The Denver Broncos are currently fighting for a playoff spot at 6-6 and are preparing for a huge divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. But there must always be an eye on the future and while Sean Payton is busy preparing the weekly gameplan, general manager George Paton needs to be looking at players that can help the Broncos reach their future goals.
As we look toward the 2024 offseason and the start of free agency, there is still quite a bit that will take place first. In addition to the conclusion of the 2023 season, teams will have a chance to lock players up with franchise tags before they become free agents. Teams will also work within their own rosters to clear salary cap space.
This is an early look at some players that could be available this offseason, but the Broncos should be thinking about putting these guys on their list of players to look at ahead of the 2024 season.
D.J. Chark, WR, Carolina Panthers
The Broncos need more weaponry in the wide receiver room and D.J. Chark is an underrated veteran that the team could bring in to help boost it.
Tim Patrick has missed the last two seasons due to injury and because of the money he is in line to receive next season, he is a candidate to be cut from this roster.
The Broncos' top receivers are Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Marvin Mims and I have long been a proponent of moving on from Jeudy.
Regardless of which decisions the team made with the wide receivers already on the roster, adding Chark would be a good move. After four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chark has signed one-year deals with the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers, his current team.
In Detroit, he played in just 11 games and in Carolina, he is lost on a bad team that is trying to figure out how to win with Bryce Young at quarterback. The Panthers are likely to have a lot of turnover this offseason as they look for the right mix of players to surround Young and whoever is going to be the team's new head coach.
Chark would be a good veteran signing for the Broncos as a player who could still have plenty left in the tank. He would be a potentially great under-the-radar signing for this team.
Kyle Dugger, Safety, New England Patriots
A second-round pick in 2020, Kyle Dugger is one of the best young safeties that you have maybe never heard of.
The New England Patriots are far removed from their dynasty days and are struggling through what is currently a 3-10 season. Things could certainly change in New England this offseason as there seems to be no guarantee that Bill Belichick will be back as the team's head coach.
But one thing that Patriots don't often do is hand out massive contracts. Dugger, who is still just 27 years old, could be in line for one of those. He has over 300 career tackles and nine interceptions. Last season, he returned two interceptions for touchdowns.
The Broncos have had some struggles at the safety position this season and it is likely going to be Kareem Jackson's last with the team. P.J. Locke has stepped up and play well in place of Jackson this season and the Broncos still have Caden Sterns, who was lost to a season-ending injury in Week 1.
But Dugger might be a big upgrade over both of those guys and he could help make for an excellent combination with Justin Simmons.
Sean Murphy-Bunting, CB, Tennessee Titans
Drafted in the second round of the 2019 draft, Sean Murphy-Bunting put together some good years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that included being part of a Super Bowl-winning team. He signed a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans ahead of this season.
Murphy-Bunting has one interception on the season while playing in 10 games for the Titans so far this season. For his career, he has seven interceptions but he also has six forced fumbles.
The Broncos have Patrick Surtain at cornerback and Ja'Quan McMillian has really made a name for himself this season. Beyond that, the team needs more help.
Fabian Moreau has been a nice find for the team and Damarri Mathis is still young and could be molded into something, but Murphy-Bunting is only 26 years old and is a much better player than both of them. He could come into Denver and be the starting corner opposite Surtain next season with ease.
Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots
The Broncos need much more in the way of a pass-catching tight end, that is all there is to it.
The team has used Adam Trautman in that role this season, but he has just 17 receptions on the season. Greg Dulcich has shown a bit of promise when he's been out there, but his availability has been a huge problem in his young career.
Eight-year veteran Hunter Henry is scheduled to be a free agent this offseason and he could be an ideal addition. The Patriots are a struggling team with an anemic offense and Henry could be looking to get into a spot where he is able to showcase his ability a bit more, like he did when he was with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Henry is still a solid tight end with a great pair of hands. He can be a tremendous red zone option and he would come onto the Broncos' roster and immediately be the best pass-catching tighte end on the team.
He is certainly a name to keep in mind this offseason if he does in fact want to test the market.
Danielle Hunter, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings
The Broncos need to look at adding more in the way of a pass-rusher this offseason and the team could hit a home run by bringing in Danielle Hunter, a player who Paton is familiar with from his days in Minnesota.
Hunter is the current league leader with 13.5 sacks. He is having a career year with the Vikings despite his name being tied to trade rumors earlier in the season. A former third-round pick out of LSU, he has spent his entire career with the Vikings.
The Broncos have some good pieces in Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper but the team needs a guy who can be dominant and that would be Hunter.
The Vikings may be inclined to keep him and if not, there will likely be a big market for his services, even at 29 years old. But the Broncos should see what it would take to get a deal done because this is the kind of player who can be a huge difference-maker for a defense.