The 2022 season for the Denver Broncos was a massive disappointment. What are three roster moves that backfired on the team? The inept offense was clearly the culprit of the disastrous season, but there were other things that contributed to Denver’s demise in 2022.
I’m not sure anyone expected the team to win just five games, which clinched six straight losing seasons and seven straight seasons of not making the postseason. Now, as the head coaching search wraps up, the front office will evaluate the roster in its entirety and make the appropriate moves to (hopefully) field a better team in 2022.
What were three roster moves from 2022 that backfired on the Denver Broncos?
3 roster moves that backfired on the Denver Broncos
Signing Randy Gregory
Randy Gregory was nowhere to be found this year because as usual, he was injured. George Paton inexplicably handed him a $70 million contract, and I’m not sure he lived up to a $7 million pact. Gregory played in six games for the Broncos this year because of a knee injury.
He managed two sacks, two forced fumbles, and seven QB hits. It just hasn’t been a good return on investment for Denver, and the fact that they were counting on Gregory to hold quite a bit of weight on the defensive front was even more frustrating.
Edge is still a big need for the team. Can they even count on Gregory at this point, and will Nik Bonitto take a step forward in year two?
3 roster moves that backfired on the Denver Broncos
Handing Melvin Gordon a roster spot in 2022
Melvin Gordon’s tenure in Denver was marred by ridiculous, middle-school football-type fumbles that ended up costing Denver dearly. Somehow, he was essentially given a roster spot in 2022 and continued his fumbling mess.
Not only was it ineffective on the ground, averaging less than four yards per carry, but his five fumbles on just 90 carries were almost storybook to witness.
Fumbles against the Raiders and Seahawks greatly altered the outcome of the game, and his fumbles in prior years with the team should have been enough to not re-sign him for 2022.
Finally, after 10 games in 2022, the team released Gordon. It was long overdue, but it happened, and it should have. Latavius Murray then came in and took over the RB1 duties. On a happier note, Murray was fantastic for the Broncos, taking care of the rock and putting quality football on film, even though he’s a 30-plus-year-old running back.
I think the Broncos found their RB2 in Latavius Murray for the 2023 season. He played well enough for the team to re-sign him. While Javonte Williams continues to rehab from his torn ACL, Murray can have a significant role in the run game.
3 roster moves that backfired on the Denver Broncos
Lack of offensive line movement
The Broncos offensive line was terrible in 2022, largely due to offensive line coach Butch Barry, who was dismissed when Jerry Rosburg took over as the interim head coach. However, the lack of moves along the offensive line was quite clear.
The team didn’t do anything when Garett Bolles went down early in the season to try and replace the impact he had at left tackle. The team also signed Billy Turner for their right tackle spot, but he was in and out of the lineup all year.
Calvin Anderson and Cameron Fleming are two solid backup players who got way too much time as starters. The interior, outside of Quinn Meinerz, was also a giant mess.
Personally, I would have thought that George Paton would have tried to bring in another player or two during the season to try and get the unit to some form of competence. The constant shuffling of the offensive line personnel clearly never worked.
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There are a ton of OL free agents that are constantly available. I get that it’s not as seamless as I might make it sound, but not bringing in more players during the season to try and take over for underperforming ones (Dalton Risner, Lloyd Cushenberry, Graham Glasgow) was quite the interesting route to take.