Here it is. I am going to put it out there, what we have in 2018.
Case is decent. A bit of an upgrade from Siemian, who is a fine NFL QB. A good backup with a capable line. Case has some years and now some swag, can be a leader. But he's no NFL QB like a Rodgers or a Wilson. Still, you can win lots of NFL games with him if your team and coaching is solid.
We have no backup on this roster.
The WR position is an embarrassment of riches. Not only do the Broncos have the best tandem in the league, but Sutton and the dude from Penn St. are already legit. Sutton is a steal, should have been top half of the first round, and the other dude will be that #3 WR that fantasy owners reach for in their draft. Plus we have talent at 5 and 6 that makes a stable and often impressive dude like Sunshine expendable. Aaron Rodgers would cream for this WR set. Yes, a full All State commercial with the Denver WR corps.
Did I mention Sutton?
TE is so weak. That is, unless Jake Butt is an 80% snap count guy who can block and get separation. We'll see. Tall task for a dude with 0 NFL snaps.
The O line is finally decent but if we lose a tackle all bets are off. Garcia is guard depth, but he hasn't shown much pass pro competence to this point in his career. Still, O line excuse mode appears resolved.
RB is fine. I don't like Hendersons, but if the RB Hendo doesn't put the ball on the ground, this group is fine. Totally fine. Royce might even be good, he's got the right kind of nugget to complement Case for this offense. To be real with you, I think they are going to kick serious ******* ass.
On the D--Talib will have the last laugh. Like, a laugh with some tears. ****. Roby will be Roby. A dude that makes you cream in one moment, and marvel at ineptitude the next. That's Roby. He'll get picked on by the modern day Mannings. And if not him, then definitely the #3 guy, who was playing against guys who wish they had a PS invite this year. Then again, maybe the talent on the roster--I mean Cravens and Simmons--will be used somehow to mitigate this hole. That's on Woods.
Linebacker is fine if Marshall ain't hurt. He's a baller. Davis is a baller but has GI Joe Action Figure disease. Love you, Todd, but c'mon man you know turning them hips and tracking a Freeman on a well-designed play ain't yo thang. They can handle their business and maintain a league top 5 against the rush. They are legit good ballers against the run, you watch.
The D line might be the best in the league. Some injury/depth type things here, but all teams have that. This is why the Broncos might be playing in Feb. The unit is without peer and might actually be all time if Ray and Chubb both max out. Both of those dudes are scary good. If we have to trade Ray, please get us either a combo of solid CB + OL depth, or legit #2 QB + pick.
ST without fumblehands will be fine. The UDFA Buff should be thrown into the PR/KR role, idc if he's shifty or has the shimmy shake. He's reliable and shown genuine ability behind QB on a handoff.
The team is surprisingly without fatal flaw. That means this is the type of team a good HC and staff could take to make a playoff run. Denver has the right culture. It's all about whether or not VJ treats the NFL like some sleepy coed or crumbles under the strain. What I mean by that is 7-9, we ain't got no HC right now. Who TF leaves MacKenzie in after all those turnovers in the middle of a losing streak? Did he think more goal-line muffed punts would help?
Damn...that dude better redact his process or something. With a Sharpie. And socks. I don't know what that means.
Plus, we got this "Lynch Offense." Elway said the offense was designed for Paxton. The dude in your headset with the high pitched voice geeking out over the kills he got last round. Great PUBG homie, but don't let him near the keys of an NFL franchise.
So, to sum it up, it's a great roster, but the officer corps is going to run them into machine gun nests. I don't have much faith in the leadership.
Good leaders would have shitcanned MacKenzie, Paxton, and IRman to give dudes like Edibali (at their position) or Sloter or Traylor their job. Not because their are obviously better or have higher expected win production, but because they demonstrate the guts it takes to build a championship team. I don't see that.
Anyway, it's a good team, and if leadership can perform, we'll have a great season.