Broncos Roundtable: After free agency, which position is Denver's biggest need?

Sean Payton and George Paton did some serious work to the Broncos’ roster during free agency.

Denver spent big-time money to upgrade right tackle and left guard by signing Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers, while also making significant investments on defense by bringing in Zach Allen and re-signing Alex Singleton.

But there is still work to be done to the roster.

As the team wraps up free agency and begins to turn to the draft, what is Denver’s biggest need on the roster?

The DNVR Broncos Crew debates.

What is the Broncos’ biggest need?

Zac: Running back — This all depends on Javonte Williams’ health. If Javonte is 100 percent ready to go Week 1, then running back isn’t a need at all, the Broncos will be set.

But with the severity of Williams’ injury—not only did he tear his ACL, but his LCL and PLC as well—I have a hard time believing he’ll be fully ready to go at the start of the season, if at any point during the year. If this is the case, which the Broncos should be preparing for, then running back is a massive need for Denver.

Yes, the team signed Samaje Perine to a two-year, $7.5 million deal, which is a significant investment to the veteran back. However, while Perine is a quality do-it-all player, he isn’t a workhorse back that can carry the load by himself if Williams isn’t available. In fact, in the past three years, the 240-pound back has played in more than 50 percent of offensive snaps in only four regular season games. Of the 48 games he’s played in since 2020, he’s played more than half of the snaps in only eight percent of those games. Additionally, in that same span, he only has eight games with double-digit carries and only two games topping 15 carries.

Perine is excellent in pass protection. He can catch the ball out of the backfield. He can also run with the rock. But he has never been a workhorse. For a team that is going to rely heavily on the running game—as Sean Payton has made clear with his words and actions in free agency—it would be too big of a gamble to have Perine slated to be Denver’s workhorse back entering the season if Williams is not healthy.

The Broncos must add another significant player, whether that be in the draft or free agency, to help carry the offense on the ground.

RK: Center — The Broncos’ brass did some amazing work on the offensive line in free agency, upfrading significatly at both left guard and right tackle.

As it stands, the line figures to be Garrett Bolles-Ben Powers-Lloyd Cushenberry-Quinn Meinerz-Mike McGlinchey. Thats a legitimately formiddable group, but there is one weakness that stands out above the others and that’s Lloyd Cushenberry at center.

Since Cushenberry got in the league the Brocnos have been patient, trying to give him every chance possible to develop into the player they envisioned when they drafted him in the third round out of LSU in 2020. Unfortunately, it just hasn’t happened. In his best games, he’s and average to slightly-above-average center. In his worst games, he’s a serious liability.

If Denver can upgrade at center in the draft or in the late stages of free agency, they could end up with one of the best units in the league.

Hank: Edge rusher — The Broncos’ roster is in good shape… which shouldn’t be a surprise after they spent $239 million this offseason.

A few minor needs still exist; Damarri Mathis is worthy of a starting job but the cornerback depth behind him is lacking, Lloyd Cushenberry is the weak link on the offensive line and an upgrade at center would make sense, another running back would be a good idea if Javonte Williams isn’t ready to go for Week 1.

But only eight teams had fewer racks than the Broncos last year and Denver hasn’t made any moves this offseason to fix it. Zach Allen, the Broncos’ biggest defensive addition, will provide pass-rushing capabilities but he won’t be an upgrade over Dre’Mont Jones, who left the team this offseason. Don’t forget that the Broncos had Bradley Chubb for half of last season, too.

By not upgrading their pass rush, the Broncos are relying on Randy Gregory to be healthier in 2023 than he was in 2022 and on the younger rushers improving. Instead, they could go after a veteran like Justin Houston—who had 9.5 sacks last year—or invest more in a younger option like Yannick Ngakoue, who has at least eight sacks in each of his seven pro seasons.

The Broncos have a logjam at outside linebacker. As it stands now, Jonathon Cooper could finish as low as fifth on the depth chart, depending on how competitions with Nik Bonitto and Jake Martin shake out. Cooper has started 14 games for the Broncos in his two-year career. By bringing in a threatening edge rusher, the Broncos could justify clearing out some of the room and add more capital ahead of next month’s draft in the process.