The Denver Broncos offense is in a good spot with their personnel, but can this unit get better than it currently is? I think the answer is a resounding yes, and I think there are three additions the Broncos could make in the absolute perfect dream scenario.
Is it likely that the Broncos even make one of these changes? Probably not, but this is I think the best possible lineup they could field if they were feeling a bit frisky and dangerous. With Sean Payton now running the show, the Broncos' offense should be much more efficient than it has been in recent seasons.
But, with these three additions, the offense could take another huge step in the right direction.
How much better can the Denver Broncos' offensive lineup get?
Offensive Line: Garett Bolles / Ben Powers / Ben Jones / Quinn Meinerz / Mike McGlinchey
The most obvious choice is replacing the below-average Lloyd Cushenberry with Ben Jones, one of the best centers in football. Jones was cut by the Tennessee Titans this year and has spent his entire career in the AFC South with the Titans and the Houston Texans.
He is one of the five best free agents left on the market and would help this Broncos' OL unit become perhaps the most complete in the entire NFL. Mike Clay of ESPN ranked the Broncos' OL as the ninth-best in the league, and that is with Cushenberry in the lineup.
The additions of Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey were excellent in free agency. Both players excel mightily at run-blocking, which may fit perfectly with how the Broncos plan on running their offense. Adding Ben Jones to this mix would almost be unfair.
How much better can the Denver Broncos' offensive lineup get?
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends: DeAndre Hopkins / Jerry Jeudy / Courtland Sutton / Greg Dulcich
There aren't a lot of notable free agent tight ends left on the market, and there isn't much in the way of a potential tight end trade, so I don't think the Broncos can upgrade much from Greg Dulcich, which is fine. He had an encouraging rookie season as a receiver, so the arrow is pointing up for him.
The Broncos also added Adam Trautman and Chris Manhertz to the TE room in 2023, so this room is largely in a good spot.
The wide receiver change is obvious, as DeAndre Hopkins is a free agent and is free to sign with any team he wants if they'll offer him a contract. The best possible trio of wide receivers the Broncos could put on the field in 2023 include Hopkins, Jerry Jeudy, and Courtland Sutton. This would probably be the best WR trio in the NFL.
It would be interesting to see how the Broncos would alter their WR room with a Hopkins signing. I think it's obvious that Denver does not plan on signing D-Hop, which is fine, as their current WR room is solid in my opinion.
But, imagine how unfair this would be for a second. Trying to cover Hopkins, Jeudy, and Sutton would be the exact definition of unfair.
How much better can the Denver Broncos' offensive lineup get?
Quarterback and Running back: Russell Wilson / Dalvin Cook
The Denver Broncos cannot upgrade from Russell Wilson at this moment in time, obviously. I think he's in Denver for the next two years at least, and I also think the most ideal scenario with him is that he plays so well for Denver in 2023 in beyond that he ends his career as a Denver Bronco.
I know some people in the fanbase are already eager to move on from him, but let's not get too greedy here. That would be quite the move if Denver had moved off of him at the end of the 2022 season, and it would be a shock to me if they did that at the end of 2023 unless Wilson was truly awful.
At running back, given the current situation, signing Dalvin Cook would make the most sense and would be the best possible upgrade here for the RB room. Javonte Williams just might be ready for week one, but there is no guarantee he'd be 100%, so signing Cook, who is coming off of four straight Pro Bowls and four straight seasons of at least 1,100 rushing yards would be a great move.
Cook is another George Paton connection and I don't think he'd cost a ton. There are reports that he's open to signing a one-year deal, so a potential commitment would not have to be for very long if Denver did not want to proceed in that way.
A Broncos' offense that added Ben Jones, DeAndre Hopkins, and Dalvin Cook would create the best possible lineup for the Broncos at this moment.