The Denver Broncos don't have any picks in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, so they are going to have to get aggressive when it comes to NFL free agency. The team is poised to lose potentially a few big names in free agency, starting with Dre'Mont Jones and Dalton Risner. Alex Singleton, a standout from last year's free agency haul, could also be on his way out.
When you look at the Broncos' roster right now, and try to project a depth chart for year one of the Sean Payton era, it's clear that this team has plenty of needs to begin addressing when the legal negotiating period opens up on Monday afternoon.
Denver Broncos top needs in 2023 NFL Free Agency
1. Right tackle
2. Center
3. Left Guard
4. Defensive Line
5. Wide Receiver
6. Running Back
7. Backup QB
8. Linebacker
9. Tight End
You can really shuffle those needs however you want to, and perhaps the team will view some as priorities over other when it comes to free agency. For example, it's not going to always be the case where the strength of free agency lines up with your team's top needs. There could be a really great fit for the Broncos in free agency at tight end that they spend money on, which may not make a ton of sense to people because it's down the list of priorities.
But that doesn't make it a bad signing or investment. Considering this team's current areas of need, some of the best potential fits around free agency, and what the Broncos could do with that Walmart money, let's make some official predictions, shall we?
1. Sign RT Jawaan Taylor to a big-money deal
The Denver Broncos currently do not have the luxury of being on the cusp of winning a Super Bowl to pitch to prospective free agents. They are going to have to flex with their wallets this coming week, not with their current standing in the AFC or even AFC West.
With that being said, Jawaan Taylor is someone who is deserving of a big-money contract with the way he has played for Jacksonville the last handful of years. Although there have been some negative marks about his run blocking lately, he was known coming out of Florida for his powerful run blocking and nastiness. He's really improved as a pass blocker over the last couple of years and if the Broncos are letting Dre'Mont Jones hit free agency, it makes sense that they would allocate that next really big salary cap hit on the books to their biggest position of need.
Especially when you consider there are a few really good players hitting free agency at right tackle in 2023 with former first-round picks Kaleb McGary (Falcons) and Mike McGlinchey (49ers) joining Taylor on the market.
The Broncos have struggled badly to find any sort of solution at the right tackle position since Orlando Franklin left in free agency, which feels like a lifetime ago. Players like Donald Stephenson, Menelik Watson, and Ja'Wuan James have all joined the ranks of "worst free agent decisions in team history".
Can Jawaan Taylor finally end that curse for the Broncos?
2. Sign TE Foster Moreau to a three-year deal
A lot of people will scoff at this because, like I said in the opening, the tight end position is not exactly the biggest "need" area for the Denver Broncos in 2023, but there are good players available that can really help propel this offense forward under Sean Payton.
Foster Moreau is one of them.
There are a couple of major connections to be aware of when it comes to Foster Moreau and the Denver Broncos. First, the team recently hired John Morton as pass game coordinator and Morton was on the Raiders' coaching staff from 2019-2021. Moreau was drafted by the Raiders in 2019 so Morton was there for three of his first four years.
The Broncos also recently hired Austin King as an assistant offensive line coach. King was Moreau's position coach with the Raiders in 2020.
Moreau can come in and have an instant impact as both a blocker and a receiver. He's such a well-rounded player at the position and gives you another weapon in the passing game as well as someone that can play in line and be a factor in the running game.
Plus, we know how much George Paton seems to value high RAS guys, and Moreau is exactly that.
3. Sign OL Evan Brown and re-sign OL Cam Fleming
The Denver Broncos seem to have a couple of starting spots pretty solidified going into NFL Free Agency.
Garett Bolles returns at the left tackle spot coming off of injury, and Quinn Meinerz is at least a viable option at right guard. Although Bolles has been the subject of some trade rumors, it would be a whale of an undertaking to replace four out of five starters on the offensive line, including both tackle positions, when you're already going to have at least three new starters in all likelihood.
The Broncos aren't going to be able to sign everyone's favorite free agents at every position. Although they can offer a lot of cash if they so choose, there will likely be some decisions made to pursue other fits in the NFL Draft. That could come on the interior offensive line. With that being said, I don't think the Broncos will go into the 2023 NFL Draft without feeling good about a potential starting five on the offensive line. It would just be bad business.
They should re-sign Cam Fleming, who played pretty well last season, as well as bring in former Detroit Lions top backup Evan Brown. Those two guys could pencil in as your starting left guard and center for the 2023 season depending on what happens in the NFL Draft.
Can you really bank on a player at pick no. 67 or 68 overall being an instant starter? Maybe, but it's still hard to say at this point in time. Bringing back Fleming and bringing in Brown (who has a connection to pass game coordinator John Morton) would give the Broncos a starting five on the offensive line of:
LT: Garett Bolles
LG: Cam Fleming
C: Evan Brown
RG: Quinn Meinerz
RT: Jawaan Taylor
At least, in this scenario, that looks like a pretty substantial upgrade for Sean Payton and new OL coach Zach Strief.
4. Sign WR Odell Beckham Jr.
I know I'm not on an island with this one, but there was a lot of opposition to this idea when I threw it out there on Twitter from many in Broncos Country. Odell Beckham Jr. is a big personality who has a history of injuries, but he's a dynamic player at the wide receiver position when healthy and could help a badly struggling Broncos aerial attack.
