The Broncos need to add more pass rushers before the season starts
Jun 11, 2020, 6:32 AM | Updated: 7:32 am
The Broncos have been known for having a great pass rush since John Elway has been in charge dating back to 2011. Denver has ranked in the top 15 of the league in sacks in six of the nine seasons under Elway. This year could be different.
In 2018, the Broncos defense ranked No. 8 in total sacks with Von Miller and rookie Bradley Chubb. In 2019, the Broncos finished 17th. One reason for the drop off was Chubb only played in four games due to a season-ending injury. This forced the Broncos to play with Von Miller, Jeremiah Attaochu and Malik Reed. Those three pass rushers counted for only 13.5 sacks in 2019. In 2018, Miller and Chubb combined for 26.5 sacks alone.
Chubb is coming off a torn ACL and should be good to go at the start of the regular season, but the question is how effective will he be this season for Vic Fangio’s defense. Miller is also coming off a down year with having only 8.0 sacks. Last year, Fangio mentioned multiple times that Miller needed to play better throughout the season. Miller is also a year older, turning 31 this season.
Of the other pass rushers in 2019, Reed finished the season with two sacks and Attaochu totaled out with 3.5 sacks. Plain and simple, that’s not good enough if the Broncos are going to compete for a playoff spot.
Here are some free agents the Broncos could target before the season starts:
Everson Griffen – The edge rusher is coming off a Pro Bowl season in 2019, totaling 8.0 sacks in 15 games. Griffen will be a little pricey, but not as much as someone like Jadeveon Clowney is asking for. The former Viking can come in as a leader and impact player like DeMarcus Ware was in 2014-16.
Michael Bennett – This is a player who is 34 years old, but has tons of playoff experience, mainly with the Seahawks. Bennett finished with 6.5 sacks last season and 9.0 in 2018. Because Bennett is playing late in his career, Denver could get him on the cheap side of a contract.
Terrell Suggs – The future Hall of Fame inductee still has something left in the tank. The 37 year old will turn 38 in October, but after a 6.5 sack season last year between two teams, he has proven he can play for at least one more final season. Don’t forget that Fangio coached him in the mid-2000s.
Vic Fangio is a great defensive mind, but with the lack of depth behind Von Miller coming off a bad season and Bradley Chubb coming off injury, Denver needs to add some depth at the edge rusher position. Denver failed to add the depth in the draft so they must now look for a free agent to come in right before training camp to help this potential playoff team.
