This article is part of our 2020 Training Camp Preview series.
Expanding upon our team preview collection from earlier this offseason, we're gearing up for an irregular August with a series of team-specific articles to get you up to speed for training camp. You can find the previous writeup on the Denver Broncos here.
State of the Franchise
There's a realistic scenario in which seven of Denver's offensive starters will enter 2020 with no more than two years of experience. That should lead to excitement among fans, but almost guarantees some bumps in the road. Rookies Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and Lloyd Cushenberry will likely be counted on to play significant snaps despite an abridged offseason. Even relative elder statesmen on the squad may struggle with limited practice reps as Pat Shurmur comes aboard as the team's fourth offensive coordinator in four seasons.
The potential highs are tantalizing. Drew Lock reportedly was a favorite of Shurmur's during his time with the Giants, and a more aggressive approach can dazzle with the QB's big arm and the significant upgrades the Broncos have made at the skill positions and interior offensive line.
The potential lows can result in yet another season in which the offense holds back a top-flight defense. Lock, in particular, will be tested early with three of Denver's seven games before its bye coming against defenses that ranked in the top five in opponent passer rating in 2019.
Job Battles
Battle No. 1
Phillip Lindsay's 2,048 rushing yards since going undrafted in 2018 rank eighth in the NFL, so it was surprising to see Denver shell out $13.5 million in guarantees for Melvin Gordon this offseason. The former Charger has had an up-and-down career, but Gordon specializes where Denver's backfield has struggled in recent seasons, particularly in short-yardage situations and the passing game. There is a world in which both players earn 12-15 touches per game while serving as near perfect complements to each other. There's an equally plausible scenario in which rolling with the hot hand leads to a talented back stuck on the sideline or neither finding a rhythm.
Battle No. 2
First-rounder Jerry Jeudy became a starting wideout the moment the Broncos took him with the 15th pick in April's draft. Things get interesting after Jeudy and top option Courtland Sutton. Second-round pick KJ Hamler has as good a chance as anybody to end up as the team's WR3. The Penn State product terrorized Big Ten defenses with his sub-4.3 speed out of the slot. If not Hamler, look for veteran Tim Patrick to potentially kick Jeudy inside. Fourteen of Patrick's 16 receptions went for first downs in an injury-shortened 2019. Finally, 2018 fourth-rounder DaeSean Hamilton has mostly disappointed, but he does at least have chemistry with Drew Lock.
Medical Tent
It would have been difficult for Chubb's rookie campaign to go any better as he finished in the top 15 in the NFL in both sacks (12) and tackles for loss (14). His sophomore campaign couldn't have gone much worse. Chubb recorded just one sack before tearing his ACL in Week 4. He's been posting videos of his rehab for months and appears set to be ready for Week 1. If Chubb can shake off the rust, he's poised to both count himself among the premier pass rushers in the league and help rejuvenate Von Miller, who disappointed in Chubb's absence.
Callahan followed head coach Vic Fangio from Chicago to Denver during the 2019 offseason but never saw the field after aggravating a foot injury that sidelined him during the final stretch of 2018. When healthy, Callahan is among the top slot corners in the league. The problem is that he's seldom healthy, having never played more than 13 games in a season. The Broncos desperately need him to hold his own at CB2 as there is little in the way of proven depth behind newly acquired A.J. Bouye. By all indications, Callahan should be ready to go Week 1.
Bausby was coming into his own in Weeks 3 and 4, with three passes defensed and 11 tackles while playing 89 percent of the team's defensive snaps in those contests. He then suffered a scary neck injury Week 5 against the Chargers and sat out the rest of 2019 as a precaution. Bausby eschewed more lucrative offers to sign a veteran-minimum deal and stay in Denver with Vic Fangio, his former coach in Chicago. Bausby will face competition from a bevy of youngsters, including rookie third-round pick Michael Ojemudia, but Bausby should have an inside track at the CB3 role.
