Projecting Broncos’ DL depth chart before the NFL draft

Here’s a look at the Broncos’ projected defensive line depth chart going into the NFL draft.

With the NFL draft a little more than one week away, here’s a look at the Broncos’ projected defensive line depth chart as it stands right now:

DE	NT	DE
Shelby Harris	Mike Purcell	Jurrell Casey
DeMarcus Walker	Joel Heath	Dre’Mont Jones
Jonathan Harris	Kyle Peko	Deyon Sizer
	Jay-Tee Tiuli

Denver has three solid starters in Harris, Purcell and Casey but none of those guys are long-term answers at their respective positions. Jones could become a reliable starter in the future but the Broncos will need two more starting defensive linemen in the coming years.

Walker has shown potential but he might be best-suited as a rotational defender. This season, Walker and Jones will provide excellent depth as defensive ends but Denver will want more help at nose tackle.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Broncos add several defensive linemen in the draft, bringing in help at nose tackle and defensive end.

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Broncos 2019 positional grades: Defensive line

The Broncos ranked 16th in the league against the run and received 20.5 sacks from the defensive line in 2019. How do their d-linemen grade?

The defensive line for the Denver Broncos did not stand out in 2019, but the group as a collective unit certainly held its own.

The Broncos ranked 16th in the league against the run. The defensive line also accounted for 20.5 sacks for the Broncos, a group that could be even better in Year 2 under Vic Fangio.

Much of that will depend on how much of the unit the team can keep intact as three of the team’s top players are set to become unrestricted free agents.

That will be a topic in the weeks ahead but right now, let’s look back at the performance of these players this past season.

Note: Deyon Sizer, Jonathan Harris and Kyle Peko were not included due to minimal stats and games played.

Derek Wolfe

(Mark Reis/Colorado Springs Gazette/TNS)

Stats

Tackles: 34

Sacks: 7

Tackles for loss: 8

Forced fumbles: 1

Wolfe played quite well and posted nice numbers in 2019, including a career-high seven sacks. Those numbers might have been even better if he was able to finish out the season.

A dislocated elbow in Week 13 shut Wolfe down for the year and potentially, for his Broncos career, as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

In eight years with the team, Wolfe has played a full 16-game season just three times. Still, most fans would likely prefer he returns.

Wolfe’s big sack numbers help his grade out, despite only playing in 12 games.

Grade: B

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Broncos injuries: 2 offensive linemen ruled out for Week 16

View the final injury report for Sunday’s game between the Broncos and Lions.

The Denver Broncos have ruled out two starting offensive linemen for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. Guard Ron Leary (concussion) and offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James (knee) won’t suit up in Week 16.

Defensive end Adam Gotsis (knee) will be placed on injured reserve.

Elsewhere on Denver’s injury report, nose tackle Kyle Peko (illness), defensive end DeMarcus Walker (ankle), linebacker Joe Jones (back), defensive end Dre’Mont Jones (ankle), guard Dalton Risner (illness) and tight end Noah Fant (shoulder) are listed as questionable.

Center Patrick Morris (back) has been cleared to play.

The Lions’ injury report will be added to this post once available.

Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford (back) was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday. David Blough is expected to start against the Broncos in Week 16 with Kyle Sloter serving as his backup.

Sunday’s game will air on CBS at 2:05 p.m. MT (view the TV map here).

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Broncos injuries: Adam Gotsis will be placed on injured reserve

Click here to view the Broncos vs. Lions injury report from Thursday.

The Broncos will place defensive end Adam Gotsis (knee) on injured reserve, coach Vic Fangio announced Thursday. Gotsis recently underwent season-ending surgery on his ACL and meniscus. Denver will make a corresponding roster move after placing Gotsis on IR.

Meanwhile, guard Ron Leary (concussion), offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James (knee) and nose tackle Kyle Peko (illness) were held out of practice Thursday. Elsewhere on Denver’s injury report, center Patrick Morris (back), defensive end DeMarcus Walker (ankle), linebacker Joe Jones (back), defensive end Dre’Mont Jones (ankle), guard Dalton Risner (illness) and tight end Noah Fant (shoulder) were listed as limited.

For the Lions, defensive tackle Damon Harrison (knee/calf/non-injury related), linebacker Devon Kennard (hamstring) and defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson (shoulder) were held out of practice. Linebacker Christian Jones (shoulder), running back Bo Scarbrough (ribs) and offensive tackle Rick Wagner (knee) were limited.

Sunday’s game will air on CBS at 2:05 p.m. MT (view the TV map here).

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Broncos injuries: 5 players did not practice Wednesday

The Broncos held out five injured players from practice Wednesday.

