2021 Broncos' Season, Off-Season Questions, Wide Receiver

 


For the Broncos, the off-season is here. George Paton was hired to serve as GM and Vic Fangio is staying as coach, but there are plenty of other questions to answer. As we head into the off-season, I'll be considering these topics each week.

This is the final pre-free agency post, and I'm looking at my last position group, wide receiver. This one is like tight end, only deeper and better. All that means the Broncos won't have to spend free agent capitol or draft capitol to make sure they're set at receiver. They already have plenty of good options.

That begins with Courtland Sutton, entering his fourth year in the league. As a second-year player, Sutton had 72 receptions for 1,112 yards and six TDs. He was shaping up to be one of the best receivers in the league when an injury derailed his 2020 season, limiting him to three receptions for 66 yards on six targets in one game. Now he's back, and should be back atop the depth chart for the Broncos.

Right there behind him are second-year receivers Jerry Jeudy, a first-round pick out of Alabama, and K.J. Hamler, a second-round pick out of Penn State. Both made impacts in year one and both are poised to grow in year two. Jeudy had 52 receptions for 856 yards and three TDs, while Hamler added 30 receptions for 381 yards and three TDs in only 13 games. 

If the Broncos only had those three, it would be a great start. But the Broncos also have Tim Patrick, who is entering year four. He's played for the Broncos all three years of his career, entering as an undrafted free agent. He's a restricted free agent this off-season and Paton has already said he plans to tender Patrick, keeping him in Denver. And that makes sense. Patrick stepped up with 51 receptions for 742 yards and six TDs in 2020. With Patrick, the Broncos have an impressive top of the depth chart.

The team will also return Diontae Spencer, a return specialist who was signed as an exclusive rights free agent, and DaeSean Hamilton, who was drafted the same season as Sutton and enters the final year of his rookie contract. 

Beyond that, the Broncos have a lot of options and depth pieces at receiver. The team returns Tyrie Cleveland, who was a seventh round pick in 2020. Also in the group is Kendall Hinton, who served as an emergency quarterback for the team in a regular season game with New Orleans in 2020, and Trinty Benson, a speedster who's been a fixture on the Practice Squad. All that gives the Broncos depth, upside and options.

Wide receiver is one of the deepest positions on the team, and a true area of strength heading into the new league year. Now it's about improving the quarterback play, getting the line pieces in place and making a run.

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