Having already matched their projected five wins through the first half of the 2024 season, it's difficult to say the Denver Broncos have been a "disappointment" on the whole, but there have been plenty of players who might land in that category based on the way they've played so far.
Nothing ever turns out exactly as you picture it in the best-case scenario every single year, and adjustments have to be made on the fly and during the season.
Who have been the biggest disappointments on the Broncos' roster so far this season and why? What's going on with guys who came into this season with high expectations?
5 Broncos players who have seriously disappointed in 2024
1. Javonte Williams, RB
Although Javonte Williams has had a couple of really solid games so far this season for the Denver Broncos, I think it's also fair to say he's been a serious disappointment. The Broncos added more at the running back position in 2024 than we've seen in years prior, but not enough to knock Williams off the roster completely. He's still the team's top back and the second-most targeted receiver on the team right now as well.
And while Javonte has a couple of games this year with over 100 yards from scrimmage, he's failed to top 3.8 yards per carry in six of the Broncos' nine games this year. And he continues to struggle punching the ball in from close range. It's odd that a player of Williams' skill is not better in the tight red zone, but he's got just two touchdowns this season and one of those came on a play in which the Broncos had it blocked so well (vs. the Saints) that Williams could have walked in backwards.
The lack of efficiency as a lead runner is a tough pill to swallow for the Broncos right now. Rookie Audric Estimé is expected to get more carries going forward and Sean Payton loves him. I would not be shocked if Javonte is traded at the deadline, but it seems highly unlikely he will be back for 2025.
2. Marvin Mims, WR
The case of Marvin Mims is the most curious of 2024 for the Denver Broncos. After the 2023 season, his rookie year in the NFL, Sean Payton was taking blame for not getting Mims involved enough in the offense. We saw Mims make a handful of really explosive plays early last season, only to see him disappear as the season rolled along.
It was widely expected that Mims would take on a much bigger role this year and you can't help but think the team felt that was going to be the case as well. During training camp, there was absolutely zero buzz regarding Mims and his day to day performance. He was so non-existent that people wondered if he was being "hidden".
Now that we've gotten to the regular season, everyone's been asking again -- why not more Marvin Mims? Well, we're starting to see exactly why. Mims has been running the wrong routes, dropping passes, he's been out of position, and he's just generally not been effective on his offensive touches.
We hoped to see Mims finish at least second on the team in targets this season but he's not even going to come close. He's closer to the roster bubble than he is being featured in the offense. It's been a shocking and saddening disappointment that doesn't make any sense.
READ MORE: Broncos players who could be traded at 2024 NFL Trade Deadline
3. Lil'Jordan Humphrey, WR
The Denver Broncos brought in Lil'Jordan Humphrey because Sean Payton absolutely loves him, and Humphrey does a lot of things pretty well with the occasional big play as a receiver as well. Unfortunately, he's been a massive disappointment in 2024 considering the circumstances around him being kept for this roster.
The Broncos cut Tim Patrick and Brandon Johnson after the preseason and kept Humphrey around, and he's been the third-most targeted player in this offense so far in 2024. Unfortunately for the Broncos, the results there have been rather predictable. While Humphrey is a nice role player, he's not a WR2 in the NFL. He's stuggled with dropped passes, a fumble against the Panthers that directly led to 7 points, and a variety of missed opportunities dating back to Week 1.
The Broncos are featuring Humphrey in the offense and it's a big reason why so many fans are calling for the team to trade for receiver help at this point.
4. Greg Dulcich, TE
If not for Marvin Mims, I would say that Greg Dulcich is probably the biggest disappointment on the entire Denver Broncos roster this season. And frankly, at least Mims contributes. Dulcich is finally healthy this year and has not been able to do anything of note. He came out this season and dropped passes, missed blocks, and found his way to the gameday inactive list.
Dulcich hasn't played since the Broncos beat the New York Jets, and for good reason. But also, the team kind of needs his contributions. Dulcich is a field-stretching tight end when at his best, but will he ever realize his full potential in Denver?
At this point, it's not looking like it.
5. Baron Browning, EDGE
This post was already in the process of being written before Baron Browning was traded to the Arizona Cardinals. So he's staying in here.
Baron Browning landed on injured reserve for the Broncos again earlier this season, and that's become an unfortunate theme for him. He has battled injury after injury over the last three years and the Broncos just couldn't rely on him to stay healthy.
Browning had more offsides penalties this year than sacks or quarterback hits (0 each) and was being outplayed by rookies Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman.