The Denver Broncos have a ton at stake for themselves in the 2023 NFL season. I think a few reasons stick out that should make us nervous about the team this year. I am both very encouraged and horribly nervous about the Broncos. So much has changed this offseason, but will that change be enough?
Sean Payton is one of the best coaches in the NFL and is now coaching the Denver Broncos, but questions on the offensive side of the ball make me a bit concerned about the coming year. There's also just a ton of variables that can impact a team during a season. For example, I don't think George Paton knew that Nathanial Hackett was a giant balloon, so he ended up not working out as the head coach.
The Broncos were also one of the most injured teams in football in 2022, so that was another factor that hurt the team. I think you get the point. Well, I've outlined five reasons why I am a bit nervous about the 2023 Denver Broncos. Let's get started.
5 reasons to be nervous about the Denver Broncos in the 2023 NFL season
1. Injuries are already piling up
The Denver Broncos have battled the injury bug already in 2023, and the regular season hasn't even started yet. WR Tim Patrick is out for the year yet again, this time with a torn Achilles. ILB Jonas Griffith is out for the year with a torn ACL. WR KJ Hamler was waived from the team because of a heart condition.
Other players like Justin Simmons, Jerry Jeudy, Brandon Johnson, and Mike McGlinchey have all battled or are currently battling injuries of their own. If this trend continues into the regular season, I don't think there is much even the best coaching staff can do. At some point, the injuries become too great, and that is what I am worried about with the Denver Broncos. Hopefully, the team can have some great injury luck, but that doesn't seem to be the case so far,
2. Russell Wilson
I personally think Russell Wilson is going to bounce back, but I would be lying if I said I was not nervous about his performance. There is a distinct possibility that Russell Wilson is indeed washed up and is no longer an effective QB. If that is indeed the case, we'll likely see Wilson play poorly right when the season begins.
This could lead to the Broncos losing more than they win and could eventually lead to the team even benching Wilson in favor of QB2, Jarrett Stidham. Wilson has looked pretty solid this offseason, but he wasn't that good in the preseason. Perhaps we'll see the Russell Wilson of old when the 2023 season begins, but I can't help but worry that he is all washed up.
3. The defensive front
I am a bit worried about the defensive front for the Denver Broncos. The inside linebackers are not a concern of mine. Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton are one of the better duos in the NFL and I expect them to pick up right where they left off in 2022. What does concern me a bit is the defensive line, which I think got worse this offseason and the pass rushers.
Dre'Mont Jones departed in free agency, and the Denver Broncos signed Zach Allen, who was also taken in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft like Jones was. Both players are above-average, but I kind of think that as of now, Jones is a better player. I worry that Allen simply won't have the impact on the DL that Jones did.
The team figures to start DJ Jones once again at nose tackle. DJ Jones is one of the best run stuffers in the NFL. However, perhaps the biggest concern of mine is who the heck ends up being that third starter along the defensive line. Will it be Matt Henningsen? Frank Clark? Jonathan Harris? Someone else? I worry that the Broncos will have a bit of a question mark at their defensive end spot opposite Allen.
That also kind of brings me to the edge rushers. Baron Browning will be missing regular season time, so the Broncos seem to be relying on Frank Clark, Randy Gregory, Jonathon Cooper, and Nik Bonitto to carry the pass rush load. While this is a deep unit on paper, I worry that the Broncos don't have a true difference-maker in this position group.
Frank Clark has historically shown up in the playoffs, but that isn't helping in the regular season. Between the question mark along the defensive line and the lack of a clear top edge rusher, I am concerned about the defensive front.
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.