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Broncos biggest weakness identified, but it's a shaky pick at best

The Sporting News's profile
The Sporting News
10h ago
Broncos biggest weakness identified, but it's a shaky pick at best

Context:

The Denver Broncos have assembled a strong roster following a successful 2024 season and are looking to build on their playoff return in 2025. Despite a solid lineup with quality starters and backups, ESPN's Aaron Schatz identified the No. 2 wide receiver position as the team's most significant weakness. This assessment is based on the lack of a clear standout behind Courtland Sutton, although the Broncos have a depth of players like Marvin Mims Jr., Devaughn Vele, and rookie Pat Bryant. The situation is reminiscent of Sean Payton's committee approach with the 2009 New Orleans Saints, where multiple players contributed at key moments without a single dominating wide receiver. Consequently, while the Broncos lack a star at the WR2 spot, they have sufficient talent to make crucial plays when needed.

Dive Deeper:

  • The Denver Broncos have built a robust team after a successful 2024 season, with an aim to enhance their performance in the 2025 season given their return to the playoffs last year.

  • Aaron Schatz of ESPN highlighted the No. 2 wide receiver position as the Broncos' biggest roster weakness due to the absence of a definitive standout behind Courtland Sutton.

  • Despite identifying the WR2 spot as a potential gap, the Broncos have depth with players like Marvin Mims Jr., Devaughn Vele, and rookie Pat Bryant, although none have firmly established themselves in the role.

  • Sean Payton's strategy involves a committee approach similar to his 2009 New Orleans Saints, where a variety of players contributed significantly without a single dominant wide receiver.

  • While Courtland Sutton is capable and has made the Pro Bowl, the Broncos' strength lies in their ability to utilize multiple players who can step up and deliver crucial plays in key moments.

  • The Denver Broncos have followed up a successful 2024 campaign with a strong offseason. The Broncos made a return to the playoffs last season and they'll be looking for more in 2025. 

  • From top to bottom, the Broncos have put together a solid roster that is rich with quality starters but also capable backups and rotational players. Truthfully, it's hard to spot a weakness on this team. 

  • But for a recent exercise, Aaron Schatz of ESPN was tasked with naming the biggest hole on the roster of all 32 NFL teams and for the Broncos, he went with the No. 2 wide receiver spot. 

  • "This pick wasn't easy, as the Broncos have a credible two-deep at every spot. The best I could come up with was the lack of a clear No. 2 receiver behind Courtland Sutton. The Broncos have a ton of players there, but nobody has really established himself as a strong WR2.

  • Marvin Mims Jr. had 39 catches for 503 yards last season, while Devaughn Vele had 41 catches for 475 yards. There's also rookie Pat Bryant, who might have trouble living up to his third-round selection, along with veteran Trent Sherfield Sr. and Troy Franklin, Bo Nix's old college teammate", wrote Schatz. 

  • This seems like a case of having to pick something to put on the list, but it's not a true "weakness". The Broncos are void of a superstar wide receiver, but Courtland Sutton can be extremely good and when you have the names that Schatz mentioned to fill in with, you may not need to establish a firm No. 2 guy. 

  • Sean Payton likes to go with a committee approach. He likes to throw a variety of guys at you. Take his 2009 New Orleans Saints, who won the Super Bowl, for example. He had Marques Colston, one of the better wide receivers in the league during his era, but one who never made the Pro Bowl. Though Sutton has made the Pro Bowl once, he was similar to Colston in many ways. 

  • Behind Colston, that Saints team had Devery Henderson, Lance Moore and Robert Meachem. None of those guys was going to post massive numbers on a weekly basis, but at key points during games across the season, they were all capable of making a huge play to help win a game. 

  • That's what Payton has in Denver. The team's No. 2 wide receiver spot was chosen as the biggest roster hole because it doesn't have a firmly established NFL star holding it down. But the Broncos, much like those Saints, have the players to make plays to win a game. 

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