Broncos Roundtable: What changes are looming?

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Not many predicted the Broncos to start 0-3. Not many predicted them to have zero takeaways through three games. And certainly, no one predicted them to not have a single sack at this point in the season.

But, three weeks into the season, that’s the reality of the 2019 Broncos. Or in Emmanuel Sanders words, that’s what “living in a world of suck” looks like.

Can the Broncos turn things around? If so, how?

The BSN Broncos Crew breaks it down.

PREDICT ONE BIG CHANGE COMING FOR THE BRONCOS SOON

Ryan

Locktober — It’s going to be a minute before he takes the field, but the Broncos beacon of is able to return to the practice field within the next few weeks. That’s when the movement will begin.

Lock can legally return to the field in Week 9, and if things don’t turn around drastically between now and then, the cries for the kid will be loud.

If the Broncos want to save this season from being a complete waste, they need to get a preview of what Lock can be, and they need a big enough sample size to know if they need to target a quarterback early in the draft.

Additionally, they’re going to need something for the fans to be excited about if they want to keep butts in the seats.

Here we go.

Zac

……… — What big changes could realistically happen? Bench Garett Bolles? Fire a coach? Bench Joe Flacco?

Too bad it can’t be Drew Lock. But that has to wait until at least Week 9 and, unfortunately, that isn’t soon at all. If the season continues to trend the way it is, we better see a good amount of the rookie quarterback this year.

But until then, Flacco isn’t going anywhere.

Benching Bolles is the easy choice, but for who? Initially, it seemed Elijah Wilkinson could move to left tackle once Ja’Wuan James returned from injury, but Wilkinson was terrible against the Packers. He won’t receive the benefit of the doubt like Bolles has.

The one change that could happen in the near future is Vic Fangio moving up to the booth. I would love this and would highly encourage it as this is where he has led elite defenses from in his career. But the Broncos, and Vic, are dead set on making it work with the head coach on the sideline.

So, for now, the Broncos team you see now is the Broncos team you’ll see for the foreseeable future.

Mase

More playing time for some young players — The Broncos don’t have the offensive-line depth to make a change to that position group. Joe Flacco isn’t perfect and has accounted for three giveaways in the last five quarters, but he’s still well down the list of problems for this team. The team as a whole believes that it is close to finding success, so don’t expect wholesale changes.

But the time to learn more about first- and second-year players is now. Plenty of them are in the lineup, but there are others for whom the Broncos could find more snaps: defensive end Dre’Mont Jones, linebacker Justin Hollins, edge rusher Malik Reed and defensive back Duke Dawson. If Kareem Jackson can’t play, Dawson will see the most extensive work of his career, so that is one path to playing time. Don’t be surprised to see these guys get more work.

WHO WILL GET THE TEAM’S FIRST SACK? FIRST TAKEAWAY? WHEN?

Ryan

Von Miller (sack) and Justin Simmons (takeaway) — We’re going to see mad Von on Sunday, and Garnder Minshew isn’t going to like mad Von.

I expect the Broncos to finally generate some pressure on Sunday, and when they do, Minshew is going to throw one he wishes he had back, one that lands in the hands of Justin Simmons.

Zac

Bradley Chubb. For both — Chubb’s been close a few times this year. But not close enough.

To no surprise to Vic Fangio and his staff, Chubb will get Denver’s first sack of the season. The historic sack drought will come to an end in front of the home crowd on Sunday against the Jags.

The strip-sack, also courtesy of the No. 5 overall pick, will happen whenever Denver wins their first game. Takeaways lead to good things, kids.

Mase

Bradley Chubb (sack) and De’Vante Bausby (takeaway) — It is fascinating to see the hubbub over Von Miller’s lack of sacks so far in the regular season when contrasted with the lack of attention toward Chubb not having a sack. They are equal, unexpected shocks.

If Bausby plays with the nothing-to-lose demeanor he showed last week, and in the Alliance of American Football, he’ll make at least two plays on the ball. Gardner Minshew might test him, and Bausby, playing an every-down role, has the ball skills to make him pay.

RESULT VS. JAGUARS (+3)

Ryan

Broncos 19, Jaguars 13 — I went back and forth on this game so many times, that our graphics guys couldn’t keep up with my flip-flopping. But I saw something in the locker room on Friday that made me flip my prediction back to Denver.

The vibe in the room was as good as it has been since before Week 1. Players were hanging out and having fun, a very different feel from the quiet, tension-filled room we’ve seen for a couple weeks now.

I think they have a calm confidence going into this one and it will translate to their first win.

Zac

Jaguars 17, Broncos 16 — The Jaguars’ defense has given up a total of 20 points the past two weeks, including holding the 2-1 Texans to 13 points in Houston.

But my favorite part about the Jaguars is the swag master they have leading their offense. Garnder Minshew has the highest passer rating (110.8) in NFL history in his first three games. More importantly, his team and head coach believe in him.

For Denver to win, they’ll need to get after Minshew, rattle him, take him down and force a turnover or two. As Minshew will be making just his third-career start, it’s very possible Bradley Chubb, Von Miller and Company will be able to do this.

But with Jacksonville riding a one-game win streak, and Denver still trying to find a way to win, I’ve got to go with the Jags in a close one.

Mase

Broncos 20, Jaguars 10 — There are not many empirical reasons to rationalize this pick. The potential absence of defensive back Kareem Jackson and the protracted injury recovery of cornerback Bryce Callahan leave the secondary battered and forced to rely on Dawson in a nickel-package role; he has one regular-season defensive snap to his name. Denver’s offense has shown a tendency to erase some significant drives with self-inflicted wounds. The Jaguars have held their last two opponents to a combined 20 points and their pass rush just came within one sack of matching a franchise single-game record.

But there is something to the notion that the Broncos are due.

Due to snap their sackless streak.

Due to generate a takeaway, perhaps from rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew.

Due to — finally — breach the 20-point barrier that has existed since Week 14 of last season, even though it might take a defensive score to do it against a Jaguars defense that has allowed just 20 points in its last two games after conceding 40 to the Chiefs in Week 1.

The Broncos are on the brink. This will be the game that sees them step back from it.