Denver Broncos first-quarter report card: Solid start sets up bright future

Player Development and Rookies

The Broncos' rookie class has featured guys like Bo Nix, Jonah Elliss, Troy Franklin, Audric Estime, and Devaughn Vele. Nix is a rookie QB and still very much in his development, and we've seen some nice plays here and there from guys like Elliss, Franklin, Estime, and Vele.

Estime is on IR and can come off after Week 5, so that could be a nice boost. Elliss has gotten in on some of the fun on defense. He's already got 1.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, and two QB hits. Franklin and Vele have not had notable performance yet on offense, so I think overall with the team's rookie class through four weeks, it's been nothing special.

But when you consider that Jonah Elliss, Audric Estime, and Troy Franklin are all just 21 years old, the future does seem bright. Given how some other Broncos' players have developed in the Sean Payton era, the arrow is very much pointing in the right direction, so the consensus opinion on the rookie class should be good.

Injury Impact

The Denver Broncos have stayed extremely healthy since the start of the 2023 NFL Season. They have lost three linebackers for the year in Alex Singleton, Drew Sanders, and Jonas Griffith, and do currently have Audric Estime, Mike McGlinchey, and Baron Browning on IR, but the latter three should all come back quite soon.

Denver was bitten by the injury bug for a few years before Sean Payton got here, and since then, the team seems to have figured something out with training and recovery, so it seems like they've got a good process in place.

And while all injuries suck, the Broncos' performance at certain positions with injuries hasn't gotten worse. The ILB unit played great in Week 4 without Alex Singleton. The OL has not allowed a single sack since Mike McGlinchey went on IR, and the pass rush has still been elite even without Baron Browning.

The run game would probably be better off if Audric Estime had been in the lineup, but he could be nearing his return. Denver does have some solid depth, so the injuries have not been as devastating as they could be.