Denver Broncos 4 stock up, 4 stock down following devastating loss to Commanders

The Denver Broncos fall to 0-2 on the season after an embarrassing loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 2 as they now sit alone at last place in the AFC West. Despite the game molding into an offensive shootout, defensive woes ultimately held back the Broncos from picking up their first win of the season under new head coach Sean Payton.

With the Broncos now moving onto their third matchup of the season with the Miami Dolphins, it will be a long week of assessment on both sides of the ball as coaches look to fix several issues in preparation for one of their tougher opponents of the season. In their Week 2 loss, Denver struggled to perform in the second and third levels of the defense and thus cost them the game. However, there are a handful of players with appreciable performances with well-deserved shoutouts, despite the outcome of the game.

Denver Broncos Stock Up following loss to Commanders:

WR Marvin Mims Jr.

It was an unbelievable performance from Broncos WR Marvin Mims Jr. considering the low amount of touches he received during Sunday's game. Mims Jr. accounted for 168 all-purpose yards including 123 receiving, 10 rushing, and a 45-yard punt return on special teams as well. The Broncos' second-round pick out of Oklahoma was one of the few bright spots on the team and showcased a lot of vertical speed that the offense had lacked since the loss of WR KJ Hamler. Head coach Sean Payton trading up to acquire the 21-year-old receiver was immediately justified after his performance in Week 2 and looks to be the future at the position for years to come.

QB Russell Wilson

Despite turning the ball over twice, QB Russell Wilson looked much more comfortable and efficient under head coach Sean Payton. The veteran QB threw for 308 yards (17.1 yards per completion), three touchdowns, and rushed six times for 56 yards. The offense had its sputters towards the end of the first half and beginning of the second half however, Wilson always kept the team in the game despite the defense having one of the worst games we've seen in the Mile High in years. A more aggressive Russell Wilson was a reassuring thing to see, especially witnessing his vintage deep ball connect with WR Marvin Mims Jr. for two large gains. Wilson was anything but the problem Sunday as the offense totaled 33 points.

OLB Jonathon Cooper

After an underwhelming performance in the season opener a week ago, veteran edge rusher Jonathon Cooper stepped up big time against Commanders RT Andrew Wylie and sacked QB Sam Howell twice along with a few added pressures. Denver was desperately in need of a pass rusher stepping up to the task this week following a poor performance from the unit as a whole vs the Raiders and Cooper made sure to be exactly that. As of late, the former seventh-round pick has arguably cemented himself as the best pass rusher on the defensive line. However, he will need to stack performances to maintain that title as the season goes on.

OLB Nik Bonitto

Despite having a non-existent impact in the regular season opener, second-year edge rusher Nik Bonitto got after the quarterback in Week 2 and made an immediate impact. Washington struggled to contain Bonitto during the first half as he made multiple flashy plays around Commanders LT Charles Leno Jr. Bonitto finished the contest with one sack, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits. It was a very encouraging day for the former second-round draft choice.

Denver Broncos Stock Down:

CB Damarri Mathis

For a second week in a row, Broncos CB Damarri Mathis finds himself trending down on the stock report as he wasn't able to bounce back from his horrendous start to his sophomore campaign against the Las Vegas Raiders. Mathis was repeatedly beaten on any type of routes that were thrown in front of him and especially struggled against Commanders star wideout Terry McLaurin. The defensive scheme defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has implemented upon his arrival has certainly not been the best fit schematically for the 24-year-old corner as he has constantly performed poorly in zone coverage every other down. It is hard to imagine Mathis having a repeat of his successful rookie season in 2022.

DC Vance Joseph

From top to bottom, the defensive performance on Sunday was an ugly one and was a major reflection of the poor coaching courtesy of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Denver was very sloppy with tackling and needless penalties throughout the game and there never seemed to be an adjustment that was made at any juncture in the contest. Eric Bieniemy's offense continuously attacked Denver's one-on-one matchups in zone coverage and Joseph truly never had an answer for it. The undisciplined execution and tackling were the main result of poor coaching and preparation by Vance Joseph this offseason and could potentially cost the Broncos a lot of games in 2023.

S Kareem Jackson

Broncos safety Kareem Jackson did not play the entire game, in fact, did not make it past the first half after a very controversial hit he landed on Commanders TE Logan Thomas late in the second quarter. The veteran safety was reasonably ejected from the game after initiating helmet-to-helmet contact which left the Broncos with just two active safeties suited up for the game, causing miscommunication in the secondary later in the second half. Ultimately, it is unlikely Jackson intentionally aimed for the receiver's head with ill will however, he will be potentially facing a multi-game suspension for illegal hits in back-to-back games. It was an unnecessary hit by the 35-year-old safety and will likely subtract more depth from an already thin room at the position.

RT Mike McGlinchey

In his second game with the Denver Broncos, RT Mike McGlinchey had a shaky performance, to say the least. It certainly was not the worst game by any means but if there was any offensive player who had an inconsistent performance on Sunday, it was Denver's new franchise right tackle.

In the loss, McGlinchey surrendered a handful of pressures and a few sacks on QB Russell Wilson. One of McGlinchey's lone weaknesses dating back to his time in San Francisco always included his inconsistent play in pass protection and unfortunately for the Broncos, it has carried over into the Mile High. As previously mentioned, it was not a significant issue for Denver's offense however, his false start penalty and lack of stability at the position will need to be fixed as the remainder of the season progresses.