Troy Renck: The Broncos delivered a feel-good season, so how come Sunday made us feel so sick? Denver making the playoffs is akin to getting accepted into med school. It is an impressive accomplishment, but now comes the hard part: becoming a doctor. Or in the Broncos’ case, a true contender. The AFC provides no chance to catch your breath with quarterbacks Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow firmly entrenched. So, Sean, as we simultaneously appreciate Denver’s return to relevance, while sifting through Sunday’s wreckage, what is the single most important positional upgrade if you only get one this offseason?
Sean Keeler: Dang it, Santa! I want Tee Higgins. I want Tyler Warren or Colston Loveland at tight end. I want a pony! But most of all, I want to see the Broncos get a James Cook of their own. A bell cow tailback. Javonte Williams is a great dude, but the gears aren’t shifting the way they did when he was a rookie. We’re going to presume this is a playoff team from here on out, right? Unfun facts: Since 2000, the Broncos are 1-5 in postseason games in which they don’t reach 95 rush yards as a team. They’re 1-7 when getting outrushed. If the five-year plan is a Super Bowl, that’s gotta get fixed.
Renck: Penalties, dropped passes and a horrific officiating call contributed to Sunday’s smackdown. But the main takeaway? The offense needs a pass-catching tight end. The Broncos ran 42 plays, a comically low number because they could not stay on the field (they logged 154 yards after the opening drive). A tight end is a critical weapon to improving third-down conversions, and providing easy completions for Bo Nix. Penn State’s Tyler Warren fits best, but there are at least three tight ends that make sense in the draft.
Keeler: Amen. If we’re talking tight ends with upside, I like Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr., too. If we’re dreaming, Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty would solve a lot of these problems in one fell swoop. Too bad Dallas is going to swoop him up and make him completely miserable for the first part of his NFL career. But there are plenty of workable options to partner with Nix later on the draft board, too. Day 2 of the draft is RB1 City, with North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson and Ohio State’s TreyVon Henderson all expected to be on the board for picks 40-70 — and all feature every-down potential.
Renck: If we are being honest, the most important addition would be a bellcow running back and tweaks to the blocking scheme. But there is no reason to believe Coach Payton is going to change. He loves to pass. He is going to continue to call games with this lean, so diversifying the receiving portfolio is the most realistic way to improve the offense and make Nix more efficient. The Broncos have ranked near the bottom of tight end production the past three seasons, that failure defined by Greg Dulcich’s hamstring and hair. No more combover solutions. Go get a real tight end.
Related Articles
Sports Columnists | Renck: Playoff blowout to Bills shows how far away Sean Payton’s Broncos are from being contenders — botched call or not Sports Columnists | Renck: Bill McCartney gave lost CU Buffs football program direction, and it was breathtaking to behold Sports Columnists | Renck & File: With no CU extension yet, it is easy to see Deion, Shedeur Sanders joining Tom Brady in Las Vegas Sports Columnists | Renck: In Walton-Penner ownership group, Broncos have found their next Pat Bowlen, but they do it their own way Sports Columnists | Renck: Sean Payton is reason Broncos can win Sunday. Bill Parcells’ influence helped shape himKeeler: That’s a must. But then again, how did the Bills make last Sunday look so easy? By running the ball at will. With Buffalo, Baltimore and Kansas City looking like permanent postseason fixtures, you’re going to have to win a cold-weather game with cold-weather weapons at some point, and at some point soon — and Empower Field’s not exactly balmy this time of year, either. A front-line run game also keeps the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen stuck on the sideline, instead of carving you up. Defense and the run game travel well in January. The Broncos brought half of that to Highmark Stadium. If they can land the second part, you’re running one step closer to a parade.
Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Renck vs. Keeler: What is Broncos’ biggest need after blowout wild-card loss to Bills? )
Also on site :
- Man shot and killed after standoff with Columbus police during barricade incident
- Japan mulls accepting US tariff reduction, not exemption - Kyodo
- Released Israeli-American hostage’s parents say the small things bring bliss as he recovers