Denver Post Broncos writer Parker Gabriel posts his Broncos Mailbag weekly during the season and periodically during the offseason. Click here to submit a question.
Hello Parker! I know there are a lot of question marks on the roster, but I do like the moves they made this offseason. In fact, apart from the safety position where you can’t underestimate the loss of Justin Simmons, I don’t feel they particularly downgraded anywhere. I’d even argue that on paper there are even better at different spots. Whatever Jerry Jeudy becomes, he didn’t work in Denver and I like the addition of Josh Reynolds. They went after specific players on the defensive line to help against the run and John Franklin-Myers is a great addition. Several rookies from last year are in a position to make the jump in year two. Maybe a few rookies can contribute early (although maybe unlikely with Sean Payton). We don’t know yet who will be the QB, which is the most important, but we know it will be someone Sean Payton actually wants to work with. So, if we account for the continuity with Vance Joseph that should prevent another terrible start on defense, who’s to say they can’t improve on their 8-9 record from last season? Call me an optimistic naïve, but I believe.
— Yoann, Beine-Nauroy, France
Hey Yoann, thanks for writing in and for getting us going this week.
Don’t apologize for being optimistic. What’s the point of being a fan if you’re not going to bend that way most or at least some of the time? It’s always interesting to me when fans are relentlessly jaded or pessimistic. I know it’s a way of caring and, obviously, it means a lot to a lot of fans and so emotion is part of the game. But if you can’t be optimistic as a fan this time of year, why bother?
And looking through your offseason rundown, Yoann, I don’t entirely disagree with most or really any of the points you make about the roster.
It’s possible that Jeudy will go off in Cleveland, but it hadn’t happened here. Simmons is a big loss and I think more than just him, the real test is losing basically three of the four key communication pieces in the middle of the defense in him, Josey Jewell and Kareem Jackson. Or, maybe 2.5 since Jackson was in and out of the lineup last year due to the suspensions and then eventually released. Regardless, it’s no small matter that Singleton is the lone full-time player back from last year in the middle of the back two defensive levels.
The main thing that strikes me on the additions is that Sean Payton and company prioritized different skill sets. Reynolds is a good player. He’s not as purely talented as Jeudy but he’s going to give you something different – a big, rugged receiver who can make some plays in the receiving game and also block and bring toughness elsewhere. Brandon Jones is a …read more
Source:: The Denver Post – Sports
