The Denver Broncos have had a slow start to free agency, outside of bringing back their own players, but there are still some quality outside options on the market they should target to upgrade the team.
Who could the Broncos sign to help their Super Bowl chase? Here are three ideal options.
Chris Rodriguez, RB
The Denver Broncos have already solidified the top of their running back rotation by selecting R.J. Harvey in the second round of last year’s draft and signing J.K. Dobbins to his two-year, $20 million contract. Beyond the investments themselves, Harvey was an excellent pass-catching back for the Broncos last season and ultimately led the team in touchdowns, while Dobbins was one of the league’s 10 most productive ball-carriers prior to his injury.
However, Broncos Country has seen firsthand that those two backs aren’t necessarily enough on their own. Dobbins has missed between four and 16 games every season since the NFL extended the season to 17 games, and when he was absent last year, the rushing attack cratered.
That could be remedied with a developmental leap from Harvey, but the Broncos shouldn’t count chickens before they hatch. They need to insulate themselves from the possibility that Dobbins misses extended time and that Harvey remains a pass-catching specialist, and the draft offers no guarantees.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. is the perfect veteran solution to the Broncos’ problem.
Rodriguez shares a lot of similarities with Dobbins, as a powerful between-the-tackles runner with enough juice to create explosive runs, making him a perfect insurance plan.
Plus, coming from a split backfield at just 26 years old, he has more tread on his tires than most any other veteran running back, and could even prove to be a long-term answer at the position if the Broncos are happy with the signing, considering how well his skillset complements Harvey’s.
Finally, despite being a lower-cost running back option, Rodriguez’s per-carry production compares favorably to even the best members of this free-agent running back class. C-Rod ranks ahead of all qualifying members of this year’s running back class in Yards After Contact (YACo) per attempt, and he ranks second, only to Dobbins, in Rushing Yards Over Expectation (RYOE) per carry.
Kaden Elliss, LB
This option is, admittedly, less likely than the others, considering the investment in Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, but the Broncos should consider adding another veteran at the position.
12 months ago, Denver signed Dre Greenlaw because they looked at a prospective linebacker pairing of Singleton and Strnad and determined they had to spend on an upgrade. Even though the Greenlaw signing wasn’t the right remedy to that problem, the Broncos should still desire to boost that room with another signing.
Plus, even setting Singleton and Strnad aside, the league is moving away from three-WR sets and towards formations that feature more backs and more tight ends, in an effort to force more linebackers on the field and create favorable coverage matchups. Right now, the Broncos don’t have the linebacker depth to play that style of defense without getting picked apart, so an additional veteran who you could trust to contribute immediately would make sense.
Enter Kaden Elliss, older brother of Denver’s own Jonah Elliss.
The elder Elliss has been one of the league’s best blitzing linebackers during his Atlanta tenure and would add some coverage skills to the room that would make it harder for opponents to create those mismatches. It’s also an addition that would help cover up the weaker areas of Strnad and Singleton’s games, because it would provide the Broncos with a variety of options to attack the offense with, making it less likely they find themselves with one of their linebackers in a disadvantageous position.
Jauan Jennings, WR
One common gripe among Broncos Country is the lack of reliable pass-catching weapons. Jauan Jennings would be an excellent target to fill that gap in the offense, and he would be a perfect fit for Sean Payton’s attack.
If the Broncos added Jennings, he would quickly become one of Bo Nix’s favorite targets because of his ability to move the chains. ‘Third and Jauan’, as 49ers fans dubbed him, ranked fifth among all wide receivers in third-down conversion rate last season, converting 19 times (ninth-most in the NFL across all positions) on 35 targets.
Remarkably, with only 55 receptions on the season, more than one-third of Jennings’ catches moved the sticks on third down, keeping the drive alive.
Outside of Courtland Sutton, the Broncos haven’t had many consistent options that Nix could rely on when the Broncos most desperately needed a completion. Defenses recognized that over-reliance on Sutton and targeted it. Jennings would provide another option for Nix, not only making his life easier, but also opening up additional opportunities in those crucial moments for Sutton.
Plus, Jennings would also be a boost to the rushing attack, considering he’s one of the better blocking receivers in the league.
That’s an especially important consideration for the Broncos’ investments, because receivers who don’t block will struggle to get on the field for Sean Payton. Jennings won’t suffer from that concern, saving fans from another Lil’ Jordan Humphrey experience.
