Could the Broncos find the next Von Miller in the 2022 NFL Draft?

When the Denver Broncos elected to trade Von Miller to the Los Angeles Rams it marked the end of an era. It also cratered the pass rush with eight games remaining, hinting at the desperate straits George Paton is in at edge rusher. With Malik Reed a Restricted Free Agent and Bradley Chubb landing on Injured Reserve three of his four NFL seasons with lower body ailments, there are significant questions about the group going forward. Given the fact that the vast majority of the NFL’s top edge rushers enter the league as top 50 picks, there’s little question the Broncos will need to invest premium draft capital into the group if they want to juice up their edge rush.

Fortunately the 2022 draft class is extremely deep at edge rusher. While Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson and Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux currently look like they’ll be out of Paton’s reach at nine, there’s a bunch of other talented rushers who could appeal to the Broncos’ GM. After studying and writing the reports for three such prospects, I wanted to share a couple additional thoughts below.

David Ojabo - The first round lock

A first year starter for the Michigan Wolverines who only started playing football at 17-years-old, it’s easy to watch Ojabo’s tape and fall head over heels for his upside. He’s a 6’5 250 lb. speed rusher with the kind of overall explosiveness, burst, and bend that will remind some in Broncos Country of a young Von Miller, and if he tests as expected the Broncos will have to draft him early. He needs to continue adding to his pass rush repertoire and there will be growing pains against the run, but he’s the kind of prospect who could eventually have a transformational impact on Ejiro Evero’s pass rush with the way he can threaten tackles around the arc.

Arnold Ebiketie - the top 50 lock?

With the NFL Combine still a few days away there’s still a good bit of movement ahead for draft prospects. One such player who could find himself sliding up or down the boards is Ebiketie, who turned heads during his lone season with Penn State after he transferred from Temple. A 0-star recruit coming out of high school, the 6’2 256 lb. Ebiketie looks like a good, but not great athlete on tape and will enter the league as an older prospect after five years playing college football. With the way edge is such a traits based projection into the league, that could hurt his stock in a loaded position group. That said, so long as he doesn’t fall on his face at Indianapolis the combination of quick hands and ankle flexion make him an intriguing option regardless of where he winds up on draft boards.

Myjai Sanders - the day 2 steal?

Where there’s a possibility both Ojabo and Ebiketie wind up first round picks, it does not look like Sanders will find himself among the top 32 selections come April. The soon-to-be 22-year-old notched 13.5 sacks and 24.5 tackles for a loss across his four years playing for the Cincinnati Bearcats and he lacks the elite traits to convince evaluators to overlook the ho-hum production, even if he is capable of reliably generating pressure. This isn’t to say he’s a bad player, however, as his burst, savvy, and pass rush repertoire would make him a valuable member of the edge rotation from day one.

Your Broncos news

32 Questions ahead of the Denver Broncos’ 2022 offseason - Mile High Report

Will the new era bring more wins than the last three?

Mike Klis: Aaron Rodgers is ‘Plan A’ in Denver Broncos QB search - Mile High Report

The Denver Broncos are ‘all in’ on Aaron Rodgers, but they have Plans B-Z laid out to improve the quarterback position in 2022.

What plan “B” looks like for the Denver Broncos at Quarterback - Mile High Report

If the NFL MVP goes back to Green Bay, what will the Broncos do to solidify the poor quarterback situation in Denver

4 key takeaways from the Denver Broncos coordinator presser - Mile High Report

The Denver Broncos introduced their new coordinators on Tuesday. Here were my biggest takeaways from that press conference.

New Denver Broncos DC Ejiro Evero wants to be ‘aggressive and physical’ - Mile High Report

The Denver Broncos defense is going to be more aggressive in 2022.

Denver Broncos Free agent profile: 49ers Defensive Lineman Arden Key - Mile High Report

Could the Broncos be interested in versatile defensive lineman Arden key to bolster their pass rush?

NFL Free Agent profile: Linebacker Anthony Barr - Mile High Report

With three linebackers from 2021 who are now free agents, does the four-time Pro Bowler make sense for Denver?

2022 NFL Draft profile: Michigan Edge David Ojabo - Mile High Report

Could the Wolverine become the Broncos next Von Miller?

2022 NFL Draft profile: Georgia Edge/DL Travon Walker - Mile High Report

Could Walker become a mismatch weapon in the Broncos defense?

2022 NFL Draft profile: Penn State Edge Arnold Ebiketie - Mile High Report

Could the Broncos find a steal in the Owl turned Nittany Lion?

Who would you draft at No. 9 if you ran the Denver Broncos? - Mile High Report

J.T. Olson and Joe discuss on this week’s Cover 2 Broncos

Restructure or release? Carson Wentz, Kenyan Drake among eight AFC players to keep an eye on

Sutton just signed an extension in November, so this would be a restructure. His current cap hit for 2022 is the 18th-highest among wideouts. Sutton definitely has value, as his +8.0 percent catch rate over expected on short passes ranked third in the NFL in 2021 (min. 40 such targets), but Denver could use some extra cash. Even though the Broncos have plenty of cap space at the moment, they could be in the market for a quarterback and a pass rusher — two expensive commodities — in an attempt to get back to the top of the ultra-competitive AFC West.

