The Denver Broncos had a solid free agency, but perhaps they should have considered making these moves instead. No matter how many moves a team makes, someone in the fanbase will take issue with them. I'm sure some of you reading this aren't thrilled that the team signed Mike McGlinchey to a five-year contract.
Others may not have liked the Broncos' decision to sign Jarrett Stidham or Ben Powers. Denver definitely had a plan going into the free agency period and they stuck to it. I don't think I'd argue with George Paton or Sean Payton, but we can still debate their decisions.
I think there are three free agency moves we wish we would have seen the Broncos make in 2023. Let's dive into those.
Three free agency moves we wish we would have seen the Broncos make
1. We wish the Broncos would have signed A'Shawn Robinson
A'Shawn Robinson might not be a household name and might not be someone you are too familiar with, but he would have fit in very nicely in Denver.
Robinson, 28, began his career with the Detroit Lions back in 2016 and played for them for four seasons. He then signed with the Rams and spent the 2020-2022 seasons with LA, winning a Super Bowl in 2021.
He signed a one-year deal worth $5 million with the New York Giants. The thing is, though, is that he's an excellent run defender and signed for cheap. Adding A'Shawn Robinson to a defensive line that features DJ Jones and Zach Allen would have been marvelous.
Three free agency moves we wish we would have seen the Broncos make
2. We wish the Broncos would have signed Jawaan Taylor instead of Mike McGlinchey
So, I do not hate the signing of Mike McGlinchey. Even if he's average, he's better than what the Broncos have had at the position for years. He can be a steady presence for the team for years to come if all goes well.
However, the better player to bet long-term on would have been Jawaan Taylor, who signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. The original plan was to actually put Taylor at left tackle, but after signing Donovan Smith, the Chiefs decided to kick Taylor back to the right side.
Taylor turns 26 in the 2023 season and has played and started in every game during his four-year career thus far, and he had a career year in 2022. Taylor would have been someone who could have stuck around much longer than McGlinchey, and he's arguably a better player.
What likely happened is Taylor was simply too rich with his asking price. Or, I could be totally wrong, and the Broncos could have had their eyes on McGlinchey this entire time.
Again, I don't dislike the signing, but I think Taylor probably would have been the stronger player to nab.
Three free agency moves we wish we would have seen the Broncos make
3. We wish the Broncos would have signed an EDGE rusher
The one unit that does truly scare me on defense is the EDGE group. Baron Browning and Randy Gregory can be a solid duo of pass-rushing specialists, but their floor is quite low. Baron Browning is quite new to the position and Gregory simply cannot stay on the field.
2022 second-round draft pick Nik Bonitto wasn't all that in year one and the team recently cut Jacob Martin, who had figured to serve as solid depth. Right now, I am worried that the Broncos won't be able to get to the QB effectively.
They surely can still sign someone. There are a ton of quality free agents left. However, some of the names that Denver could have signed are gone now and with other teams. If Gregory goes down again or Browning isn't continuing to develop as a pass rusher, the Broncos could be in serious trouble.
Sure, there will be some free agent pass rushers available when the season begins and during if the Broncos need a boost, but it's better to bring someone in now, kind of like how we have car insurance but don't actively use it.