The 2024 Denver Broncos finished just outside of the AFC playoffs. The Broncos were in the playoff hunt until week 17 and were one of the better teams in football in multiple aspects. However, the Broncos might be in for some regression in 2024 from some of their bright spots.
Let's take a look at a few places where the 2024 Broncos might see some regression from their 2023 performance.
Offensive Line Play
The Broncos had one of the better offensive lines in football in 2023. The Broncos' line was highlighted by the incredible play of center Lloyd Cushenberry III, guard Quinn Meinerz, and tackle Garett Bolles. The Broncos could save themselves a load of money by moving on from Bolles this spring, and Cushenberry is set to be the best starting center on the free-agent market. The Broncos could only return three of their five starters next year, which would be a hit to the overall play of the line.
Luckily for the Broncos, Zach Strief had an incredibly strong year in his first season as the Broncos' offensive line coach. Strief saw a career year from Meinerz and Cushenberry, returned Bolles to form following his broken leg in 2022, and got strong seasons from free agent signees guard Ben Powers and tackle Mike McGlinchey.
Depending on what the Broncos do if they need to replace Bolles and Cushenberry, the Broncos might not miss too much of a beat from 2023 to 2024, in terms of offensive line production. However, if the Broncos struggle to replace their production, 2024 could be a step-back year for the Broncos offensive line.
Quarterback Play
The Broncos are, once again, in quarterback limbo. As the team prepares to move on from Russell Wilson, Sean Payton and his offensive staff will begin to weigh their options as to their 2024 quarterback.
One option is current Bronco Jarrett Stidham, who started the final two games of the year for the Broncos, but was largely unimpressive and did about what would be expected from a backup quarterback who hadn't played all year. The Broncos can look to multiple external veterans, or turn their attention to the 2024 NFL Draft.
The issue the Broncos might run into is that they actually received decent quarterback play this season, despite the end-of-season fiasco with Wilson. Wilson controlled the ball well, with minimal interceptions and minimal risks, was efficient in the red zone, and was one of the better quarterbacks in football when trailing, leading him to lead the league in 4th quarter comebacks.
Wilson, however, did not match up to what the Broncos had invested in him, so Payton and company are seemingly set on moving on from Wilson. The Broncos likely are not going to find a quarterback to be the most efficient quarterback in the red zone or one that can limit the interceptions as well as Wilson did. This move might set them up better for the long term, but the immediate impact will be felt in Denver.