The Broncos have reached the midpoint of Year 1 of the Sean Payton era. The season began with playoff hopes, then quickly flipped to calls to tank for Caleb Williams. But Denver won two straight before its bye week, and the trade deadline came and went without the team sending away any key players to jumpstart a rebuild. With the playoffs still a longshot at 3-5, here’s how each position group grades out through eight games in 2023:

Offense

Quarterback

Is Russell Wilson back? After throwing three touchdowns in Denver’s win over Kansas City in Week 8, there’s at least a ray of hope that might be the case. Wilson has thrown for 1,613 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. His touchdown total at the bye week matches his entire 2022 season. He also has the fourth-best passer rating in the league at 101.7.

Yes, Wilson has not been perfect. He threw for 95 yards and two picks in the first matchup at Kansas City. He’s had issues with execution in the second half, with a completion percentage of 59.6% and passer rating of 89. His five fumbles are also concerning.

If the Broncos are indeed trying to turn their two-game win streak into a massive turnaround in the second half of the season, Wilson gives them the best opportunity to do so. But if they’re at all leery about paying him well into the future, there’s a possibility he finishes out the season on the sidelines. Grade: B

Running back

The Broncos struggled to find consistency in the run game early on, finishing under 100 rushing yards in three of their first four games. The last four games have been a revelation, as Denver has averaged 138 yards per game. Javonte Williams has played a big part, recording 219 rushing yards in the last three weeks and running with his trademark physicality once again.

Payton and general manager George Paton deserve a pat on the back for finding undrafted rookie Jaleel McLaughlin. The former Youngstown State star has made a significant impact with 268 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries (7.1 yards per attempt). He’s been effective in the screen game, too, totaling two touchdown receptions and cementing himself as the team’s No. 2 back.

Wins over Green Bay and Kansas City proved Denver’s at its best when its offensive identity is rooted in the run game. The Broncos are 12th in rushing yards (116.8) and fourth in yards per carry (4.8), but 30th in rushing touchdowns with one. Grade: B- 

Wide Receiver

One of the biggest issues for the Broncos’ receiving corps is the lack of an alpha they can rely on consistently. Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and rookie Marvin Mims Jr. have had moments. But none of them have emerged as a true No. 1. Mims is the only player to record 100-plus receiving yards in a game, but he did it just once. And he has two catches for four yards on just three targets in his last four games.

Jeudy was dominant in the second half of last season, but that has not translated into 2023. He has averaged 48 receiving yards in seven games. Sutton is tied for third in the league in touchdown receptions with six. He has been Wilson’s go-to target in the red zone and on third down. Grade: C

Tight End

Greg Dulcich was meant to be the “Joker” of Denver’s offense, but hamstring issues have prevented that vision from coming to fruition. Dulcich, who has played in parts of just two games, is currently serving his second stint on injured reserve. Adam Trautman has mostly been a non-factor in the pass game, as he has recorded 11 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Throw in rookie Nate Adkins and Chris Manhertz, and that the trio has accounted for 16 catches for 101 yards combined. Simply put, the Broncos could really use Dulcich. Grade: D

Offensive line

Even though Denver’s offensive line hasn’t been great, the group is largely improved over last year’s unit. The offensive line has been formidable in the run game, ranking third in the league in run-block win rate, according to ESPN Analytics. The Broncos could be better in pass protection, as they have allowed the fourth-most sacks in the league (26). At the same time, Wilson has to get better at sensing pressure and getting the ball out of his hands. High-priced offseason addition Mike McGlinchey has been inconsistent at right tackle, allowing five sacks and 31 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

Center Lloyd Cushenberry III has performed like a player trying to earn a big paycheck in a contract year. He has allowed no sacks and only four pressures. Right guard Quinn Meinerz has also stood out and is looking like a steal in the third round of the 2021 draft. Grade: C

Defense

Cornerback

Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II has been solid. He is tied for fifth in the league in passes defended with eight, and opposing quarterbacks have a 93.5 passer rating when targeting him. Overall, the group has been inconsistent. Second-year cornerback Damarri Mathis has allowed a 131.5 passer rating. Nickel corner K’Waun Williams (ankle) is expected to miss the rest of the regular season.

