3 Denver Broncos set to make big impact in season opener vs. Raiders

OLB Randy Gregory

Only playing in six games total in his first season with the Broncos, veteran OLB Randy Gregory missed several weeks during the 2022 season with a meniscus injury suffered in his right knee against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. Coincidentally, the Broncos face off against the Raiders in the season opener, and knowing the aggression and fire Gregory plays with, he will be ready to compete off the jump no matter who is lined up across from him.

Despite the numbers not being super intriguing, Gregory showcased a ton of potential in the small sample size of football he presented at the beginning of the 2022 season. Gregory will primarily serve as the strong-side linebacker while Jonathon Cooper is expected to start opposite him at weak-side linebacker. Therefore, this likely means Gregory will be lined up against Raiders starting LT Kolton Miller who is widely considered a top 10 offensive tackle in the NFL. However, there is a strong likelihood that DC Vance Joseph will be running a rotation that involves Cooper and Gregory switching sides on the defensive line as we often saw in former Broncos DC Ejiro Evero's film in 2022.

Even though Gregory may be challenged with a difficult task at hand with Miller, the 30-year-old pass rusher is healthier than ever and finally due for a breakout year as he hopes to remain healthy over the course of the entire season. However, for the purpose of this list, Gregory will in fact come out explosive in this game against a division rival that many of the players desperately want a win against.

Gregory's tenaciousness and explosiveness off the line of scrimmage in his pursuit of the QB is one of the best in the NFL but has not always translated to season-long production due to injury. Assuming Gregory can maintain his consistency in setting the edge but also rushing the passer throughout all four quarters, the Raiders' offensive line will be in for a long game.