I think the Denver Broncos have had a very good offseason, but it hasn't been perfect. Will they end up regretting some of the moves they've made, or perhaps haven't made? I think it's an objective fact that Denver has gotten better as a football team this offseason.
They added reinforcements along the offensive line, perhaps the weakest point of their roster. They also brought in a Super Bowl-winning head coach to run the show instead of a former hip-hop dancer.
They seem to have gotten solid grades across the board for their haul in the 2023 NFL Draft as well. All in all, there isn't much to take issue with from the Broncos this offseason. There aren't many more moves they can make to improve their roster, but I think based on what they've done and changed thus far, there are some moves they could end up regretting.
Or, they may end up regretting moves that they haven't made.
Three offseason moves the Denver Broncos might end up regretting
1. Not doing more at the center position
So far, the Denver Broncos have added Kyle Fuller, a career backup, and seventh-round rookie draft pick Alex Forsyth at the center spot. I actually think that Forsyth begins the year as the starter, but with those two additions plus Lloyd Cushenberry returning, I'm not sure if this will be enough to get competent play out of the center spot.
Couple that with the New York Jets re-signing former Broncos guard/center Connor McGovern to a shockingly small amount, and it becomes even more frustrating. The team can still look to free agency-- perhaps they'd be interested in signing Ben Jones, one of the best centers in football who is still on the market.
But if they plan on going into the offseason with this group, they might regret not doing enough when the season begins.
Three offseason moves the Denver Broncos might end up regretting
2. Doing virtually nothing along the defensive line
The Denver Broncos appear to be confident in their defensive line as they let both Dre'Mont Jones and DeShawn Williams leave in free agency. They brought in Zach Allen, a free agent from the Arizona Cardinals, who is about as talented as Jones.
However, who is going to be the third starter along the defensive line? Denver didn't draft one. Mike Purcell isn't a starting-caliber player anymore and who else in the DL room can be trusted to start? Well, the team might be banking on the development of 2022 draft picks Matt Henningsen and Eyioma Uwazurike.
Perhaps that's their plan, and perhaps one of them turns into a good starter for the team, but in a year where it's clear the Broncos are trying to contend this year, I'm worried that their defensive line is going to suffer if they don't add a player to this unit.
Dawuane Smoot is a free agent and has been a quality DL for years. He's spent his entire career with the Jacksonville Jaguars. There are other players out there who could fill this last starting spot, or at least provide some competition.
Three offseason moves the Denver Broncos might end up regretting
3. Signing Jarrett Stidham as the QB2 instead of other, better options
I do not understand the signing of Jarrett Stidham as the backup. He got $10 million on a two-year deal from the Broncos to serve as the QB2. Apparently, Sean Payton trusts him enough to come in and be the starter if Russell Wilson gets hurt or isn't playing well enough.
I think there were better options to target as the backup QB who present a higher ceiling and have connections with Sean Payton. The first option I think would have been better than Stidham is Teddy Bridgewater, who played the best football of his career with Sean Payton on the New Orleans Saints back in 2019 and is obviously very familiar with the Denver Broncos.
In five starts with New Orleans, Teddy Two Gloves threw for nine touchdowns, two interceptions, and earned a passer rating of 99.1. He was efficient in Payton's offense and it would have made loads of sense to have brought Bridgewater back.
The second option, which I know many people will and already have disagreed with, is Carson Wentz. Wentz has had an up-and-down career, but he's proven to be effective at times in the NFL and has won a Super Bowl. He's also been a legitimate MVP candidate and only seems to play well when he's playing in a Frank Reich-led offense.
Well, Reich does have a very good track record of working with and developing QBs, but so does Sean Payton. Wentz's ceiling is through the roof, and at one point, he was a top-five talent in the NFL. I would have loved Carson Wentz on the Broncos as a reclamation project for Sean Payton. Just imagine the potential impact Carson Wentz could have on the Broncos if he were to get starts and show competency playing with Payton.
I think Wentz may have been the best possible option to be the backup QB to Russell Wilson, but obviously, Sean Payton disagreed with me.