Regardless of who the Denver Broncos hire as the team’s next head coach, playmakers will need to be added to the offense’s arsenal. The perception from a lot of folks in Broncos Country has been that the team has really all it needs on paper when it comes to the offensive skill position, but that has proven to be anything but the case over the last handful of seasons.
The Broncos have lacked firepower offensively in the worst way. Chalk that up to the quarterback all you want, but there are just not enough offense creators in Denver, and players we expected to step up in recent years have either not done so or have not been available.
Again, regardless of who the team’s head coach is, positions like wide receiver and running back will need to be emphasized in addition to the offensive line. But who’s going to come in? The Broncos could look to free agency or trades to make some moves, but let’s look at three prominent playmakers that could become available in the 2023 offseason that the Broncos should be ready to reach out to — no matter who the head coach is.
3 playmakers the Denver Broncos need to keep tabs on in 2023
1. Michael Thomas, possible cap casualty, New Orleans Saints
Since his monstrous 2019 season with the New Orleans Saints, Michael Thomas has only played a total of 10 games. He played seven games in 2020, missed all of 2021, and played just three games in 2022 in which he caught 16 passes for three touchdowns. Over that same timeframe, Courtland Sutton has played 33 games, and still only has one more touchdown than Thomas (4 total).
Thomas’ limited sample in 2022 was a reminder of just how good he is still capable of being. There has been friction between he and the Saints in recent years and obviously some very public disagreements over his injury issues but this is undoubtedly a player that can elevate your offense.
Incidentally, due to all of the issues with Thomas and Payton and the medical staff in New Orleans, he may be a more likely option if someone other than Payton is hired by the Broncos. But he should be an option nonetheless and could become a go-to target with Jerry Jeudy in the passing game.