If the Broncos are going to make some noise in the 2023 season, they'll need some of their guys to step up and in a big way. They've added some big names all around the field, and have added strong depth to their roster. They need some big years in 2022 from Greg Dulcich, Alex Singleton, and Jerry Jeudy. However, as was noted before, they'll need more of that in 2023: Here are three Broncos who are primed for breakout campaigns in 2023.
Denver Broncos breakout candidate no. 1) Nik Bonitto, EDGE
Bonitto is entering his second full season in the NFL, and this time has a much different climate around him. New defensive coordinator Vance Joseph should be able to get the most out of the rookie, even if it just comes as a rotational rusher. Bonitto should see a lot more playing time, too, especially with a less crowded outside linebacker room. Based on who is still with the team, Bonitto figures to start the season as the 3rd or 4th rusher on the depth chart, but he would figure to have the most upward mobility in the room, given his age, his draft status, and how rarely he was used last year. A new scheme should help as well, especially considering how he seemed to be a square peg in a round hole last season.
Bonitto was the first selection the Denver Broncos made in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he was effectively a non-factor for the Broncos all year, even after the team moved on from Bradley Chubb and lost Randy Gregory for most of the year. The rookie made it into 15 games but only tallied 14 combined tackles and 1.5 sacks. Simply put, that isn't good enough for the Broncos. However, 2023 should be different for the former Sooner.
He should also enjoy a reunion with one of his most important collegiate coaches, new Broncos pass rush specialist Jamar Cain, who worked with the Sooners during Bonitto's time at Oklahoma. 2023 figures to be the best chance for Bonitto to have a breakout season, and it would be of great help to the Broncos to be able to procure this out of the 2022 second-round pick.
2) Lloyd Cushenberry, C
For Cushenberry's sake, let's hope he has a monster 2023. The starting center for the Broncos received a vote of confidence from new head coach Sean Payton on Monday when he tabbed him as the unofficial starter when he said that the Broncos "see him as our starting center". Cushenberry is entering his fourth season as the Broncos starting center, and his contract year. He underperformed a lot of expectations last season, but that can be said for most every Broncos offensive lineman last year.
Cush, at the moment, also seems to have minimal competition for the position. All four other line spots are set for the Broncos, but the center spot is the most vulnerable to turnover. The Broncos signed center Kyle Fuller on Friday, but his résumé paints him as nothing more than a backup and insurance for the line. Luke Wattenberg is another option to take over up the middle, but his limited playing time last year and only one start make it seem like he is more of a long-term project for the Broncos. The addition of stronger line-mates could bode well for Cushenberry, along with playing for Sean Payton and former NFL starting lineman Zach Strief, a long-term project that turned out to be a major win for Payton and the Saints.
The Broncos seem content giving Cushenberry a role, and a big one at that, without much competition. It feels in everyone's best interest that he churns out a strong 2023 campaign.
3) Marquez Callaway, WR
Callaway signed with the Broncos in mid-March, but figures to be a decent part of their offense in 2023. Callaway's best years came under Sean Payton in New Orleans, including a 600+ yard season. Callaway also brings cushion to a wide receiver room that was decimated by injuries in 2022 and is already off to a rocky start in 2023 with KJ Hamler's recent surgical procedure. Callaway was a non-factor in New Orleans' first season post-Sean Payton, only bringing in 16 catches for under 200 yards. However, he figures to see some of his numbers return to form with Payton this season. Callaway ran a solid 4.55 40-yard dash at the combine before being drafted by the Saints in 2020,
Callaway was versatile for Sean Payton in 2021, his best year, as a pass catcher and in 2020 as a return man. Callaway brings safety for the Broncos in both areas. However, much of the focus of defenses playing the Broncos this year will be on Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and trying to contain Greg Dulcich, especially after the recent news that Sutton and Jeudy are not going anywhere. Callaway could also benefit if Tim Patrick is not 100% healthy by Week One. Callaway, only 25, also has the potential to stay in Denver for a bit if 2023 works well for him. He figures to be the early leader in the clubhouse for the 4th spot on the Broncos wide receiver depth chart, ahead of the likes of Kendall Hinton and KJ Hamler.
Callaway should benefit from returning to a Sean Payton system, playing with a better offensive cast, and a rejuvenated Russell Wilson. Callaway feels like a safe bet for a 500-yard season and would be a stable receiver for what has otherwise been a hectic position for the Broncos the last few seasons. If everyone can play to their abilities and stay on the field, which has been anything but a lock for the Broncos the last few years, a tandem of Courtland Sutton, Jeudy, Patrick, Dulcich, and Callaway can be lethal for the Broncos, and help propel them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.