For the eighth year in a row, the Denver Broncos will not be in the playoffs, and the work for the 2024 NFL Season begins now. They should avoid making these five mistakes. Honestly, this roster needs a lot of work, but I do think the team has the right coaching staff in place. The team started 1-5 and finished 7-4. They also had a legitimate shot to make the postseason. Even though it's another losing season, we definitely saw some tangible progress from the team.
Sean Payton is also not a stranger with the situation he is currently in with the Broncos. He's been in NFL circles for decades now and has gone through countless offseasons. Just because the Broncos have a solid structure in place, does not mean they are going to ace the offseason. The Broncos should avoid making these five grave mistakes.
5 mistakes the Denver Broncos should avoid in 2024
1. Broncos should avoid not upgrading Jarrett Stidham's spot
The Denver Broncos signed Jarrett Stidham to be the QB2 last offseason. Stidham ended up getting two starts for the Broncos at the end of the year. Denver went 1-1 in those starts. And while Stidham showed flashes here and there of someone who can be serviceable, he is nowhere near the best possible QB2/bridge/stopgap QB option for the Broncos.
The simply need to upgrade from Stidham, and there are a plethora of quality bridge QB options the Broncos can pursue. Guys like Jameis Winston, Gardner Minshew, and Jacoby Brissett are all free agents and clearly better passers than Stidham. Las Vegas Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo is also likely going to be a free agent in 2024, and he's another passer who is simply better than Stidham.
I have nothing against Jarrett Stidham. He's a middle-of-the-road backup QB, which is fine, but Denver is going to have a clear opportunity to find a better bridge QB in 2024.
2. The Broncos have to avoid not trading Justin Simmons
I think it's time for the Denver Broncos to move on from Justin Simmons. Simmons had another Pro Bowl season and was again very good. He turned 30 years old this year and is under contract through 2024. Right now, it'd be hard to envision the Broncos re-signing a 31 year old safety, especially if the team doesn't win much next year.
Simmons has been on the Broncos since 2016. In fact, he's the longest-tenured Broncos player. Denver should do right by Simmons and trade him to a solid, contending NFL team. They could surely get a mid-round pick for his services, and by trading him in 2024, they'd save $14.5 million on their 2024 cap.
Those are insane financial savings for moving on from a safety. The Broncos could use some of that money to re-sign PJ Locke III, and I guess there is always a chance that Caden Sterns comes back healthy and stays on the field. Rookie safety JL Skinner is also someone to watch out for in 2024. Either way, safety is not a premium position in the NFL, and Denver could also find younger and cheaper help in the free agent market for next year and beyond.
Justin Simmons is a very good player and valuable to the Broncos, but it's time for both sides to move on.
3. The Broncos have to avoid not trading Patrick Surtain II if offered a fair deal
Patrick Surtain II is the best CB in football, no doubt. He's likely going to earn another All-Pro award, giving him two Pro Bowls and two All-Pro's through his first three seasons. He's also going to be eligible for a massive contract extension this offseason. However, I think it's clear that an elite, shutdown cornerback only has so much of an impact on a defense.
The Broncos defense was truly bad this year. Their pass defense was below average and their rush defense was among the worst in football. They also did not get to the QB with much consistency. Frankly, the Broncos would have been in better shape on defense this year with two average starting CBs and an elite pass rusher.
If a team comes calling about PS2, and it's a fair offer, the Broncos should not hesitate to make the deal. Denver needs quite a bit of help on defense, and the opportunity to get multiple first-round picks for Surtain would greatly restock the Broncos draft pick cupboard. Getting some help along the defensive front is going to be a more valuable piece to the defense than having Patrick Surtain II.
Also, they won't have to hand over a rich contract extension, and with their cap situation in 2024, that might also be a benefit of trading PS2.
4. The Denver Broncos have to avoid not making substantial additions along the defensive front
This one coincides a bit with the last slide. The Denver Broncos defense line and pass rush are simply not good, at all. Outside of Zach Allen, the Broncos have an argument to replace the two other DL starters and both EDGE starters. In reality, we likely won't see that much of an overhaul, but it's needed.
The run defense was among the worst in football this year, and the pass rush was not much of a threat. Vance Joseph surely takes some blame here, but the personnel along the defensive front just do not cut it. Ideally, the Broncos create enough cap space to make a splash at EDGE this offseason, and my top pick there is Danielle Hunter.
Cutting DT DJ Jones is also a must, as doing so can save the Broncos $10 million in 2024. Adding some savvy veteran talent along the DL in free agency is also a must. They don't necessarily have to spend a ton of money to do this, but do have the financial potential to add multiple bodies along the front seven.
And then, I think the cherry on top would be to add some more help along the defensive front in the 2024 NFL Draft. However the Denver Broncos go about this change, one thing is certain;
The defensive front is going to look much different in 2024, and it'd be a huge mistake if it did not happen.
5. The Denver Broncos have to avoid not drafting a rookie QB in 2024
The Denver Broncos need to get the QB spot right for the long-term. For years, this franchise has tried and failed the "veteran retread" method with countless passers, and I don't even want to list them off, since we all have endured the QB pain. In 2024, the Denver Broncos HAVE to come away with a rookie passer.
Sean Payton is a strong offensive mind who has gotten notable production out of backup QBs for years. He helped turn Russell Wilson back into a competent passer this year, and frankly, Jarrett Stidham looked fine in his two starts in Payton's offense. I don't think the Broncos can continue to do the veteran retread method.
That does not mean they won't start one in 2024, but they have to bring a rookie QB in. Someone like Oregon's Bo Nix might be a realistic target for the Broncos. They could draft Bo Nix and target someone like Jimmy Garoppolo as the veteran stopgap option. This would give the Broncos a competitive QB in Garoppolo to take the reigns over until Nix eventually gets his shot in the starting lineup.
The Broncos could also target someone in the mid rounds if that's the route they want to go. My point here is that under every single circumstance, the Broncos need to add a rookie QB in 2024. It'd be a huge mistake if they did not.