10 former Broncos who annoyingly played great on other teams in 2023

You never want to dwell on the ones that got away, but you can't help but watch them do well, either. The 2023 season was a fascinating season when it comes to watching former Denver Broncos players, both in terms of the ones that failed elsewhere and the ones that did really well. It was a loaded mixed bag and certainly had Broncos Country full of mixed emotions.

There are some former Broncos you root for, and others you simply can't help but root against. Either way, seeing other guys have success outside of Denver is always a little bit annoying for the fan base due to the fact that these could be the ones who got away.

Which former Broncos (annoyingly) played really well for other NFL teams in 2023? Let's look at a bunch of different players.

1. Joe Flacco, QB, Cleveland Browns

The breakthrough of Joe Flacco in his stint with the Cleveland Browns this season is nothing short of hysterical. You can't help but be slightly annoyed by it while simultaneously being just absolutely blown away.

Flacco helped the Cleveland Browns clinch a playoff spot in 2023, averaging almost 325 passing yards per game in the process. He's slinging the ball around the yard literally like never before in his NFL career and the Browns' offense clicked with Flacco at the helm.

It was truly an impressive resurgence for the former Denver Broncos starter, a guy who John Elway infamously said was just coming into his "prime" when the team acquired him back in 2019. Maybe Elway was right, after all...

2. Drew Lock, QB, Seahawks

The subject of Drew Lock will always be incredibly contentious among Broncos Country. Lock was a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and the selection was considered a "steal" at the time because all of the talk surrounding Lock leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft was that he would be a first-round pick.

The league apparently wasn't a fan of Lock's deficiencies and let him last into round two, where the Broncos scooped him up. And he played so well at the end of the 2019 season that most of Broncos Country, including the guys in charge, felt like they finally had drafted a QB to build around.

The 2020 season ultimately ended up being a disaster, and Lock was replaced by Teddy Bridgewater in 2021. He was then included in the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade with the Seahawks in 2022, and sat for an entire year behind Geno Smith. Lock finally got the chance to start again in 2023 for Seattle and had one of the most memorable drives of the year for any team.

Lock engineered a brilliant game-winning drive for Seattle, which he capped off with this gorgeous pass to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

With Seattle's season on the line, Lock came through in a big way. He previously had an opportunity to start against San Francisco that didn't go nearly as well, but that was a tough draw for his most extensive action since 2021.

The way Lock played against Seattle had a lot of Broncos fans wishing the team had never moved on.

3. Dalton Risner, OL, Minnesota Vikings

The situation surrounding Dalton Risner was easily one of the weirdest in the entire 2023 offseason. Although not many people talked about it, Risner went from being projected to sign a deal worth nearly $10 million or more per season to not signing with anyone before the start of the 2023 season.

The former second-round pick and four-year starter for the Broncos finally found a home with the Minnesota Vikings, and after getting acclimated to his new home, he got into the starting lineup.

And Risner played great:

Perhaps he played his way into a second contract with Minnesota. You don't have to help the QB up if you don't allow any sacks.

4. Andrew Beck, TE/FB, Houston Texans

Andrew Beck provided some underrated versatility to the Denver Broncos' offense and would have been available to re-sign for next-to-nothing. The Houston Texans grabbed him and he contributed. three total touchdowns this past season, including a big one against the Colts to seal the AFC South title:

It's hard to be too mad about Beck leaving, but considering the Broncos' lack of production at tight end, his contributions would have been worthwhile for the price.

5. Ronald Darby, CB, Baltimore Ravens

Ronald Darby played 16 games with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023 after playing a combined 16 games in two seasons with the Denver Broncos. We're obviously happy for Darby that he was able to stay healthy, but to see how well he played for Baltimore as the Broncos had to roll with Fabian Moreau for most of the 2023 season?

It's frustrating, to say the least.

Darby allowed just 44.2 percent of throws into his coverage to be completed. He allowed one touchdown all season and the lowest QB rating into coverage that he's ever allowed (63.3).

6. Isaac Yiadom, CB, New Orleans Saints

The Denver Broncos used a third-round pick on Isaac Yiadom in 2018, and he struggled early on in his career. He wasn't given time to develop with the Broncos, and was ultimately traded after just two seasons in Denver. He played for the Giants, Texans, and Packers before landing with the New Orleans Saints.

And the Saints cracked the code, apparently.

Yiadom allowed just 48.9 percent of passes into his coverage to be completed and had a career-high 14 passes broken up. He looks like he's developed into a legit full-time starter at corner.

7. Shelby Harris, DL, Cleveland Browns

Everyone in Broncos Country loves Shelby Harris, which is the primary reason it's so annoying that he had a great year on arguably the league's best defense in 2023.

The Broncos brought Harris in for a visit in the offseason, and they would have been smart to sign him to a contract. Harris would have provided much-needed talent and depth to a Denver defensive line that struggled all throughout the season.

He gave the Cleveland Browns six tackles for loss and five batted passes. What were the Broncos thinking not bringing him back?

8. Bradley Chubb, EDGE, Miami Dolphins

Is it fair to say we're "annoyed" that the Broncos let Bradley Chubb go? Maybe not, but his success in 2023 was pretty eye-opening.

Chubb racked up 11.0 sacks and six forced fumbles for the Miami Dolphins, and what perhaps makes this even more annoying is that success came under Vic Fangio. We didn't see that in their time together in Denver, largely because Chubb struggled to stay on the field.

Obviously, Chubb suffered another major injury at the end of the season and we wish him a speedy recovery, but he showed off his tremendous talent and pass-rushing ability in 2023 while the Broncos struggled to find stability off the edge.

9. Chad Kelly, QB, CFL

I bet you never thought you would see anything about Chad Kelly again.

The former Mr. Irrelevant and Denver Broncos 7th-round pick is making a name for himself north of the border. He has won a Grey Cup and has been named Most Outstanding Player of the CFL in consecutive years.

Kelly's dismissal from Denver was unceremonious, but he's turned his life around and is playing some great football in Canada.

10. Graham Glasgow, OL, Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, but adding Graham Glasgow gave them some enviable depth.

No one in Denver was overly sad to see Glasgow leave, but it was annoying due to the fact that he was a big-money free agent who didn't pan out whatsoever. In his first year back with the Detroit Lions, Glasgow had a PFF grade of 75.1 and only allowed two sacks on over 1,000 snaps.

Where was that when he was in Denver?