Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the offseason. Submit questions to Ryan here.
Who would you bet on right now being the Week 1 inside linebackers? And who among that group is most likely to stay on the field in the sub packages?
— Matt Schauf, North Chili, N.Y.
In the base defense, it’s pretty easy — Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell. The Broncos’ top two tacklers last year (124 and 112, respectively) have the trust of coach Vic Fangio.
Things could get a little more interesting in the sub packages, though. Last summer, the Broncos were grooming rookie Justin Strnad to play the nickel/dime role because of his coverage ability. Strnad missed the season following wrist surgery.
Baron Browning was drafted in the third round, but a lower leg injury has kept him out of all of the OTA workouts.
If the Broncos play dime (six defensive backs), Strnad could get a shot as the lone inside linebacker. If they play nickel (five defensive backs), the bet is Johnson/Jewell staying on the field at least initially.
Ryan, what’s the latest on Aaron Rodgers? It doesn’t seem like Packers president Mark Murphy saying that he’s dividing the fan base is doing Green Bay any favors. Do you think Denver still has a shot?
— Larry, Westminster
Still nothing much cooking, but that won’t stop me from writing and tweeting about Rodgers coming to the Broncos. Until he is on the Green Bay practice field wearing a Packers helmet, this is still a story to monitor. If he becomes available, the Broncos should be considered the leader.
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Murphy’s comments were interesting. At first, I thought it was madness that feuding with the reigning NFL MVP would garner any support for their fans.
But Murphy wouldn’t just pull that out of thin air. There may be a segment of the fan base upset at Rodgers for the drama and are ready to move on with Jordan Love.
Ryan, I’m optimistic about the Broncos in view of the draft and the generally improved nature of the roster. However, I remember feeling this way about the team on many previous occasions only to see them emerge from training camp and the first third of the season with many injuries. I recall Mike Shanahan saying this was the biggest factor in a team’s success, though he seemed to view it as largely the luck of the draw. But first, is there any truth to the idea that the Broncos are more injury-prone than other NFL teams and secondly, is there anything more team management might do to reduce injuries?
— Jim Coleman, Rapid City, S.D.
I will make last year’s training camp an outlier because teams didn’t have an offseason program and were in a race to Week 1 once camps opened. That led to soft tissue injuries galore.
According to Football Outsiders last year, the Broncos ranked in the bottom third of the NFL in terms of injuries per its metrics.
The thing with the Broncos is, their injuries the last few years have been gigantic. Bradley Chubb in 2019. Von Miller and Courtland Sutton last year.
What we’ll be monitoring during this year’s training camp is how does coach Vic Fangio approach the practice schedule to increase the chances of a better start (0-4 and 0-3 in his first two years)?
Shanahan is right: The healthier teams are often times the teams reaching the postseason.
What do you think about Dre’Mont Jones’ progression for this upcoming season? He had 6 1/2 sacks last year — do you think he could get 10 and make a three-headed sacking monster with Bradley Chubb and Von Miller? Also, what do you think we’ll see from KJ Hamler this year? His speed makes him such a dynamic option for this offense.
— Marshall, Parker
Jones has 10 sacks in his first two seasons since the Broncos drafted him in the third round. But his strong finish to 2020 has raised expectations.
Jones, who was slowed by a Week 2 knee injury last year, had 6 1/2 sacks in his last 11 games and will now become an every-down player with the departures of Jurrell Casey and DeMarcus Walker.
Can Jones be a 10-sack player? If the Broncos find ways to consistently lead games, he will get his chance because of his interior pass-rushing skills.
What is the biggest improvement on either side of the ball?
— @RicMurr
Cornerback. It didn’t take long for new general manager George Paton to understand he had to overhaul the position.
Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller were signed in the opening days of free agency and the Broncos used the ninth overall pick on Pat Surtain II. They join Bryce Callahan in the top four and the defense also has Essang Bassey and Michael Ojemudia.
It’s smart for the Broncos to keep all of those players because last year, they traded Isaac Yiadom to the New York Giants at the end of camp and then ran out of corners.
Denver Post Broncos writer Ryan O’Halloran posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the offseason. Submit questions to Ryan here.
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