Stock Up
S Justin Simmons
The Broncos safety has been a turnover-forcing machine in recent years and he got his first of 2023 with an early interception against Patrick Mahomes on Thursday night. He’s capable of going on binges, and Denver could really use one right about now. Simmons’ name isn’t going to stop coming up in trade talks until either he’s moved or the Oct. 31 deadline passes. A franchise staple, he’s starting to look like he’s playing healthy.
Run game — kind of
Part of the shame of Denver’s complete lack of passing offense Thursday night is that the running game looked potent. The Broncos ran it early and often, but by the second half trailed 16-0 and had to get away from it some. They totaled 115 yards and 5.0 yards per carry but weren’t able to lean on the run game in the second half because of the goose egg on the scoreboard. Denver hasn’t had 20 non-quarterback runs in a game since its opener.
DL Zach Allen
Allen’s production has been hit-and-miss so far this season, but he’s now got sacks in each of his past two games and is showing a bit of the pass-rush ability that made him a coveted player in free agency this spring. The Broncos still need to be tighter against the run, but Allen’s up to 2.5 sacks on the year and the performance against Kansas City goes down as a step in the right direction for him and for the front seven in general.
Red zone defense
Vance Joseph’s defense has been bad through six games overall, though the performance against the Chiefs stands as its best outing so far this year. Part of the reason: It held Mahomes and company to one touchdown, two field goals, an interception and a turnover on downs over five trips to the red zone. Over the past two weeks, they’ve given up only one red zone touchdown in 10 chances. That’s pretty good work, though there’s plenty of other improvement to find after giving up 407 yards to the Jets and 389 to Kansas City.
Stock Down
QB Russell Wilson
No two ways about it: This was Wilson’s worst outing of 2023 to date, and it isn’t particularly close. Yes, the Broncos receivers have to create more separation. And yes, protection needs to get better, too. But Wilson has to find a way to produce more than 95 passing yards. Before Courtland Sutton’s 21-yard catch midway through the fourth quarter, Denver’s two best passing plays were a 15-yard screen to Samaje Perine and a 13-yard pass to Jerry Jeudy out of the backfield. That’s not going to win games.
WR Marvin Mims Jr.
Through no fault of his own, really. Mims played 12 offensive snaps and was not targeted on the night. He’s been the Broncos’ most impactful deep threat so far this season but over the past two games has just one catch for four yards. Teams are going to take notice when a guy gets over the top multiple times, but now it’s up to Denver and coach Sean Payton to adjust and figure out other ways to get the rookie the ball in advantageous situations.
TE Greg Dulcich
Man, it’s been a tough go for the second-year tight end from UCLA. Dulcich missed four games with a hamstring injury, returned Thursday and made it 11 snaps before dropping out with another hamstring injury. Obviously, Denver will hope it’s just a minor setback, but the continued trouble has reached a point where it’s easy to wonder what it will take for Dulcich to get completely past the problems.
WR Jerry Jeudy
Take away all of the pregame drama between Jeudy and NFL Network analyst and former star receiver Steve Smith Jr. Jeudy’s just got to produce more than three catches for 14 yards in a primetime game. The Broncos guaranteed his fifth year this spring. They thought he could be a No.1-type receiver. So far, that’s not been the case. He’s shown flashes of it over the course of his career but never actually put it together for more than a few games at a time. Now his tenure in Denver and role in the Broncos’ future plans is likely reaching an inflection point.
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