ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It's been a tough week in Broncos Country, as Denver dropped a one-score game to the Steelers and lost Courtland Sutton and Drew Lock for extended amounts of time.
With Sutton out for the season and Lock expected to miss several weeks, that means players like Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and Jeff Driskel will be thrust into the limelight.
In this edition of "Ask Aric," I focus in on each of those players, how Noah Fant got the upper hand in Pittsburgh and why the Broncos threw the ball on fourth-and-2.
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Do you think Jeudy has what it takes to be the No. 1 guy now ? — Daniel L.
I certainly hope so, and there are signs that suggest he's ready to assume a bigger role. Through two games, he already has five receptions of at least 15 yards and has tallied eight total catches for 118 yards. There is still room for him to grow, obviously. He needs to get more comfortable catching passes across the middle, and his timing on deep passes needs to be shored up. The rookie clearly has talent, though. He's created great separation and is hard to bring down after the catch because of his elusiveness. I'm sure he'll have some ups and downs throughout the season, but when the Broncos trot out for Week 1 in 2021 with Jeudy and a hopefully healthy Sutton, I think they'll be better for this experience. It's a crash course that no one wanted him to undergo, but Jeudy will get invaluable reps and experience as the team's No. 1 option because of Sutton's injury.
Hey Aric, I'm a big fan of KJ Hamler. Do you think he can become a big piece of what we're doing this year? — Martin S.
Martin, I was definitely impressed by the second-round pick in his first NFL action, and it's clear his speed can do wonders for this offense. I'll give you a couple of examples: On his first catch, a 17-yard gain late in the first half, his vertical speed challenged the cornerback, and Hamler was able to gain plenty of separation on an out-breaking route to the sideline. Later in the game, in the fourth quarter, he again closed the distance between himself and the cornerback. Because the cornerback has to respect Hamler's ability to blow by him, that means Hamler gains the upper hand with any type of comeback route. He also made a contested catch on third down as he lined up on the outside. Drops were a bit of a knock on Hamler coming out of college, so I was impressed to see him make that catch. Finally, his positional versatility makes him interesting. He lined up in the slot and on the outside, and he set up in splits that were both close to the offensive line and along the boundary. When he's lined up with a short split from the offensive line, I'd imagine that increases what the Broncos are able to do. He has the speed to get out to the boundary, so you want to give him room to run and create separation. He also can push a defender deep and work back to the middle of the field. The Broncos will need to take an occasional deep shot to Hamler to keep defenses honest, but they're always going to respect a player's ability to take the top of the defense. Especially with Sutton out, Hamler should gain valuable experience and be a featured part of this offense.
In the 2018 draft, the Broncos moved down in a trade with Pittsburgh to select Noah Fant. The Steelers took Devin Bush. In Sunday's game, Fant repeatedly exposed Bush in coverage (at least 3 big plays by Fant, including a TD). What do you see for the future of the two players? - Bill R.
I'm not going to crush Devin Bush here, because it's clear he's a solid inside linebacker that the Steelers are high on. Noah Fant definitely had the upper hand on Sunday, though, as he caught four passes for 57 yards and a touchdown. He also had a reception on a two-point conversion that isn't counted in that stat line. On both his touchdown catch and the two-point conversion, Fant beat Bush in a one-on-one matchup. Part of Bush's appeal coming out of the draft was his ability to cover tight ends, and it's clear Fant got the better of him in this game. Evaluating this trade is about more than just one game. It's about what the Broncos neededwhen they traded back to take Fant. They were desperately seeking a dominant playmaker, and Fant looked like he could be a mismatch at the tight end position. Through two weeks, he's been exactly that, as he's caught nine passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Football Outsiders lists Fant as the top tight end in the league according to its Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement statistic and the fourth-best in its Defense-adjusted Value over Average. It's not a stretch to say that Fant could soon be viewed as one of the top tight ends in the league, especially if the Broncos go to him on a more consistent basis. Plus, as you evaluate this trade, you can't forget that the Broncos secured additional picks that would be used to draft both Drew Lock and Lloyd Cushenberry III. As time goes on, I suspect the Broncos will be very pleased they traded down on draft day.
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Ask Aric: Is Jerry Jeudy ready to step up? - DenverBroncos.com
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