the Broncos can’t simply let Okwuegbunam rot on the bench.

The trade deadline passed without a deal involving Albert O. It felt like pretty much every indication was that he was going to be traded somewhere, but the Broncos didn’t make a deal and didn’t just give him away. In fact, George Paton came out and stated after the passing of the trade deadline that the team was going to be relying on Okwuegbunam to contribute in the second half of the season.

Perhaps Paton is going to exercise his sovereignty as general manager in this case, even though he didn’t draft Okwuegbunam in 2020. This guy is 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, and runs a 4.49. The fact that the Broncos don’t have him out there running these same wheel routes that we’re seeing from Greg Dulcich is mind-boggling and much more of an indictment on the coaching staff than it is on Albert.

This guy needs more reps going forward, period.

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