The Denver Broncos have now won nine games in a row and are still in a great spot to earn the top seed in the AFC for the playoffs. In the coming weeks, we could see Denver first clinch a playoff spot and then have an AFC West clinching scenario as well.
In Week 13, it took the Broncos much of the overtime period to defeat the Washington Commanders, and it was yet another one-score game that Denver won, bringing their one-score game record to 8-2 this year.
A small but notable reason why the Broncos have been so good this year is the early returns on the rookie class from the 2025 NFL Draft, and this key weapon is really beginning to hit his stride at the right time, and the numbers might shock you.
Pat Bryant is becoming a bigger factor in the passing attack over the past five games
Pat Bryant was not a flashy pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he possesses a legitimate WR profile for the NFL, as he has good size, hands, and he is already a good blocker. Bryant may never emerge as a WR1 in this league, but a future as a productive WR2 is firmly on the table.
Well, I went back and looked at the receiving totals for Bryant, Troy Franklin, and Courtland Sutton over the past five games, and the numbers are closer than you might think:
Pat Bryant: 13 receptions, 227 yards, 1 touchdown
Courtland Sutton: 17 receptions, 242 yards, 2 touchdowns
Troy Franklin: 21 receptions, 261 yards, 3 touchdowns
As you can clearly see, Bryant's production over the past five games is nearly in line with Sutton and Franklin, the assumed top receivers for the Broncos, but a huge advantage that Bryant may have over someone like Franklin is his ability as a run blocker.
By the end of the 2025 regular season, it would not shock me if Pat Bryant routinely became a bigger contributor in the passing attack than Troy Franklin, and that might end up being the right move, as Bryant is simply hitting his development quicker and might already be a better player than the second-year Franklin.
At the end of the day, the Denver Broncos still probably need a legitimate WR1 in the room, but they have a lot of functional players in this room that could emerge as notable contributors as the years go on.