Here’s what the Broncos’ offensive depth chart looks like before NFL free agency. There are several holes to fill.
Denver Broncos new head coach Sean Payton will be tasked with fixing the team’s offense in 2023, and the work will begin when NFL free agency kicks off next week.
Payton will work alongside general manager George Paton to upgrade the team’s offensive depth chart, with the offensive line being a priority. Denver also needs to address the running back position, add a backup quarterback and add depth at tight end and wide receiver.
Payton and Paton have a lot of work to do — every position on offense could use more depth or upgraded starters this offseason.
Here’s a quick look at the team’s projected offensive depth chart before free agency. Be sure to also check out our previous depth charts for special teams and defense.
Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio is a great defensive coordinator — the stats back that up. Denver has allowed just 17.4 points per game this season, the third-best average in the NFL.
Unfortunately, Fangio’s head coach duties include much more than coaching the defense, and his non-defensive decisions — such as clock management and challenges — have left a lot to be desired. Fangio also hired offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and he has stuck with him despite the offense’s struggles.
The Broncos obviously also need a quarterback, but they’re not maximizing the talent they do have on offense. On defense, Denver can burn through linebackers and plug in cornerbacks and continue clicking despite injuries. On offense, the Broncos can’t even scheme up a touchdown for Jerry Jeudy.
Andrew Mason of DNVR tweeted a stat on Sunday evening that perfectly sums up Fangio’s time in Denver.
Since the start of the 2019 season, the Broncos have lost a league-high five games in which they allowed 17 or fewer points.
“I thought the defensive players did a great job,” Fangio said after Sunday’s 15-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. “That’s a really good offense. They score a lot of points against most everybody. They get a lot of yards. My hat’s off to the defense, I thought they played extremely well.”
Once again, the defense playing “extremely well” wasn’t good enough, as had been a theme for the Broncos since Fangio arrived.
Tua Tagovailoa may have only started two games for the Miami Dolphins, but the former Alabama quarterback has high odds to win OROY.
Former Alabama star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has now started two games for the Miami Dolphins, after being drafted by the franchise with the No. 5 overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft. With a perfect record of 2-0 as a starter, and both showings winning as the underdog, he has his eyes set on the playoffs and a postseason award.
In 2018, Tagovailoa was a finalist for the Heisman trophy, but came in second place behind then-Oklahoma quarterback, Kyler Murray.
Now, he can get the equivalent for offensive rookies in the NFL: the 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
Currently, on BetMGM , Tagovailoa holds claim to the third-best odds to win the award, despite having only started two games.
The two above him are former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, now with the Cincinnati Bengals, and former Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert, now the starting signal caller for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Here’s how the top five looks heading into Week 10:
Justin Hebert -106
Joe Burrow +105
Tua Tagovailoa +1000
Justin Jefferson +2000
James Robinson +2500
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Mahomes passed completed 73.8% of his passes for 416 yards and five touchdown pass to no interceptions. According to NFL Research, Mahomes became just the eighth player since at least 1948 with at least 400 passing yards, at least five passing touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 70-plus completion percentage in a single game.
This is Mahomes’ fifth career AFC Offensive Player of the Week award and his second award of the 2020 NFL season. He earned his first award of the season following the Week 3 win against the Baltimore Ravens on “Monday Night Football.”
This marks the second time in Mahomes’ career that he’s earned two weekly awards in a single season. The last time he earned two weekly awards was his 2018 MVP-winning season, which was also his debut season as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback. He earned back-to-back recognition in the first two weeks of the season.
If Mahomes continues at his current pace for the 2020 season, he could be looking to earn more weekly honors as the Chiefs pursue another Super Bowl title.
In Week 7, Byron Pringle earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his 102-yard kick return touchdown. This is the first time this season where the Chiefs have seen two players earn weekly honors in back-to-back weeks.
There are reports that Tim Beck will be leaving Texas to become OC at NCSU. The announcement will be made after tonight’s Alamo Bowl.
After the season finale against Texas Tech, the Longhorns announced that Tim Beck would be removed from his role as the offensive coordinator. He was kept on the staff as the quarterback coach.
Zach Barnett of footballscoop.com is reporting that Beck will be leaving Texas to accept the position as the offensive coordinator at North Carolina State. Currently in his third season with the Longhorns, the announcement will be made after tonight’s Alamo Bowl.
With his 3-year tenure at Texas set to expire tonight, sources tell @FootballScoop Tim Beck is expected to be the next offensive coordinator at NC State.https://t.co/oF5g7IkPIk
This will be Beck’s fourth offensive coordinator job in Divison 1 football. Previously the OC at Nebraska, the co-OC at Ohio State, and the job he just lost at Texas, Beck will take on a new conference in the ACC.
The Wolfpack are off a disappointing 4-8 season in which they only averaged 22 points per game. Playing in the ACC Coastal, Beck will be facing off against former Longhorn Head Coach Mack Brown every year.
