Broncos still searching for consistent third receiver

The Broncos are in the infancy of their season. The defending champs have more questions than answers as they continue offseason training activities at UCHealth Training Center but at least one of those questions is several seasons old.

The dynamic duo of Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas has been impressive. Both have eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in the last two regular seasons (four straight seasons for Thomas) and have each registered 100-plus catches in at least one of those two seasons. But something is missing; a third wide receiver to emerge as a consistent threat.

“I think it’s across the board whether its Bennie [Fowler] or Jordan Norwood or any of our slot guys—Cody [Latimer]—anyone,” quarterback Mark Sanchez said Tuesday. “All of these guys can play. Demaryius and Emmanuel are two exceptional talents.”

In that compliment lies the dilemma. Neither Fowler, Latimer or Norwood have separated themselves from the pack and the Broncos also have several young rookies and second-year players coming up the ranks. Veteran and now former Broncos wide receiver Andre Caldwell, who seemingly got several chances to lock down the third wide receiver position, never reached 20 receptions in a season during his four seasons in Denver.

“They’re going to have to do it out here,” head coach Gary Kubiak said Tuesday when asked about how the player down the depth chart will move up. “If you look on paper right now, you see Bennie [Fowler] and Cody [Latimer]. Jordan [Norwood] played really well for us. ‘Sunshine’ [Jordan Taylor], we’ve liked what he’s done. That’s a lot of names and not a lot of spots. It’s going to be really important how they play.”

Fowler emerged last season over Norwood, who suffered a season-ending injury the season before, and Latimer, who faded from the race in the preseason. Even so, Fowler caught only 16 passes in the 2015 regular season after spending the entire 2014 season on the practice squad. Latimer has caught only eight catches in two seasons after being drafted 56th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. Norwood, an undersized receiver, tallied 22 catches in the regular season but did not show enough to stay in the field.

Wednesday, offensive coordinator Rick Dennison detailed what they are looking for from the group as offseason practice continues.

“We do have some guys that played a lot for us last year in bits and pieces. Jordan Norwood made some plays, Cody made some plays toward the end of the year,” he said. “It is just finding consistency and finding our best guys to fill out the roster and that is not just for us. They’ve got to work for [special teams coordinator] Joe DeCamillis. That is a part of the equation we don’t have much of, we are just trying to teach them the best we can.”

All three players played well on special teams at times, especially in the postseason. Latimer made some great tackles in the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl 50. Norwood also had an explosive, Super Bowl record 61-yard punt return in the team’s final game that energized the team.

However well those three have played at times in the last season or two, though, they now have more competition. That competition will either spike their motivation to new levels of play or wash them out of the roster come Fall. Jordan Taylor, Braylon Addison, Durron Neal, Kalif Raymond, DeVier Posey and Mose Frazier all have the skill sets to supplant them.

Thomas certainly would like another target and believes that player is on the current roster.

“It would be good to have a third, fourth. It is always good to have someone go out there and make plays from running back, tight end and also receiver,” he said Wednesday. “So far, I’ve seen big steps from a lot of guys. Everybody is coming in and you can see they have been working. Something a little bit different from Bennie to Cody, even Jordan Taylor. Everybody has picked it up a step from what we saw last year.”

The Broncos have not had a true trio of receivers to rely on and as the offense gets revamped this season it would certainly help to know who that true third receiver is. So far the competition is wide open but the Broncos are hoping, as Thomas alluded to, the output in 2016 will be “a step up from what we saw last year.”