Prior to this month's draft, 1SBD's Mark Hogan takes an in-depth look into each team's current projected starters and identifies strengths and lingering team needs after the first waves of free agency.
Player stats collected from Pro Football Reference. Base salary information per Over The Cap.
Key Takeaways
PRO
- The addition of Bradley Chubb and Phillip Lindsay helped lock up a couple of positions for Denver last year. But they're one of the few positives heading into the draft.
CONS
- Joe Flacco isn't a long time solution at quarterback. After experimenting with Trevor Siemian, Case Keenum and draft bust Paxton Lynch, general manager John Elway will again have to try find a future franchise quarterback.
- The Broncos desperately need help at tight end. Jake Butt has only been healthy to play in three games since being drafted in 2017 and isn't a sure thing to be back in 2019. The Broncos have gone without a pass-catching, linebacker-blocking tight end since Julius Thomas left in 2014, and with such a deep class this draft, it's essential the Broncos rectify that in the draft.
- Whether Denver can add a catching tight end or not, they still need to provide Flacco with more aerial weapons. Second year player Courtland Sutton will be looked at more after catching just 43 balls last year. While Sutton is still young (23), Emmanuel Sanders will be 32-years-old in Week 1, so Denver urgently needs to add depth behind him.
- The Broncos offensive line was severely depleted in free agency, losing Matt Paradis, Max Garcia and Billy Turner. The addition of Ju'Wuan James doesn't out-weigh their losses.
- New head coach Vic Fangio’s relied on play-making linebackers and safeties to make his defense really successful in San Francisco and Chicago, so an upgrade on Will Parks is a must, but someone to put in between Von Miller and Chubb would also go a long way.
Projected Starters
Note:
NAME, Draft Round.Overall Pick (TEAM, year). Starts/Games Played. Age. Cap Hit 2019
QB has an additional 'total yards, number of attempts (yards per attempt)' figure.
RB, WR and TE have an additional ‘total yards / number of touches (yards per touch)’ statistic
Age as of Sunday September 8, 2019 (Week 1)
QUARTERBACK
JOE FLACCO, 1.18 (BAL, 2008). 163/163. 38,245 yards, 5,670 attempts (6.7) . 34-years-old. $18,500,000
RUNNING BACK
PHILLIP LINDSAY, undrafted (DEN, 2018). 8/15. 1,278 yards/ 227 touches (5.6). 25-years-old. $570,000
ANDY JANOVICH, 6.176 (DEN, 2016). 16/43. 241 yards/ 29 touches (8.3). 26-years-old. $720,000
Average: 216th overall pick. 24 starts/ 58 games played (41.4%). 6.95 yards/ 256 touches. 25.5-years-old. Total cap hit: $1.3M
WIDE RECEIVER
COURTLAND SUTTON, 2.40 (DEN, 2018). 9/16. 703 yards/ 43 touches (16.3). 23-years-old. $790,997
EMMANUEL SANDERS, 3.82 (PIT, 2010). 88/127. 7,183 yards/ 553 touches (13.0). 32-years-old. $10,150,000
Average: 61st overall pick. 97 starts/ 143 games played (67.8%). 14.7 yards/ 596 touches. 27.5-years-old. Total cap hit: $10.9M
TIGHT END
JAKE BUTT, 5.145 (DEN, 2017). 3/3. 85 yards/ 8 touches (10.6). 24-years-old. $645,000
OFFENSIVE LINE
GARETT BOLLES, 1.20 (DEN, 2017). 32/32. 27-years-old. $1,467,922
RONALD LEARY, undrafted (DAL, 2012). 64/65. 30-years-old. $8,150,000
CONNOR MCGOVERN, 5.144 (DEN, 2016). 20/31. 26-years-old. $2,025,000
ELIJAH WILKINSON, undrafted (DEN, 2017). 7/21. 24-years-old. $645,000
JA'WUAN JAMES, 1.19 (MIA, 2014). 62/62. 27-years-old. $5,000,000
Average: 139th overall pick. 185 starts/ 211 games played (87.7%). 26.8-years-old. Total cap hit: $17.3M
DEFENSIVE LINE
DEREK WOLFE, 2.36 (DEN, 2012). 96/96. 29-years-old. $8,000,000
SHELBY HARRIS, 7.235 (OAK, 2014). 6/40. 28-years-old. $3,095,000
ADAM GOTSIS, 2.63 (DEN, 2016). 25/48. 26-years-old. $986,988
Average: 111th overall pick. 127 starts/ 184 games played (69.0%). 27.7-years-old. Total cap hit: $12.1M
LINEBACKERS
BRADLEY CHUBB, 1.5 (DEN, 2018). 16/16. 23-years-old. $570,000
JOSEY JEWELL, 4.106 (DEN, 2018). 9/16. 24-years-old. $570,000
TODD DAVIS, undrafted (NO, 2014). 49/71. 27-years-old. $4,000,000
VON MILLER, 1.2 (DEN, 2011). 120/120. 30-years-old. $17,000,000
Average: 92nd overall pick. 194 starts/ 223 games played (87.0%). 26-years-old. Total cap hit: $22.1M
CORNERBACK
KAREEM JACKSON, 1.20 (HOU, 2010). 124/132. 31-years-old. $3,000,000
CHRIS HARRIS, undrafted (DEN, 2011). 105/123. 30-years-old. $7,800,000
Average: 138th overall pick. 229 starts/ 255 games played (89.9%). 30.5-years-old. Total cap hit: $10.8M
SAFETY
WILL PARKS, 6.219 (DEN, 2016). 8/48. 25-years-old. $2,025,000
JUSTIN SIMMONS, 3.98 (DEN, 2016). 32/42. 25-years-old. $2,025,000
Average: 159th overall pick. 40 starts/ 80 games played (50.0%). 25-years-old. Total cap hit: $4.1M
