Will the Denver Broncos have five or more Pro Bowlers in 2022?

That is the question.

This is the debate.

The Situation

Last year, for the first time in over four decades, the Broncos didn’t have a single player make the Pro Bowl. Not a single one.

Justin Simmons was snubbed, Pat Surtain was overlooked and Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams’ case was hurt by sharing the running back workload.

But 2022 appears to be greatly different, thanks in large part to Russell Wilson.

Not only does Wilson bring an almost-guaranteed Pro Bowl with him to Denver — as he’s been selected in nine of his 10 seasons — but he’s going to help his teammates in multiple different ways too.

First off, Wilson will unquestionably boost his receivers production, which will significantly help their individual seasons.

Secondly, with the Broncos’ offense scoring more points than they have in the past, that will force opposing teams to continue to pass the ball throughout the game to keep up with Denver. That will allow more opportunities for big plays for Bradley Chubb, Randy Gregory , Justin Simmons and Pat Surtain, to name a few.

Finally, Denver’s five primetime games — along with playing in London and on Christmas — will exposure to the entire country to the Broncos’ roster significantly more.

But just how many Pro Bowlers will the Broncos this year?

Will they have five or more?

The Cases

They will have five or more Pro Bowlers — RK

Right off the bat, you can pencil in three names: Russell Wilson, Pat Surtain and Justin Simmons. That’s a nice base layer to work off of here.

From here, you can find multiple paths to five.

Let’s start with the most likely position to get them to at least four: Wide receiver. Look, if Russ is throwing for over 4,000 yards and over 30 touchdowns—something you can write in sharpie if he plays all season—somebody is going off. The most likely to do so would be former pro-bowler Courtland Sutton. Sutton is a name that’s recognized around the league and you can be sure that he is going to get his chances this year.

And if it’s not Sutton, you can bet that either Jerry Juedy or Tim Patrick will carry the honor for the Broncos receivers and it’s not out of the question that Denver could get two of those three in.

After receivers, you look to other players who have been pro bowlers at some point in their careers and that brings us to Bradley Chubb, who was elected to the game in his last mostly healthy season, when he posted 7.5 sacks. While that was a surprising selection at the time, it’s not crazy to believe a fully healthy Chubb on a winning team can outperform that season and get himself in again.

Beyond that, you could see Garett Bolles getting back to his 2020 form, when he was named second-team All Pro, with a legitimate quarerback. And don’t count out guys like Randy Gregory or Dre’Mont Jones having breakout seasons.

In the end, I’ll say that the five guys Denver gets in are Wilson, Surtain, Simmons, Sutton and Juedy.

They will not have five Pro Bowlers — Zac

This question boils down to two positions.

Will Russell Wilson be able to produce two Pro Bowl receivers his first year with the team?

Will Bradley Chubb and/or Randy Gregory break out for well over 12.5 sacks?

If either answer is yes, then the Broncos will have at least five Pro Bowl players. However, I find that task just a bit too difficult this year.

Russ, Pat Surtain, Justin Simmons and one receiver will be Pro Bowl locks this year.

Even Peyton Manning’s first year with the team, the late, great Demaryius Thomas was Denver’s only Pro Bowl receiver. With all of the weapons the Broncos have on offense, it will be just too tough a task for two different receivers to put up Pro Bowl-type numbers.

At pass rusher, Chubb and Gregory have a combined one Pro Bowl year so far. Chubb earned that award in 2020, but was unable to stay healthy for the majority of last year.

Health will be the biggest key for both of them this year. But both of their track records of being available are too unreliable for me to count on them to have a Pro Bowl year.

Much like last year, Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon splitting the load will hinder either of their abilities to get the honor as well.

The Broncos will just fall short of sending five guys to the Pro Bowl, but it’ll be a monumental upgrade from last year.