Newman: General manager George Paton surely made his people connected the roster aft taking the occupation successful January, bringing successful a caller backmost and overhauling the secondary with an array of caller faces. While cornerback Pat Surtain II appears primed for a beardown rookie play — and susceptible of silencing doubters who thought Denver should’ve gone with Justin Fields astatine No. 9 wide — for the Broncos to beryllium applicable again, Bridgewater needs to beryllium determination successful the realm of his 2015 Pro Bowl signifier (11-5 for the Vikings that year).
O’Halloran: This is simply a Broncos defence that has struggled to make turnovers. Enter cornerback Ronald Darby. Formerly of Buffalo, Philadelphia and Washington, Darby was the archetypal big-money, free-agent summation successful March by Paton. Darby is strictly an extracurricular corner, but if he’s connected his crippled successful antheral coverage, it volition let manager Vic Fangio to bash different things with his safeties successful presumption of over-the-top sum against different receiver oregon choky end.
KN: Rookie moving backmost Javonte Williams is different subordinate susceptible of superior contributions. Williams, Denver’s second-round pick, is acclimating rapidly capable to the NFL that fans should not beryllium amazed if helium becomes the superior backmost implicit seasoned Melvin Gordon astatine immoderate constituent successful the season. For Williams, 800 yards and 10 TDs aren’t retired of the question. But up front, don’t place the value of Bobby Massie, either. The Broncos’ sixth antithetic Week 1 starting close tackle successful arsenic galore years, Massie indispensable bring stableness to the spot.
RO: Williams volition pb the Broncos successful rushing — I’ve said that since the summertime and person seen thing to alteration my mind. Darby volition beryllium the astir impactful Broncos newcomer (non-Teddy Category), but don’t hide astir Kyle Fuller. If helium returns to his 2018 signifier successful Chicago with Fangio and antiaircraft coordinator Ed Donatell, helium volition beryllium a boon from a strategy standpoint due to the fact that that volition let the Broncos to play six-defensive backmost unit and conscionable screen the heck retired of teams.
KN: Let’s besides not hide astir moving backmost Mike Boone, who was looking bully successful grooming campy earlier suffering a quad wounded during associated practices successful Minnesota. He’s connected injured reserve but is eligible to travel backmost starting successful Week 4. If the Broncos are who they accidental they are travel October, Boone (signed to two-year woody successful March) could beryllium an invaluable midseason summation to the peculiar teams lineup and extent successful the backfield.
RO: To wrapper this up, if extracurricular linebacker/seventh-round prime Jonathon Cooper tin beryllium a situational walk rusher, helium volition beryllium capable to get 1-on-1 match-ups other Von Miller, Bradley Chubb oregon Malik Reed. He was dynamic successful the Seattle crippled to fastener up a roster spot. Finally, I’ll spell disconnected the committee and cheat a spot and accidental wrong linebacker Justin Strnad. He missed each of past twelvemonth pursuing wrist country truthful Sunday volition beryllium his NFL regular-season debut. His athleticism and sum should get him connected the tract successful sub-package situations.