The 2023 Denver Broncos could end up being a breakout team, which would be fun to see, but that doesn't happen without some elite performances from certain players. I'm manifesting the Denver Broncos making the playoffs in 2023.
Sure, you can be pessimistic all you want, but I choose not to be. This team is now simply too talented on both sides of the ball and has too good of a coaching staff to not make some noise in the AFC. They may not win a playoff game in 2023, which is fine, but the 2023 Broncos are going to surprise many like the 2022 Jaguars and Giants did.
Denver has a few elite players here and there and a few other players that could potentially take that next step toward being great. Let's take a guess at the five best players on the roster for the Denver Broncos in 2023.
Denver Broncos: Projecting the five best players on the team in the 2023 season
5. Ben Powers, LG
I don't think we fully realize how good Ben Powers was in 2022 and how good he is going to be for the Broncos in 2023. According to PFF, in 2022, Powers played nearly 1,100 snaps, committed just one penalty, and allowed 0 sacks.
He was nothing short of stellar last year. Powers' Pro Football Reference page claims he committed 0 penalties, so either way, he was playing efficient football. He inked a massive four-year deal in free agency to replace the departed Dalton Risner, who is still a free agent.
Ben Powers should not only elevate the play left tackle Garett Bolles and whoever the center is, but he should also quickly cement himself as one of the Broncos' best players.
4. Quinn Meinerz, RG
Not that this is exactly something that teams and fans talk about, but I think the Denver Broncos could end up having the best guard duo in the NFL in 2023. Quinn Meinerz was quietly one of the best guards in football in 2022. In fact, PFF ranked him as the 12th-best guard in the NFL, and that'd have to be out of 64 total starters at the position.
Meinerz's 77.7 PFF grade is excellent, and his Pro Football Reference page indicates he only committed two penalties in 2022. What the Broncos have here are two above-average guards who play with discipline, and it's even more impressive that Meinerz did this in 2022 playing within the worst offensive line in the NFL.
I can only imagine right now how good he could be in 2023 playing within an elite offense and improved teammates along the OL.
Denver Broncos: Projecting the five best players on the team in the 2023 season
3. Jerry Jeudy, WR
Jerry Jeudy nearly had a 1,000-yard receiving season last year while catching passes from a horrid Russell Wilson. Again, like Meinerz, Jeudy playing as well as he did within the offense is something to think about.
Sean Payton has had a slew of elite, highly productive wide receivers during his time as a head coach in the NFL, and it's clear that Jerry Jeudy is the top pass catcher for Denver. With all the weapons that Denver has on offense, I don't think Jeudy is going to put up outrageous numbers like 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns, but I think we can see something like 1,100 yards and 6-8 touchdowns in 2023, earning himself a long-term extension.
2. Russell Wilson, QB
The Denver Broncos are going to be a team in 2023 where one of their best players is their QB, which will be lovely to experience. Wilson's 2022 season was likely the worst of his entire football career, and I'm sure he's already forgotten about last year and has his focus firmly on 2023.
Sean Payton has, year after year, fielded elite scoring offenses and is an established offensive mind, perhaps one of the best of this generation. Wilson will also be the most talented QB that Sean Payton has worked with.
I see this going a lot like it went when Russell Wilson was in Seattle. Off the back of a strong running game, the Broncos will install plays and schemes that fit what Wilson has done best. The bootlegs, play actions, and moon balls that we saw from Wilson in Seattle will be what the Denver Broncos will do in 2023.
1. Patrick Surtain II, CB
Patrick Surtain II is the best cornerback in football because he isn't someone who committed holds and pass interferences that went uncalled in 2022 (cough, cough, Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner). Surtain is not a flashy player; he plays with elite technique and is uber-consistent.
Teams simply just do not throw his way, and that even started as a 21-year-old rookie. Surtain, at just 22 years old, is the premier cornerback in the NFL. He was a Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro in 2022, and there's no reason to think he can't get better.
He was the best player for the Broncos in 2021 and 2022, and it'll continue in 2023.