Beckham was sensational in the playoffs for the Los Angeles Rams during that 2021 championship season for them, and after missing the whole 2022 season with the torn ACL he suffered in the Super Bowl, he's ready to audition for teams and come back at full strength.
The Denver Broncos should be all over this. They don't have to go and give Beckham $25 million per season or anything, but they might be able to get him for pennies on the dollar considering his talent level and where his market might currently be at. I'm sure a lot of teams would love to be able to sign Beckham but he could be a tremendous asset in Denver.
Now, this kind of signing could lead to something else, like perhaps a trade of Courtland Sutton. In that case, the Broncos might recoup some desperately needed NFL Draft capital. At any rate, the WR position needs to be upgraded. Sean Payton and Russell Wilson both tried to recruit Beckham to play for their respective teams when he was a free agent in November 2021, and you can't help but wonder if they might be at it again.
5. Sign Sam Darnold as the team's backup QB
Ultimately, the Denver Broncos may go a number of different directions at the backup QB spot. That could include just bringing back Brett Rypien and maybe rolling with an NFL Draft pick at the position. Sean Payton has had success in the past, however, with bringing in some higher upside options who might have failed in their previous stops in the NFL.
Specifically, he did exceptionally well with former first-round picks Teddy Bridgewater and Jameis Winston as "reclamation projects", and made those guys a lot of money.
The interesting thing about the timing of both Bridgewater and Winston coming to the Saints when Payton was still there? They were seemingly brought in with the thought in mind that they would take over for Drew Brees whenever he retired. Of course, they ended up a bit premature with the Bridgewater acquisition, but Winston took over as the starter in 2021 after Brees retired and wound up playing the best football of his NFL career for six games and change.
The Broncos just so happen to be in a pretty similar situation with Russell Wilson, albeit for different reasons than the potential of his retirement. There's no guarantee of what Wilson will bring to the table, and the Broncos may have to move on as early as 2024.
With that in mind, Darnold is still just 25 years old. He has always had the talent, and he's been able to put it together for stretches in the NFL. It might not be so much about potential with Darnold at this point as it is him just growing as a player, and perhaps getting in with the right coaching staff.
Darnold was once college teammates with Broncos QB coach Davis Webb, so there's a connection there. Broncos WR coach Keary Colbert was also on the USC staff from 2016-17, Darnold's primary years as the QB1 for the Trojans.
If the price is right, Darnold makes a ton of sense as a backup to Russell Wilson and contingency plan beyond this season if you-know-what hits the fan with Russ.
6. Sign David Montgomery and Latavius Murray at RB
Although there is some optimism that Javonte Williams could be ready to go for the start of the 2023 NFL season, the last thing the Denver Broncos need to do is rush him to action. Williams plays a very physical brand of football, and putting him on the field at anything less than 100 percent would be a mistake.
The running back room should probably be built in such a way that the Broncos don't need to bring Williams back at all in 2023, or maybe plan on him playing only in the second half of the season.
As such, they will need to take advantage of the depth of this year's free agent running back class which includes Latavius Murray, who apparently helped recruit Sean Payton to the Broncos late last season.
It also includes a couple of direct connections to new RBs coach Lou Ayeni, who coached David Montgomery at Iowa State. Montgomery's abilities as both a runner and receiver make him a pretty ideal fit for the Sean Payton offense, and perhaps he will see it that way as well.
This running back market is so oversaturated that it wouldn't surprise me to see a player who has even as big of a name as Montgomery come at an extremely team-friendly price. The Broncos could look to bring back Chase Edmonds, who was part of last year's Bradley Chubb trade, but right now he counts too much against the 2023 salary cap and will need to take a pay cut to stay, in all likelihood.
7. Sign DL Greg Gaines, Khalen Saunders; any FA linebacker
The focus of these predictions has been predominantly on the offensive side of the ball, and for good reason. There might be a drop-off on the defensive side of the ball in 2023 for the Broncos, but it's something the team must sacrifice at this point to emphasize building on the offensive side of the ball.
There will be worthwhile players on the defensive line in free agency who could end up hitting really well on short-term deals, players like Greg Gaines and Khalen Saunders. Gaines, specifically, has direct ties to Broncos DL coach Marcus Dixon and played really well when they were together with the Rams.
Saunders really showed his potential this past season with the Chiefs after dealing with injuries his first few seasons in the NFL.
The Broncos could end up losing players like Dre'Mont Jones and Alex Singleton, and they need to be prepared to take on those losses by taking advantage of a good value pickups and, in the case of linebacker, a ridiculously deep crop of free agents.
You could look at someone like Drue Tranquill, who is connected to Michael Wilhoite (Broncos OLBs) from their time together in Los Angeles. Maybe veteran Eric Kendricks, who has a connection to ILBs coach Greg Manusky. Cole Holcomb also played for Manusky in his final year with Washington back in 2019.
There are a plethora of options at off-ball linebacker if the Broncos lose Singleton. Remember, they signed him for next-to-nothing last offseason and he ended up playing great. Jonas Griffith will be back in 2023 for the Broncos as well.
One way or another, expect the Broncos to put a heavy emphasis on offense in 2023 NFL Free Agency, and perhaps look to some value pickups on the defensive side of the ball.