The secondary hit rock bottom after allowing 376 passing yards to Miami and 300 to Chicago in back-to-back weeks but has turned it around recently thanks to a few personnel changes. Fabian Moreau took over for Mathis, and Ja’Quan McMillian has played the nickel spot since the win over Chicago. McMillian has 13 tackles (five for loss), an interception and two passes defended in the last three games.  Grade: C

Safety

Denver’s safety group has battled injuries. P.J. Locke started the season on the injured reserve. Caden Sterns suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1. Justin Simmons missed two games against Miami and Chicago due to a hip/groin injury. Kareem Jackson has been ejected twice, suspended for two games and fined four times due to unnecessary roughness penalties. Backup safety Delarrin Turner-Yell, who has started in two games, has allowed 222 receiving yards on 11 receptions.

The group has improved markedly since Simmons’ return to the field. Denver has allowed 218 yards per contest in the last four games after giving up 285.5 during its 1-3 start. Simmons and Jackson, who is third on the team with 42 tackles, have four of Denver’s seven interceptions. Grade: C

Defensive line

After a quiet start to the season, defensive end Zach Allen hit his stride in October, totaling 21 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble. But outside of Allen, the Broncos’ defensive line has generated just one sack, and they’ve struggled against the run, too. Denver has allowed a league-worst 154.1 rushing yards per game.

D.J. Jones has 15 tackles, while Mike Purcell has 10 and a pair of passes defended. Denver will need more out of this group over its final nine games. Grade: D

Outside linebackers

The Broncos started the season hoping a fully healthy Randy Gregory and two-time Super Bowl champion Frank Clark would boost a pass rush that faded toward the end of 2022. Instead, Gregory flamed out and was traded to the 49ers, and Clark was released and then signed with the Seattle Seahawks. Denver is 30th in the league in quarterback pressures (49) and 22nd in sacks (17).

Since the Broncos handed the keys over to their trio of young edge rushers, Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and Baron Browning, the potential has been noticeable. Bonitto has a team-best 5½ sacks and recorded four quarterback hits against the Chiefs at home. Cooper has 4½ sacks and two fumble recoveries, including one returned for a touchdown. Browning, who missed the first six games due to injury, has two sacks and 10 pressures in just two games, according to Pro Football Focus. Grade: C

Inside linebackers

Alex Singleton is tied for ninth in the league in tackles with 73. He also has the most missed tackles on the team with 15, and at times, he has struggled in pass coverage. Jewell, who has 48 tackles, had one of his best games of the season against the Chiefs, recording five tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.

Rookie Drew Sanders has potential but is still adjusting to NFL play. He has nine tackles in eight games (four starts). He has played in a combined 21 defensive snaps in the last three games. Grade: C

Special Teams

Denver’s special teams have been night and day from last year. Kicker Wil Lutz has made 86.7% of his field goal attempts. The former Saints kicker converted 12 straight field goals before his 38-yard attempt was blocked in the win over the Chiefs. He also missed an extra point and field goal attempt that proved costly in a one-point loss to Las Vegas in Week 1.

Mims is fifth in the league in kick return yards with 204 and 11th in punt return yards (142). He had a 99-yard kick return for a touchdown in Week 3 against the Dolphins — although Miami had the game well in hand at that point. Grade: A-

Coaching

Payton’s first season has been rocky thus far. Denver could be 5-3 or even 6-2. Instead, the Broncos are two games under .500, and their 70-20 loss to the Dolphins is one of the worst in franchise history. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has led a defense that’s been at the bottom of the league. Meanwhile, the Broncos have unnecessarily burned timeouts due to poor clock management and alignment issues.

To the coaching staff’s credit, it seems like they have found a winning formula. Denver is 3-2 since its 0-3 start. Payton has found offensive success through the run game. Joseph has made a few changes in the secondary that have them playing better. Time will tell if the Broncos will build on the momentum they created. But a season that once looked dead after Week 3 in South Florida suddenly has some intrigue heading into the second half. Grade: C-

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