The Denver Broncos don't have picks in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, so GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton are going to have to attack NFL free agency aggressively in order to really fill this team's primary areas of need. And what are those areas of need as of right now?
Depending on who you ask, the clearest areas of need are on the offensive line at tackle, guard, and center, as well as needs on the defensive line (especially if Dre'Mont Jones leaves) and at wide receiver. Looking at the crop of free agents available right now, who are some players that could really help the most?
Let's take a look at five free agents that could end up being impact starters for the Denver Broncos in 2023.
5 NFL free agents who could be impact starters for the Denver Broncos
1. Donovan Smith, OT, Buccaneers
This is a situation where the Denver Broncos would actually have to trade Garett Bolles, as was rumored earlier in the offseason. Donovan Smith has been the starting left tackle for the Buccaneers since he came into the NFL back in 2015. Despite the fact that he's been in the league one year longer than Bolles, Smith is only 29 going on 30 while Bolles is 30 going on 31. It's not a massive difference in age, to be clear, but it's interesting, nonetheless.
Smith has been a model of durability since his career began back in 2015. The 2022 season when he only played 13 games was the first time in his NFL career where he missed more than one game in a given season. Durability and availability are arguably two of the biggest key factors for any Broncos free agent acquisition in 2023, although that's almost an unfair prerequisite.
Pro Football Focus did not grade Smith overly well in 2022 but in the years prior, he was playing at a high level (14th-highest grade in 2021). It might be worth the Broncos trading Bolles for $9 million in savings (roughly) and signing someone like Smith, banking on him returning to 2021 form. Bolles is coming off of a broken leg and if there's draft capital to be had in a trade, it might be worth the Broncos making this kind of swap.
2. Kelvin Beachum, OT, Cardinals
The Denver Broncos have had an ugly revolving door at the right tackle position for the last however many years. It's too many to even count at this point. The last time a right tackle started in consecutive seasons for the Broncos was Orlando Franklin after he was picked in 2011 and started for the Broncos until 2014.
The team has certainly tried -- a lot -- to fill the need at right tackle through the NFL Draft and free agency but they actually appear to be cursed at this point.
2015: Drafted Ty Sambrailo
2016: Signed Donald Stephenson
2017: Signed Menelik Watson
2019: Signed Ja'Wuan James
2021: Signed Cam Fleming & Bobby Massie
2022: Signed Billy Turner
Someone needs to come in and lift this awful curse, and for the time being, that could be 33-year-old free agent Kelvin Beachum. Beachum obviously played for the Arizona Cardinals most recently, and has been a very steady option for them. He went up against Vance Joseph every day in practice so perhaps Joseph can vouch for him as a potential impact acquisition for the Broncos.
Another connection for Kelvin Beachum on this Denver Broncos coaching staff? John Morton, who was the Jets offensive coordinator in 2017 when the Jets signed Beachum as a free agent. Morton is currently the pass game coordinator in Denver and could prove to be an important connection to stopping that bleeding at right tackle.
Adding Beachum in free agency and drafting his replacement for 1-2 years down the road? This is the way.
3. Ethan Pocic, C, Browns
The Denver Broncos could look to make a variety of additions on the interior offensive line. I think there's a chance some of their biggest moves could be on the interior and Ethan Pocic figures to be one of the team's top targets.
Pocic was ranked third overall in the NFL among centers in 2022 by PFF, and even if you don't put a ton of stock into PFF grades and rankings, it's worth noting that Pocic has started 40 games over the last three seasons and has been called for just four penalties, three of which happened three seasons ago.
Why would the Broncos be so all-in on this year's center market to go after arguably the best guy there? Interior pressure has been such a huge problem for this team in recent years and Pocic is someone who could really help in that department.
The Broncos drafted Lloyd Cushenberry III in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and that pick was considered a massive steal at the time because many Broncos fans wanted Cushenberry with the team's second-round pick that year. After the Broncos passed on Cushenberry in round two, they managed to land him in round three and people thought that was one of the top steals of the NFL Draft.
It turned out to be anything but as Cushenberry has really struggled in his first few NFL seasons.
Pocic was teammates in Seattle with Russell Wilson, so he's already got experience snapping to him. That could certainly become a factor as the Broncos look to potentially spend big money at this position.
4. Zach Allen, DL, Arizona Cardinals
This one might have to be chalked up as bittersweet because if the Broncos are signing Zach Allen in free agency, it likely means they have let Dre'Mont Jones walk. Which could very well happen. It's not been talked about nearly as much, but Allen has every right to demand just as much if not more money on the open market than Dre'Mont Jones.
Allen had more QB hits (19) than any other free agent defensive lineman last year. He had 35 total pressures (according to PFF) and the "best run grade of his career". It's certainly worth considering because while Dre'Mont Jones is known for his ability to get after the QB, he's not known as well for his run defending abilities.
Zach Allen would at least pacify fans if the team lost Dre'Mont Jones, because right now, there's not really a viable alternative or replacement on the roster, at least as far as we can tell. Allen would pair up with another former NFC West free agent pickup DJ Jones to give the Broncos a stronger defense against the run up front with Allen certainly capable of making an impact as a pass rusher.
The connection here is obvious with Vance Joseph now running the Denver defense. The team signing Zach Allen would certainly show a bit of a commitment to Joseph as the DC.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Free Agent
Odell Beckham Jr. missed the entire 2022 NFL season with a torn ACL. He's crossed the age of 30 and is probably still going to command a pretty decent contract here in 2023 NFL free agency. But with Sean Payton clearly in the mood to resurrect some old NFL flames, it makes sense that he might revisit the idea of acquiring Odell Beckham Jr., something he once considered while he was with the New Orleans Saints.
Let's start off by saying that reclamation projects have not really been George Paton's thing, so this would represent a bit of a philosophical difference between Paton and Payton, potentially.
Sources say #Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and #Saints HC Sean Payton both reached out to Odell Beckham, Jr. to make their respective recruiting pitches.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 10, 2021
The Denver Broncos need to make a move at wide receiver. They might end up trading away someone like Courtland Sutton, maybe KJ Hamler, but I think they need to make some changes at receiver and this would represent a pretty massive change. It's worth noting that less than two years ago, both Russell Wilson and Sean Payton were trying to recruit Odell to play for their respective teams.
Obviously, Odell (correctly) chose the Los Angeles Rams and was instrumental to their Super Bowl run a couple of seasons ago. What we saw from Beckham during the postseason with the Rams should give Broncos fans confidence that this guy -- once the premier star at receiver in the league -- has still got it.
The Broncos don't need a five-year investment at receiver. They need the best 2-3 year shot in the arm they can get. Why not Odell? He excels at creating separation. He excels at the catch point. He can play inside or out. He can work well with a high volume of targets or in a secondary role.
Maybe Sean Payton and Russell Wilson can convince Odell to skip the idea of playing for the Cowboys, or sell him on winter in the mountains instead of Buffalo. We'll see what kind of market Beckham has but I think he would asbolutely be a big-time pickup for the Broncos and an impact starter in 2023.