The NFL draft took place just over one week ago and we have now had ample time to digest all of the picks.
The Denver Broncos had what many consider to be a solid draft in which the team found players that can help what the team is trying to do in the immediate future as well as the distant future.
How did each pick impact the players already on the roster? Some players are feeling a sense of relief due to the fact that new competition was not brought in at their position while others have officially been put on notice due to a selection that was made.
That’s how we get the winners and losers for the Broncos from this draft, who are as follows:
Winner: Devontae Booker
The Broncos weren’t expected to take a running back in this draft, at least not with an early pick. But adding one on Day 3 was a possibility and even a late-round running back would have stolen some reps this summer.
Booker, entering the final year of his contract, needs all the chances he can get. He’s been underwhelming in three years with the team and will enter training camp no better than the No. 3 option at running back.
If there was another guy to push him, he might not have even been that high by the time the season started.
Loser: Jake Butt
There were high hopes for Jake Butt when the Broncos selected him in the fifth round of the 2017 draft, a pick that was considered a steal at the time.
Butt has spent two injury-plagued seasons with the team and there’s a chance he’ll never be a guy who can stay on the field. The selection of Noah Fant pushes him down the depth chart and right now, he’s no better than the No. 3 tight end on the depth chart.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell lists Butt as the player on the team most likely to be cut or traded following the draft.
Winner: Isaac Yiadom
The Broncos did not select a cornerback in this draft, a move that might be a sign that the team won’t trade Chris Harris. Isaac Yiadom should be a happy camper, too.
Harris and Bryce Callahan are the top cornerbacks on the team depending on what Kareem Jackson ends up doing, as he could play some safety too. Either way, Yiadom will either be the No. 3 or No. 4 guy as he heads into his second season with the team.
He had his struggles as a rookie, but the fact that the Broncos didn’t choose a corner does seem to show that they have some level of confidence in him.
Loser: Joe Flacco
This is an obvious choice. Flacco isn’t going to come out and say it, but he didn’t like the team taking Drew Lock. After all, if he had his way, he would still be the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens and the reason why he isn’t is because he went through this exact scenario last season.
He will open the season as the starter but he better play well and he better play consistent football because there will be a guy on the bench that fans will be eager to see sooner rather than later.
Winner: Todd Davis
Perhaps the biggest “winner” on the team, Davis has to be smiling considering that perhaps the Broncos’ biggest need in this draft was at the inside linebacker position.
The team did not draft one.
Had the Broncos not traded the No. 10 overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they would have drafted Devin Bush and Davis’ days in the starting lineup would likely have been history.
As of now, he’ll still be one of the starters alongside Josey Jewell. The team did trade for Dekoda Watson and he could end up being Davis’ biggest competition for the starting job unless a prospect like A.J. Johnson steps up.
Loser: Kevin Hogan
This list also includes players acquired as undrafted rookies, and Kevin Hogan was likely less than thrilled when the Broncos signed former Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien, especially when it was revealed how much money the new passer received, which was reported to be six figures.
That’s not the typical practice squad contract and Hogan knows that, having spent time on a practice squad in his career. The team has also cut Garrett Grayson.
Hogan and Grayson thought they would be battling for the team’s No. 3 job this summer but now it’s Hogan vs. Rypien and Hogan might be the underdog.