Five Broncos players — guard Ron Leary (concussion), defensive end DeMarcus Walker (ankle), offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James (knee), defensive end Adam Gotsis (knee) and guard Dalton Risner (illness) — were held out of practice Wednesday.

Leary and James were both inactive last week and coach Vic Fangio indicated before practice Wednesday that they might be held out again on Sunday.

“Ron is still having difficulties with his concussion, so I don’t think it looks good right now,” Fangio said. “Ja’Wuan probably won’t play either.”

Elsewhere on Denver’s injury report, linebacker Joe Jones (back), defensive end Dre’Mont Jones (ankle) and tight end Noah Fant (shoulder) were listed as limited.

For the Lions, linebacker Devon Kennard (hamstring) and defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson (shoulder) were held out of practice. Linebacker Christian Jones (shoulder), running back Bo Scarbrough (ribs) and offensive tackle Rick Wagner (knee) were limited.

Sunday’s game will begin at 2:05 p.m. MT and will air on CBS.

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Broncos announce 7 inactive players for Week 15

The Broncos and Chiefs have announced their inactive players for Week 14.

The Denver Broncos (5-8) will travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs (9-4) in Week 15 of the 2019 NFL season on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 11:00 a.m. MT. The game will air on CBS and in-market fans can stream the contest using FuboTV (try it free).

Denver announced that the following seven players will be inactive:

OL Ron Leary (concussion)
RT Ja’Wuan James (knee)
DL DeMarcus Walker (ankle)
DL Adam Gotsis (knee)
DL Dre’Mont Jones (ankle)
CB Shakial Taylor
OL Calvin Anderson

Kansas City’s inactives list can be seen below:

Chiefs inactives today vs. Broncos:

RB Damien Williams (rib, illness)
CB Morris Claiborne (shoulder)
CB Rashad Fenton (hamstring)
QB Chad Henne
OL Jackson Barton
OL Nick Allegretti
TE Deon Yelder

This means DE Frank Clark (shoulder, illness) is ACTIVE today.

— Herbie Teope (@HerbieTeope) December 15, 2019

The Chiefs have already clinched the AFC West but the Broncos are within reach of the playoffs. Denver will have a chance to claim the AFC’s sixth seed by finishing the year 3-0 and getting some help from other teams.

To finish the year 3-0, the Broncos will have to start by beating Kansas City, something they haven’t done in eight games. Denver is considered a 9.5-point underdog on the road.

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Broncos injuries: 2 starting offensive linemen ruled out

The Broncos and Chiefs have revealed their final injury reports for Week 15 of the NFL season.

Denver Broncos guard Ron Leary (concussion) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, coach Vic Fangio announced Friday. Right tackle Ja’Wuan James (knee) has also been ruled out, leaving Denver thin on the offensive line.

With Leary and James out, Austin Schlottmann (guard) and Elijah Wilkinson (tackle) will likely serve as fill-in offensive linemen this week.

In addition to Leary and James, wide receiver Juwann Winfree (hamstring), defensive end DeMarcus Walker (ankle) and defensive end Adam Gotsis (knee) have also been ruled out.

Elsewhere on the Broncos’ injury report, defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones (ankle), inside linebacker Joe Jones (back) and tight end Noah Fant (hip/foot) are listed as questionable.

Outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu (foot), inside linebacker Alexander Johnson (knee), outside linebacker Von Miller (knee), nose tackle Mike Purcell (shoulder/knee), and cornerback Isaac Yiadom (shoulder) have been cleared to play.

For the Chiefs, cornerback Morris Claiborne (shoulder) and cornerback Rashad Fenton (hamstring) have been ruled out. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes (hand) fully practiced all week and will play on Sunday.

Sunday’s game will air on CBS at 11:00 a.m. MT (view the TV map here).

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Broncos CB Bryce Callahan will try to practice Tuesday

Broncos cornerback Bryce Callahan (foot) is expected to return to practice Tuesday.

Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (thumb) isn’t the only injured player expected to return to practice Tuesday. Broncos coach Vic Fangio said during his Monday press conference that cornerback Bryce Callahan (foot) will try to practice as well.

“Yeah, I believe he’s going to try to practice tomorrow and we’ll see [how it goes],” Fangio said.

Callahan suffered a foot injury while playing with the Chicago Bears last year and the injury has prevented him from playing this season. The cornerback had a procedure to try to speed up the healing process in late September and was given a recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks.

We’re now more than six weeks removed from that procedure.

Wide receiver Tim Patrick (hand), safety Will Parks (hand) and defensive end DeMarcus Walker (shoulder) are also expected to practice Tuesday. Patrick is still on injured reserve but he might be activated to the 53-man roster later this week.

Fangio also said tight end Jeff Heuerman (knee) might be able to practice and it’s “up in the air” whether offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James (knee) will be able to practice or not. James has missed all but two games this year.

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