Grading the Week: Rehashing John Elway’s 2018 Broncos draft, which is starting to age poorly

At archetypal glance, 1 mightiness not quibble with John Elway’s show successful the 2018 NFL draft.

Anytime a wide manager nabs 2 aboriginal Pro Bowlers — extracurricular linebacker Bradley Chubb (fifth overall) and wide receiver Courtland Sutton (second round) — with the archetypal 2 picks, it’s harmless to accidental they’ve done their job.

Peer a small closer, however, and things get a small little rosy for the Broncos executive.

John Elway — C+

That came into stark alleviation earlier this week erstwhile 2018 third-round enactment Royce Freeman was fto spell by Elway’s successor, George Paton, arsenic helium finalized the team’s 53-man roster.

A highly touted moving backmost retired of Oregon, Freeman was expected to beryllium the aboriginal of the Broncos backfield. Instead, helium mislaid his No. 1 spot midway done his rookie twelvemonth to undrafted escaped cause Phillip Lindsay and ne'er got it back.

As Broncos newsman Ryan O’Halloran pointed out, with Freeman’s astonishment exit, lone 3 of Elway’s 10 picks from that draught stay connected the existent roster.

The deed list: CB Isaac Yiadom (third round, present connected 3rd team), WR DaeSean Hamilton (fourth, waived), TE Troy Fumagalli (fifth, New England IR), OG Sam Jones (sixth, Atlanta signifier squad), LB Keishawn Bierria (sixth, CFL) and RB David Williams (seventh, retired of NFL).

All that’s left: Chubb, Sutton and starting mediate linebacker Josey Jewell (fourth round).

That’s 3 picks inactive connected the roster conscionable 3 seasons later. Not precisely a look for gathering championship-level depth.

Even 1 of Elway’s successes — Chubb leads each 2018 draftees with 20 1/2 sacks — comes with 2 precise large caveats: 1) He’s already missed 14 games successful 3 seasons, and 2) Pro Bowl Bills backmost Josh Allen went 2 picks later. And present the Broncos are connected their 5th Week 1 starting QB successful 5 seasons.

Ed McCaffrey — B

If ever determination was an awesome 28-point loss, it was the 1 we witnessed Friday nighttime Boulder.

The Northern Colorado Bears did not bring location the “W” successful a 35-7 nonaccomplishment to in-state large member Colorado astatine Folsom Field, but they definite did locomotion distant with 1 heck of an “MV.”

And we present astatine Grading the Week are not supra recognizing a coagulated Moral Victory erstwhile we spot one.

The past clip CU and UNC met astatine Folsom Field, the Bears were conscionable arsenic competitive. The Buffs didn’t propulsion distant until the 2nd fractional of that 2017 meeting, with UNC wrong a touchdown aboriginal successful the 3rd 4th earlier CU imposed its volition en way to a 41-21 win.

Sound familiar? Sure, but for a fewer notable differences.

Those Buffs were facing a UNC programme that was respective years into the Earnest Collins Era. And they initially raced out to a 28-7 pb precocious successful the 2nd 4th earlier boredom acceptable in.

These Bears were playing their archetypal crippled nether caller caput manager Ed McCaffrey. And they were locked successful a scoreless gully aft 1 4th and trailed 14-0 astatine the half. If not for UNC backmost Dylan McCaffrey’s wayward extremity enactment interception adjacent the extremity of the 2nd quarter, the Bears might’ve gone into the interruption down seven.

That’s each we truly needed to spot from the commencement of the McCaffrey Era.

After waiting astir 2 years to marque his debut successful bluish and golden — 1 much twelvemonth than his CU (Karl Dorrell) and CSU (Steve Addazio) counterparts hired during the aforesaid offseason — McCaffrey appears to beryllium gathering thing sturdy successful Greeley.