If the Denver Broncos are going to make a big run down the stretch and truly prove themselves to be Super Bowl contenders, then the passing game is going to need to continue taking steps forward each week.
One of the most important players to help make that happen is going to be rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant, who has really been coming on ever since catching his first career touchdown pass against the Dallas Cowboys a handful of weeks ago.
Bryant has had at least 40 receiving yards in four of the Broncos' last five games, and he's had 124 receiving yards over the last two weeks combined. With 13 targets over the past two games, it's clear that Bryant is earning the trust of quarterback Bo Nix, who was singing his praises at his latest media availability.
Bo Nix talks up Broncos rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant ahead of Week 14
"Sometimes it’s funny because as a quarterback, you want to have a firm throw, you want to throw it hard, and if a guy runs through it, you’re kind of like, ‘Man, I must not be throwing it very hard to you if you can kind of just catch it like that.’ For a guy like that, he’s very smooth. He just sees the ball well, he plucks it out of the air, he uses his hands...
He’s a very good route runner for us in all aspects of the route tree. He’s good after the catch, but he’s a great blocker as well. He’s an every-down receiver just getting better and better each and every week. It’s fun to see.”
- Bo Nix (via Broncos PR)
Bryant might be one of the most underrated players on the team over the past couple of weeks. It's become abundantly clear that he's building trust with his quarterback, but part of the reason we're seeing him build trust with the quarterback is because he's built trust with the coaching staff.
He just played a career-high 49 snaps against the Washington Commanders. Even with overtime a consideration there, it was eight more snaps than the most he's played in a game previously this season.
A career-high in snaps played, a career-high seven targets, and a career-high 124 yards over the last two games?
It's clear that Pat Bryant is slowly but surely emerging as a key weapon for this Denver Broncos' offense. It's no surprise that his emergence over the last two games has coincided with two of Bo Nix's best passing outings of the season, either.
This is a huge development for the Broncos down the stretch.