Entering training camp one year ago, a whopping one third of the Broncos’ offensive and defensive starting positions were up for grabs.
The Broncos’ starting lineup was nearly a mystery.
Now, entering 2019 training camp, the rhetoric couldn’t be more different surrounding the overhauled team.
Only two of Denver’s 22 starting positions are for the taking less than two months until kickoff. Both happen to be on the offensive side of the ball, meaning Vic Fangio’s defense is good to go.
Here’s how those two offensive battles breakdown entering camp.
RUNNING BACK
Frontrunner: Phillip Lindsay
Competitors: Royce Freeman
Other players at the position: Devontae Booker, Khalfani Muhammad, Devontae Jackson
What? Phillip Lindsay wasn’t just a 1,000-yard rusher during his rookie season, he was nominated for the NFL’s rookie of the year award and he was a Pro-Bowler.
He averaged an unbelievable 5.4 yards per carry and had double-digit touchdowns.
Additionally, he’s the team’s best playmaker.
So, how can he not be the team’s instant starter?
Well, this has nothing to do with if Lindsay is a good football player—he’s a great one. It has everything to do with how Rich Scangarello will use this group.
It’s expected that Scangarello will use Lindsay more creatively than last year’s regime and he’ll be viewed as an offensive weapon instead of a pure running back.
On the other hand, Freeman is viewed as just a running back, which is what makes this a debate.
Don’t forget, Freeman was the starter for the first seven games of 2018 until he got hurt. Yes, it is a different coaching staff, but with Lindsay being a “small” back (5-foot-8, 190 pounds), it wouldn’t be inconceivable for another regime to view him as a weapon, not a full-time back.
Additionally, it would be naive to ignore that Lindsay didn’t participate in a full team period the entire offseason as he recovered from wrist surgery.
Saying all of that, the term “starter,” in this instance, doesn’t mean that much other than for pre-game introductions. Regardless of who gets the nod the first play of the game, Lindsay and Freeman will both see a significant amount of playing time with Booker sprinkled in.
For now, it’s Lindsay’s spot to lose.
TIGHT END
Frontrunner: Jeff Heuerman
Competitors: Noah Fant, Troy Fumagalli
Other players at the position: Jake Butt, Bug Howard, Austin Fort
Jeff Heuerman again? That’s at least how it stacks up entering camp.
All five of the other tight ends on the roster have a combined eight catches for a whopping 85 yards in the NFL. All of those were courtesy of Jake Butt last year before he tore his ACL.
It should only be a matter of weeks until Noah Fant is the unquestioned starter for the Broncos for the next decade. He’s already shown off his superb receiving skills, but the learning curve of the NFL could hold him back from being the No. 1 guy come Week 1.
Regardless of whether he’s the starter, Fant will have a significant role in the offense as a receiver come Week 1.
The dark horse of the group—and potentially the team—is Troy Fumagalli. The second-year tight end flashed during the offseason, not only with his receiving abilities, but with his connection with Joe Flacco.
Butt can’t seriously be put into this conversation until he is able to consistently be a full-time participant in practice. That task is something he hasn’t done since his third ACL surgery but has stated he’ll be ready to go for training camp.
At nearly this time last year, there was a legitimate conversation about Austin Traylor being the Broncos’ starting tight end. In fact, he was for a significant portion of training camp.
If you asked “who?” when reading that, it’s because Traylor didn’t just not make the Broncos’ roster, he didn’t make any team’s roster last year.
Regardless of who steals the job, it appears Denver is in a much better position this year. Not only that, this group has a legitimate shot to be the best tight end group the Broncos have had in years, just as it should be when Elway’s devoted four draft picks on the position, including a first-round pick.
