The Lead
The first major event of the offseason is in the books, as the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine ended on Sunday.
Now that it's over, NFL analysts have been busy evaluating who improved their stock with performances at each position. For Broncos fans, the positions of interest are likely along the line, particularly on the offensive line.
"This offensive tackle class doesn't have a surefire top-10 pick, but there's a lot of depth through the first three rounds," ESPN’s Jordan Reid wrote.
Reid's top performers at the position were Ohio State tackle Dawand Jones and Tennessee tackle Darnell Wright, who may have just pushed themselves out of the Broncos' range with their first picks at No. 67 and 68.
"He and Jones are considered the two best right tackle prospects in this class," Reid wrote. "The belief among people in the league is that both could be top 40 picks."
On the other side of the ball, defensive line could be an area of need, depending on how free agency shakes out. A prospect to watch there could be Northwestern defensive end Adetomiwa Adebawore, whom Mel Kiper Jr. picked as one of his 10 Combine risers.
"Adebawore was one of the stars of Thursday, putting up the fastest 40-yard dash (4.49 seconds) of any player over 280 pounds at the combine since at least 2006, according to ESPN Stats & Information research," Kiper wrote. "He also has the second-best vertical jump (37.5 inches) of any player over 280 pounds. Those are off-the-charts numbers."
Kiper notes that Adebawore is "firmly in the third-round discussion," which means there's a chance he might be available when the Broncos make their first selections.
Below the Fold
With the start of free agency less than two weeks away, we're also seeing more chatter about which veterans could find new teams this offseason. NFL.com’s Nick Shook identified one free-agent fit for each team, and for Denver, he picked safety Vonn Bell.
"Bell is precisely the type of safety who produces at a high enough level to draw a quality contract that won't be too expensive but likely worth it," Shook wrote. "Bell performed similarly to Juan Thornhill in 2022, with four interceptions, eight passes defensed and a pair of forced fumbles, and he'd go from playing alongside one excellent safety in Jessie Bates to another in Justin Simmons."