2022 NFL offseason: All 32 teams’ WR situations ahead of free agency, draft

The Broncos have the makings of a dynamic, top-flight receiver corps if they can stay healthy. Jeudy owns Pro Bowl talent but played just 10 games in 2021, and speedster Hamler was injured in Week 3. Sutton took time to get back into the swing of things after returning from injury. And Patrick adds an enticing big-body target. The foursome fits well together from a schematic standpoint and could dominate in new coach Nathaniel Hackett’s system. The talent resides in Denver for a potent offense if they can finally figure out the QB.

Denver Broncos NFL offseason preview: Questions at quarterback with new coaching staff - Denver Broncos- ESPN

Most everyone involved, from team CEO Joe Ellis to Paton to Hackett, has said the sale process will not impact the football team. It shouldn’t. They have plenty of salary cap space and plenty of draft picks. But it is incumbent on the decision-makers to move through free agency and the draft as if they know who the boss will be moving forward. Of the past four NFL franchises sold — Carolina, Buffalo, Cleveland and Jacksonville — only Buffalo has emerged from the process as a consistent, well-built playoff contender.

NFL News

Multiple teams would trade for Deshaun Watson without a settlement of civil cases - ProFootballTalk

Broncos have been reportedly interested in Deshaun Watson since last year.

Panthers agree to three-year contract with Ian Thomas - ProFootballTalk

Broncos Country ought to prepare themselves for a big Noah Fant contract in the near future.

The New Path to a Super Bowl - The Ringer

The last two Lombardi Trophies have been won by teams with veteran quarterbacks in their first seasons with a new franchise. What effect will the 2020 Buccaneers and 2021 Rams have on team-building around the NFL?

How Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson Will Shape the Rest of the NFL Offseason - The Ringer

For the second straight year, the league is fixated on the futures of both star QBs. Where they end up will not only shape the Super Bowl landscape—it will set the course for the flurry of decisions to come.

The Failed Carson Wentz Experiment Leaves Indy With Few Good Options - The Ringer

If Indianapolis deems its Carson Wentz experiment a failure, what options does it have to acquire another quarterback?

Jimmy G vs. Trey Lance: 49ers’ QB Decision Isn’t As Clear As You Think - The Ringer

Jimmy Garoppolo is holding back San Francisco’s win-now roster, but heir apparent Trey Lance still looks incredibly green. What should the 49ers do?

2022 NFL free agency: Five players who should stay with current teams, five who should go

The MVP of Super Bowl 50 pretty much cemented his Hall of Fame résumé by winning his second career title in Super Bowl LVI, catching fire with the Rams after a pedestrian final stretch of games with the Broncos. And I don’t mind if, at 32 years old, he’s going to play the kind of role where he’s fine during the regular season, then comes to life when the playoffs start. If he wants to cash in on a huge payday, I’m here for it. He has nothing left to prove. And I understand there will be people who think Clowney should cash in while Miller should stay. But again, Von’s legacy is set. So, for that reason, if I was him, I’d be out there getting paid.

USFL’s 2022 contracts will make it harder for XFL to get players in 2023 - ProFootballTalk

While the USFL may win the short-term fight for players, the XFL’s collaboration with the NFL may help that league win the broader struggle for relevance. It’s possibly not a zero-sum game, however. With legalized gambling continuing to spread, people need things to bet on. (Or “on which to bet,” for the grammatically fastidious.) Maybe there’s room for two alternative spring leagues.

Cardinals want Chandler Jones back, but “devil’s in the details” - ProFootballTalk

“We love Chandler and would love to have him back,” Bidwill said. “The devil’s in the details. Leave that up to Steve and Chandler’s representatives to work on, but we love Chandler and what he’s done in the past and hopefully in the future as well.”

Report: Amazon, Fox will call Tom Brady about analyst gig - ProFootballTalk

Fox needs a No. 1 analyst after Troy Aikman jumped to ESPN. Amazon needs a Thursday night analyst, after being spurned by Aikman. There’s no reason to think Brady would want to do it. But the phone call is cheap. Much cheaper than it would be to actually hire Brady. He has become much more willing to speak in recent years, even if his primary platform for talking is inherently friendly and non-confrontational, since he owns the Let’s Go! podcast. Taking a high-profile TV job would keep him firmly in the public eye, and the total time commitment would allow him to handle other business interests that could position him, someday, to buy a team of his own.

Doug Williams won’t support Hue Jackson’s Grambling program with Art Briles on the staff - ProFootballTalk

“I don’t know Art Briles; I’ve never met him in my life,” Williams said. “But the situation, nobody else would hire him for whatever reason. I don’t know why Grambling State had to go be the one to hire him, so I’m not a fan at all.”