Four bold AFC West predictions for the 2023 season
By Grant Tuttle
3. The Broncos sneak into the Wild Card Round
Look, if there was ever a year that the Chiefs could devastate the Broncos with another sweep, it's this year. After a disastrous first year of the Russell Wilson era in Denver, they moved quickly to hire Sean Payton to clean up the mess. After Payton took hold, he made it clear that he was not moving in to rebuild, he was coming in to compete right away.
While the Broncos didn't make any moves during the offseason that were necessarily life-changing, they spent a lot of cash to upgrade talent all over the field. One particularly interesting move was to add two talented offensive linemen. Ben Powers, a former Raven, and Mike McGlinchey, a former 49er, were brought in to change the mindset of the offensive line. With both players being extremely powerful, the offense seems set to change in a big way. To take the pressure off of Russell Wilson, the Broncos seem poised to have a power run offense. Javonte Williams returning from his injury could be set for a breakout season.
To pair with a really impressive defense, the Broncos will be a team that will surprise some people. Sean Payton is the adult in the room that they need and he will get the most out of his players. While they are not going to compete for first place in the AFC West, they will certainly be in the Wild Card race, even with the injuries that they have sustained this preseason.