After back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since the early 1970s, the Denver Broncos are hungry to bring winning football back to the Mile High City.
The team has a new head coach and a new quarterback, leading many fans to believe that the team will be back into contention this season. But of course, what the team looks like on paper doesn’t matter. Football games take place on the field and the Broncos will need to be better on both sides of the ball.
For that to happen, the team will need to have some breakout stars. Here are four guys who could be in line for big seasons.
1. Bradley Chubb
Many would argue that Chubb already had a breakout season as a rookie last season in which he racked up 12 sacks. But in a defense led by Vic Fangio, he could become a household name.
Fangio recently declared Chubb “tailor-made” for his defense and that could lead to even bigger numbers for Chubb this season.
Don’t be surprised if he makes the Pro Bowl and even has more sacks than Von Miller this season.
2. Courtland Sutton
With Demaryius Thomas no longer around, Sutton (last year’s second-round pick) will be a much bigger focal point in year two. However, he is coming off of a relatively quiet rookie season in which he caught 42 passes for 704 yards and four touchdowns.
Those numbers should go way up this year with Joe Flacco in town throwing the ball to him.
3. Josey Jewell
I’m going on a bit of a limb with this one, but Jewell could also benefit from a new-look defense.
Jewell draws a lot of criticism from fans who don’t feel he can stand up in pass coverage and don’t feel he’s a good fit for Fangio’s defense, but if Fangio has a specialty, it’s coaching up linebackers. That goes back to his days in New Orleans where he was the coach behind the famed “Dome Patrol,” perhaps the greatest linebacking corps in NFL history.
Jewell is an intelligent, instinctual linebacker and learning a few things from Fangio to make him even better and help him be in the right spot at the right time could make him a valuable piece of the defense.
4. DaeSean Hamilton
Another wide receiver makes the list and that is because there is so much room for wide receivers to make plays for the Broncos this season, particularly with an experienced, strong-armed passer at quarterback.
Hamilton really began to turn it up toward the end of the 2019 season. He had 30 receptions during his rookie season and 25 of those came in the month of December.
Riding that wave of momentum and moving up the depth chart as the team’s No. 3 wide receiver should give him a chance to make a big impact in 2019.
