In one of the least surprising moves of the offseason, new head coach Vance Joseph named Trevor Siemian the starter for the Denver Broncos on Monday. The Broncos gave Paxton Lynch every opportunity to extend the battle, but last year’s first-round pick has not played well at all in either preseason or training camp. Now it’s up to Siemian to lead the Broncos back to the postseason in his second year as the team’s primary quarterback.
AFC West Odds at BookMaker.eu
Oakland Raiders +170
Kansas City Chiefs +249
Los Angeles Chargers +298
Denver Broncos +375
Why the Denver Broncos Will Win the AFC West
Siemian didn’t have a bad 2016 campaign at all and there is some room for improvement. He was 8-6 as the Broncos starter and only had a handful of bad games. You know what you’re getting with Siemian. He doesn’t have remarkable talent, but is consistent and won’t kill you with head-scratching plays.
He has one of the best receiver tandems to throw to and Siemian should have more chemistry with them this season. Both Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas eclipsed 1,000 yards last season and both were Pro Bowl selections. These two play off each other’s strengths, with Sanders the smaller, quicker receiver and Thomas the more hulky specimen. If a third option emerges these receivers could go off.
This linebacking corps is one of the best in football and they will make life difficult on other teams. Von Miller is the leader of the defense and perhaps the best linebacker in the NFL. The Super Bowl MVP was one vote away from winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2016 and had a lights out season with 13.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Shane Ray is his counterpart at outside linebacker and began to come into his own as a pass rusher last season with eight sacks.
The secondary is one of the league’s top units too. Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. form one of the league’s best cornerback duos, while TJ Ward and Darian Stewart have proven to be great at roaming the middle of the field.
At this point, the odds on Denver may be too good to pass up. Sure, Denver has some question marks, but so does every other team in this division. Oakland is due for regression and still isn’t good on defense, while the Chargers could be a mess if they don’t have any fan support in their small stadium. Kansas City is the only team that should be favored ahead of them at this point.
Why the Denver Broncos Won't Win the AFC West
Denver took steps to improve a running game that failed to move the chains last season, but it’s iffy whether or not those moves will prove wise. The Broncos rolled the dice and signed Jamaal Charles, but he is past his prime and will be just another body in a crowded backfield.
The offensive line couldn’t open holes for any of the running backs last year. None of the regulars averaged more than four yards per carry and now the team is switching blocking schemes. Denver will likely start two free agent signings and a first-round draft pick so cohesion along the line will take some time.
There are some issues along the defensive line that have yet to be resolved. No one could adequately replace Malik Jackson last season and that continues to be a problem in 2017. The two ends are banged up heading into this season too. Jared Crick has been having back problems and has been limited, while Derek Wolfe will miss all of preseason after a severe sprain of his right ankle. There is little real depth behind this front and if any of them miss significant time, it’s a real problem. That could be an issue late in the season.
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