After a couple weeks of reports, Texas put an end to their OC search. The Longhorns have officially hired Ohio State PGC Mike Yurcich.
After a couple weeks of reports and speculation, Texas finally put an end to their offensive coordinator search. The Longhorns have officially hired Ohio State passing game coordinator Mike Yurcich. He also spent six seasons with Oklahoma State as their offensive coordinator.
Here is the official announcement from the Texas football Twitter account:
One day after Yurcich’s Buckeyes lost in the College Football Playoff semi-final to Clemson, he is hired by the Longhorns. Texas removed Tim Beck from the OC position after the season finale against Texas Tech. Also hiring Chris Ash as the defensive coordinator, the Longhorns will have new guys running both sides of the ball next season.
Before the season ends, Texas will face off against Utah in the Alamo Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
There have been reports that Mike Yurcich will be taking over the offense starting next season. Here is why he will be a success at Texas.
Shortly after ending the season with a win over Texas Tech, the Longhorns got rid of a few coaches and one of those was offensive coordinator Tim Beck. There was speculation of LSU’s Joe Brady and USC’s Graham Harrell taking over, but both of them seem set to stay at their respective schools. While it has not been confirmed by the school yet, there have been reports that Mike Yurcich will be taking over the offense starting next season.
Currently at Ohio State, he has spent most of his D1 coaching career as the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. Wherever he has gone, he has been apart of some electrifying offenses, producing stars at all of the skill positions. Even with his past, the question becomes: Can it translate to success at Texas? Was he the right hire for the Longhorns? While it may not be the flashiest name, Yurcich is going to have great success in Austin. Here is why.
Yurcich’s first big-time job was actually in the Big 12, spending time as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Oklahoma State. Running the offense from 2013 to 2018, the Cowboys were flying on offense, averaging 38 points or more per game in every season but 2014.
One thing a Mike Yurcich offense had in his final three seasons in Stillwater was over or near a 4,000-yard passer and a 1,000-yard rusher. Mason Rudolph and Justice Hill balled out in 2016 and 2017, only behind in Oklahoma in most offensive stats. With more traditional pocket passers like Rudolph and Tayler Cornelius, the Pokes were able to sling the ball around the field.
Something else that worked well at the beginning of his time with Oklahoma State was running with the quarterback. In 2013, between Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh, the two quarterbacks ran for a total of 663 yards. Against the Longhorns in 2013, Chelf killed Texas on the ground, rushing for 95 yards on 10 attempts while adding two touchdowns. With a dual-threat quarterback like Sam Ehlinger or any of the guys behind him, running the quarterback could become a big part of the offense.
When a quarterback that can run has an elite level running back to compliment them, they become that much more dangerous. That is exactly what happened this season during Yurcich’s one season at Ohio State. While he was not the offensive coordinator, he still played a huge part in the offense as the passing game coordinator. With Justin Fields under center, J.K. Dobbins elevated his game to a whole new level.
Running the read option with those two is nearly unguardable, as you lose either way. You cover Fields, one of the best running backs in the country is getting the ball. If you cover Dobbins, the former No. 1 recruit in the country is going to blow right by you. The system ran by the Buckeyes is something Yurcich can bring over and implement in Austin.
The run game will be huge for the Longhorns next season as two of the best receivers of the decade in Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson will be leaving for the NFL. Sam Ehlinger will remain at quarterback and we have seen what he can do running the ball, having 1,453 career rushing yards in his three years. The only question will be who will be the main running back to compliment Ehlinger?
Running back was a weird position for Texas this season, using third-string quarterback Roschon Johnson with Keaontay Ingram. Ingram will be back for his junior year, but two five-star caliber running backs will also be competing for touches. After spending the 2019 season injured, Jordan Whittington is scheduled to be back next season, ready to make an impact.
Possibly an even bigger player will be five-star running back Bijan Robinson. Coming in with the 2020 class, he has the opportunity to be a player than can turn around this Longhorn program.
Past Ehlinger, players like Casey Thompson, Roschon Johnson, Hudson Card, and Ja’Quinden Jackson all will be competing for the starting job in 2021. All five of those guys are considered dual-threat quarterbacks and can continue to run a similar type of offense. With freshman running backs like Whittington and Robinson, the future is bright in the backfield.
If the same offense that Ohio State runs is implemented to this Texas team, it has a chance to become one of the best in the country. Fields and Dobbins are excellent players, making it as Heisman finalists, and it may be difficult to replicate exactly what they do. However, the Longhorns will have highly skilled guys to replicate what they are doing.
Yurcich has run different types of offenses as the offensive coordinator with Oklahoma State and as the passing game coordinator with Ohio State. Finding success in with pocket passers and dual-threat quarterbacks, no matter who Texas has under center, they will be set up for success. Getting players at running back and wide receiver to make the explosive plays is the only question.
If the Longhorns become anything like the Cowboys or Buckeyes on offense, they could push towards the level they expect to be at.
