Five 2021 NFL Draft prospects the Denver Broncos can’t live without
Five 2021 NFL Draft prospects the Denver Broncos can’t live without.
Slowly, surely, and often painfully, things are coming together for the Denver Broncos’ young core of players. The Broncos are enduring the growing pains of a young quarterback as they inch closer and closer to the 2021 NFL Draft.
With a record of 5-8 and some tough, close losses along the way, the Broncos appear to be all but eliminated from playoff contention in 2020. With that said, there is hope for the future of this team and Drew Lock put on arguably the best performance of his career in the team’s Week 14 win over the Carolina Panthers.
How will the Broncos attack the 2021 offseason? With only a couple of key in-house free agents to take care of, the Broncos will once again focus on making waves in the 2021 NFL Draft and adding to an impressive young core of players. How will John Elway do it? What prospects in the 2021 class can he not live without?
This list will change plenty in the coming months, but will certainly be fun to re-visit come time for the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Denver Broncos surprised many in the NFL world when they not only didn’t use one of their top two picks on the offensive tackle position, but not a single selection was used on a tackle either to start or develop in 2020.
The Broncos passed on a very talented tackle class in favor of Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler, a decision that really no one in Denver is regretting at this point as Garett Bolles played his way to a contract extension and both Jeudy and Hamler look like future NFL stars.
The situation in Denver is vastly different in 2021 and moving forward from that.
Right tackle Ja’Wuan James, a high-priced free agent acquisition in 2019, was injured most of his first year in Denver before opting out of the 2020 season due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
James’ contract tolled to 2021 where he will carry a $13 million cap hit and $19 million dead money charge. He’s the right tackle for Denver in 2021 if healthy.
With that being said, the dead money charge plummets to $6 million in 2022. Who knows how many games the Broncos will get out of James in 2021? If recent history has shown John Elway anything, it’s that you need sound depth on the offensive line, and this could be the year he selects the future starter at right tackle in the first round.
Rashawn Slater, who has started 26 games at right tackle and 11 at left tackle, could be the ideal pick for Denver on the offensive line.
The Broncos appear to have a keeper in swing tackle Calvin Anderson, but Slater would only enhance their depth on the line as scouts feel he is capable of playing any of the five positions at the next level.