Notable former Denver Broncos who will face the team in 2023

Vikings: Austin Schlottmann, Chris Kuper, Curtis Modkins

Austin Schlottman is an offensive lineman who played several roles for the Broncos during his four years with the team. He was a guard but competed with Lloyd Cushenberry and Patrick Morris for the starting center job. Cushenberry did beat him out of the starting spot there.

Chris Kuper was an offensive guard for the Broncos for his entire playing career from 2006 through 2013. He started 78 career games and surrendered just 12 sacks during his first seven years. Kuper was eventually appointed as the assistant offensive line coach of the Broncos in 2019 but left for the Vikings in 2022.

Modkins was the Broncos’ running backs coach from 2018 through 2021. He is credited with helping undrafted running back Phillip Lindsay find success. Lindsay had over 1,000 yards rushing in each of his first two seasons with the Broncos and nearly got Melvin Gordon to that point as well, despite his unfortunate fumble count.

Browns: Bill Musgrave

Bill Musgrave is now the senior offensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns. He was previously serving as the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach (2017) as well as offensive coordinator (2017-2018). During that time, yet again, the Broncos were in search of their future star quarterback but had Trevor Siemian and then Case Keenum.

Siemian did exceed expectations as a former 7th-round draft pick but was nowhere near what the team wanted or needed for their future. In 2017, the Broncos ranked 26th in terms of touchdown passes with just 19, and 18th in first downs gained with 180 (the Buccaneers came in first with 243).

Denver ranked 25th in the NFL in rushing touchdowns with nine that year.

Texans: Case Keenum

The hype surrounding the signing of Case Keenum was, I think, mostly due to the magical playoff game finish when he threw a beautiful pass to wide receiver Stefon Diggs against the New Orleans Saints to send the Vikings to the championship game in 2018.

The Vikings didn’t re-sign Keenum, so he was free to sign with another team. The Broncos drafted Paxton Lynch two years prior in the first round. That didn’t work out. But the Trevor Siemien experiment was over and the team thought Keenum would be the long-term guy.

Instead, the Broncos finished 6-10 and the search for a new quarterback continued.