4. The AFC is a loaded conference
I'm not sure the AFC has been as talented as it should be in 2023 as it has ever been in the history of the NFL. I'm a bit nervous for that. Denver also plays top AFC teams in the 2023 season like the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers four times total, the Miami Dolphins, the New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills, and a sneaky team in the Cleveland Browns.
Denver seems to be stuck in the middle of the AFC, and they might just get flooded out by all these other talented teams. What is also important to note is that tiebreakers are a thing in the NFL, and if the Denver Broncos are in a playoff race in 2023, tiebreakers might make or break their season.
Here's a helpful explainer about how tiebreakers work in the NFL.
5. Inconsistency at wide receiver... again?
The Denver Broncos have had all the talent in the world at wide receiver, but for one reason or another, that unit has not reached its full potential. In 2020, Courtland Sutton tore up his knee, which paved the way for Jerry Jeudy to have a strong rookie season. This was also a nice breakout year for Tim Patrick. I can't imagine how good that WR unit could have been with Sutton on the field.
In 2021, Jerry Jeudy missed some time with a sprained ankle and was likely looking to build on his rookie season. Remember, Sutton went off in year two, and I'm sure Jerry Jeudy was fixing to do the same thing. In 2022, Tim Patrick tore his ACL and was out for the year. And again, in 2023, Tim Patrick is set to miss the whole season, this time with a torn Achilles.
All of this was intertwined with horrid QB play, so the Broncos' WRs have not reached their full potential, and the overall inconsistency of the unit worries me again, especially since Jeudy is battling a hamstring injury and may miss more regular season time. The Denver Broncos' top receivers when week one kicks off might be Courtland Sutton, rookie Marvin Mims Jr, and Brandon Johnson. Yikes.