The Denver Broncos sit at 5-5 through the first 10 weeks of the 2024 NFL season, and they’re in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt. As a result, in Draft Wire’s newest mock draft, the Broncos are projected to pick 19th overall.
According to author Curt Popejoy, the Broncos are going to bolster their top-5 defense with another pass-rusher in the form of Tennessee EDGE James Pearce.
Pearce (6-5, 243 pounds) is a massive body Denver could use to stop the likes of AFC heavyweights Derrick Henry in the rush game and be a formidable foe for quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson off the edge.
In 2023, as a sophomore, Pearce led the SEC with 10 sacks. In 2024, Pearce found himself on several preseason collegiate watch lists, and is a semi-finalist for several individual awards.
Pearce would be a huge addition to an already-stout Broncos defense that is in the top three in quarterback pressures, blitz rates, sacks and yards-per-dropback in 2024. The unit has proved to be one of the best in the NFL, but Denver could look to add more depth and competition next spring.
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