The Denver Broncos technically have an eight-month offseason, lasting from January to early September when they begin their season against the Las Vegas Raiders in Denver.
But thanks to the NFL masterfully dominating the offseason year in and year out, the Broncos have had news and big-time headlines since the season ended.
From the end of OTAs in the middle of June to the start of training camp at the end of July, however, the NFL is on their summer break. These six weeks are the true offseason.
So with no news coming down the wire, why not have some fun?
Outside of the obvious answer of choosing an elite quarterback, who is the one player in the entire NFL that you would add to the Broncos roster and have them for the rest of their career?
The DNVR Broncos Crew gives their take.
Who is the one non-quarterback player in the NFL you would add to the Broncos?
Zac: Sauce Gardner — The former No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft is thought of slightly worse in Broncos Country than the rest of the country as Broncos fans knock him down in order to build Pat Surtain II up.
I completely understand that, and believe that Surtain II is the better player right now. But saying that, Sauce is still a hell of a player.
Surtain is actually the reason why my No. 1 player to add in the entire NFL would be Gardner. Imagine Sauce and Surtain as shutdown corners in Denver for the next decade. They could certainly go down as the best cornerback duo in NFL history.
At just 22 and 23 years old, Sauce and Surtain would make it nearly impossible for quarterbacks to throw to the outsides for years to come. That one addition alone would make Denver’s defense one of the most feared, again, for the next decade. That’s too good to pass up.
And imagine the saucy nicknames Surtain and Sauce would gar(d)ner together.
RK: Micah Parsons — The biggest hole on the Broncos’ current roster is on the edge. There are simply too many question marks on the outside for anyone to feel comfortable about the team’s ability to rush the passer right now. Will Randy Gregory stay on the field? Can Frank Clark play at a Pro Bowl level again? Is Barron Browning more than just flashes? Will Nik Bonitto make any impact? The list goes on.
At arguably the second-most important position on the field, if the Broncos could add arguably the best and certainly the best young player in the league on the edge to arguably the best and certainly the best young player at corner in the league, they would have the makings of a dominant defense for the forseeable future.
Micah Parsons is the answer here.
Hank: Tristan Wirfs — Want to solidify the Broncos’ offensive line as one of the best in the league? Add one of the two or three best tackles in the game.
Wirfs is a two-time All-Pro. He’s a Super Bowl champion. And he just turned 24 this offseason. Wirfs figures to be one of the best tackles alive and a perennial Pro Bowler for the next decade.
The Broncos spent $140 million upgrading its offensive line, and adding Wirfs as the final piece would guarantee the investments were worth the money. Garett Bolles has had his ups and downs as a Bronco, and the team could save $14 million next year if they choose to move on from him. In a vacuum, the savings probably aren’t worth moving on. But if Wirfs was around to upgrade the position, releasing—or even trading—Bolles would be an easy decision.
