With the new football season approaching, we welcome Ian St. Clair of Mile High Report — our sister SBNation site covering the Denver Broncos — for Five Questions with the Enemy.
1. How much of the offseason is about accelerating Bo Nix’s development versus insulating him with veteran help?
This offseason is all about doing what the Broncos can to get Nix weapons on offense. To be specific, I’d like Denver to add a top-notch running back, a game-changing receiver, and, potentially, a tight end. Since the Broncos are finally free from the anchor of Russell Wilson’s contract, they finally have the salary cap space. Getting Nix a running game and a possible game-changer at receiver will only make Nix and the Broncos better.
2. 2 What lessons do you think the Broncos took from their playoff loss, and which roster weaknesses were exposed most clearly?
Aside from the obvious in having Nix on the field, the biggest lesson is for Sean Payton not to overthink moments in a game. If Nix is healthy and on the field for the AFC Championship, Denver easily wins that game and advances to the Super Bowl. But had Payton made better decisions, namely kicking the field goal on fourth-and-1 instead of going for it, that could have changed the whole game. Since Nix wasn’t on the field, there isn’t much you can take away from that loss. The other factor is a consistent and effective running game on offense. Had the Broncos been able to run the ball at all against the New England Patriots, even with Nix out, they would have had a better chance to win.
3. Does the team view the running game as a complementary piece or a foundational part of the offense moving forward?
The running game needs to be viewed as a foundational piece of the offense. The Seattle Seahawks showed how crucial a great running game is to a team. Fittingly, the running back Denver could target in free agency is Kenneth Walker. But if you add a consistent running game to Nix, that’s the missing piece to Payton’s offense. We saw flashes when J.K. Dobbins was healthy, but he couldn’t stay on the field. Before Dobbins got injured, he was one of the top backs in the league. That’s why I’d like to see the Broncos make running back a priority since it’ll open up the whole offense for Payton and Nix.
4. With continuity on defense, where do you believe regression is most likely if depth isn’t addressed?
Middle linebacker is the biggest liability for this defense. There was hope that Dre Greenlaw could finally be the guy to solidify that position, but he couldn’t consistently stay on the field. If the Broncos can get this position figured out, like a Nakobe Dean, the defense will get even better. If Denver runs it back with the same guys, that’s what will hold back this unit. The Broncos could look at safety as well, but the big thing is middle linebacker.
5. How much creative freedom do you think the new offensive coordinator have, and how will the scheme evolve around Nix’s strengths?
There hasn’t been confirmation that Davis Webb will call plays, but if he does, it’s hard to say. Payton has always called the offense, so this would be something new. For Payton to give it up would show explicit trust in Webb, and that would allow Payton to manage all aspects of the game and potentially be even better at clock and game management. To go back to my second answer, that’s the area where Payton can improve the most. Giving up calling the plays might actually help him and the Broncos.
See More:
