Denver Broncos wrongly picked to finish last in AFC West in the 2024 season
This is getting ridiculous. The Denver Broncos were picked to finish last in the AFC West by Bleacher Report, and it makes no sense. Here is their argument as to why the Denver Broncos will finish last in the AFC West in 2024:
"While some may argue that the Las Vegas Raiders have the worst quarterback situation in the AFC West, with 2023 fourth-rounder Aidan O'Connell battling Gardner Minshew for the starting job, they at least have a top-10 scoring defense from the previous campaign.
- Maurice Moton
The Denver Broncos have a quarterback competition as well. Rookie first-rounder Bo Nix, sixth-year journeyman Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson, who flamed out with the New York Jets, will battle through the summer for the starting job.
On top of that, Denver has to find solutions to its defensive issues.
Last season, the Broncos finished in the bottom six in points and yards allowed. They were also 29th in pressure rate.
This offseason, Denver cut one of its most productive defenders, two-time Pro Bowler Justin Simmons, who led the club in interceptions (three) and finished second on the team in pass breakups (eight) for the 2023 term.
The Broncos signed safety Brandon Jones to replace Simmons, but he won't provide the same leadership as the team's former captain.
In head coach Sean Payton's second term with the Broncos, the club seems to be in rebuild mode, while the Los Angeles Chargers—who finished fourth in the AFC West last year—upgraded over former head coach Brandon Staley, hiring Jim Harbaugh.
The Broncos haven't beaten the Raiders since 2019. If that streak continues into 2024, it could be the deciding factor in which team finishes last in the division."
I guess they just totally forgot that the Denver Broncos upgraded their defensive line and secondary, saying "...Denver has to find solutions to its defensive issues."
In fact, they predict that the Denver Broncos will finish 6-11, winning two-fewer games than they did in 2023. They have the Raiders at 8-9, Chargers at 9-8, and Chiefs at 11-6. It's reasonable to think that the Chargers could finish above the Broncos in 2024, but thinking the Raiders can is silliness. The Broncos upgraded several positions on their roster, including the QB spot.
The Raiders have a worst QB room, worse roster, and worst head coach, so I am not sure where Bleacher Report is getting their arguments from. Las Vegas has had a horrid offseason and no one seems to be talking about it, but what do I know?
The Broncos are clearly a better team on paper for 2024 than they were at any point in 2023, and it's incorrect to say that the team is rebuilding. A rebuild is when you start from scratch. It's when you rid yourself of a ton of veteran players and reset more aggressively with a rookie QB. The Broncos did some of this, but they also added a ton of modest talent, and added more talent than they lost. It's just not correct to say that this team is rebuilding, but I suppose I don't know what I am talking about.