3 new problem players in AFC West Denver Broncos have to worry about
The Denver Broncos made a couple of splashes in free agency, signing former Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Zach Allen, former San Francisco 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey, and former Baltimore Ravens guard Ben Powers to multi-year contracts this offseason. Those moves took care of the departures of Dre’Mont Jones, Dalton Risner, Calvin Anderson, and Billy Turner.
Every year, free agency is a game of “what can we do to counter what our opponents have done? What can we do to help us take the next step?” That’s just the beginning. That’s just one piece of the puzzle. Teams have to counter opponents’ moves and then capitalize. It just doesn’t happen with the snap of a finger.
Another trend I see every single year is fans of the Denver Broncos pounding the table for the team to sign certain players. They did that with the addition of Allen, who was with Vance Joseph, the team’s new defensive coordinator, in Arizona. Very solid potential that Allen does well for this team during his time in orange and blue.
The other AFC West teams have made a few moves as well. Here is one player from the Chargers, Chiefs, and Raiders that could be a problem for the Denver Broncos going forward.
3 AFC West newcomers who could be a problem for the Denver Broncos
Jakobi Meyers, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have had a history of acquiring speedy receivers over the years. While that mostly was the case with Al Davis as their owner, they were back at it as recently as 2020 with the drafting of Henry Ruggs III. Unfortunately, we know what happened with Ruggs, but we now have to worry about another wide receiver heading to the Raiders.
That would be former New England Patriot Jakobi Meyers. Meyers signed a 3-year deal with Las Vegas this offseason. At one point, there were rumors and speculation going around that Meyers should be signed by the Broncos. The team decided to hold onto Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy despite trade rumors, passing on Meyers.
Meyers is still just 26 years old and has gotten better with each year he’s been in the league. He started off his career in New England in 2019 with 26 receptions for 359 yards and no touchdowns. In his second year, Meyers had 59 receptions for 729 yards. In 2021, he snatched 83 passes for 866 yards and two touchdowns.
Finally, during the 2022 season, Meyers caught 67 passes for 804 yards but found the end zone six times.
Since Tom Brady left the Patriots, the team’s quarterback outlook has been shaky. I mean, it’s impossible to follow up a Tom Brady career by finding another version of No. 12.
Personally, I feel like Meyers could pose a major problem for the Broncos, especially if they don’t address their own cornerback depth. I’m sure they probably will do something about it in the 2023 NFL Draft, but finding another Patrick Surtain II is a tough ask.