The Denver Broncos have made strides to improve a roster and coaching staff for a team that has been reeling ever since winning Super Bowl 50. Now that the free-agent signing period and NFL draft have taken place, teams are sitting with 90-man rosters and building toward the start of the 2023 season.
Every team still has holes, whether big or small, and NFL.com recently took a look at the biggest offseason priority remaining for each team. The article could only mention Sean Payton and Russell Wilson.
There is no question that the Broncos' success or failure this season will be largely tied to how well Wilson can execute Payton's offense. Was last season just an abberation for Wilson, or has he really fallen from the ranks of great NFL quarterbacks?
That is certainly a burning question, but it's not all about Payton and Wilson. Here are three other significant questions that the team will need to answer.
Broncos burning question No. 1: Can the running game hold up?
The Broncos used free agency to sign a blocking tight end in Chris Manhertz and a fullback in Michael Burton. They also brought in a veteran running back in Samaje Perine to work behind Javonte Williams.
It is clear that Payton wants a pounding rushing attack. But will it work with this group?
Williams is coming off of a significant knee injury that cut his 2022 season very short but the team doesn't seem to be overly concerned about that. However, Perine is a career backup and behind him the team doesn't have much in the way of depth.
There is certainly the possibility that an undrafted free agent such as Jaleel McLaughlin could come out of nowhere and make a name for himself, but there isn't much in the way of proven commodities among this group.
The Broncos want to be a ground and pound team that doesn't ask Wilson to be a hero that slings the ball around 40-50 times a game, but do they have enough in the way of personnel to be able to accomplish that goal?