ESPN analyst Mike Clay released his updated 2022 NFL Unit Grades on Tuesday. Unfortunately, it was unenthusiastic news for Denver Broncos fans.
Just did a thorough sweep of the 2022 NFL Unit Grades. Here's the latest update: pic.twitter.com/cVWlNTdZ16
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) July 12, 2022
Clay’s algorithm involves ranking every team’s positional unit out of 4 possible points. He takes those scores and, depending on the position, applies a certain percentage to equate the team’s overall score out of 3.
According to Clay, the Broncos have the 12th-best roster in the NFL with a 2.4 out of 3.0 overall ranking. Clay’s previous update was posted on May 2nd. At that time, he had the Broncos listed at 8th-best and 2.5 overall.
Denver’s offense maintained its No. 10 position. However, the defense plummeted from No. 11 to No. 18. Because of this, the Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, and Philadelphia Eagles all leaped ahead. Clay gave the Broncos a 3.0 for the quarterback position in his rankings, putting Wilson among the top 10 at No. 8 among the gun-slingers.
The highest-rated position for the team was running back. At a 3.4, Clay is placing Javonte Williams, Melvin Gordon, and Mike Boone as the 6th-best running back unit.
On the other hand, Clay ranked the tight end position as the Broncos’ weakest spot with a mere 0.8. As part of the Wilson trade, Denver sent former first-round pick Noah Fant to the Seattle Seahawks, pushing Albert Okwuegbunam to the top of the depth chart. They also used a third-round pick in this year’s draft on rookie Greg Dulcich and re-signed Eric Saubert and Andrew Beck.
The bleakest statistic on Clay’s chart is how high he placed the Broncos’ fellow AFC West competitors.
The Los Angeles Chargers found themselves in the second overall spot with a perfect 3.0. Five spots lower, the Kansas City Chiefs were placed at No. 7 with a 2.6.
The good news is that the Las Vegas Raiders fell to No. 20 with a measly 2.1.
With an entire training camp still to go, these numbers could change dramatically before the season even starts. With a new coaching staff and system, it’s clear why some analysts are holding onto some skepticism about the Broncos. However, their ceiling remains high, and there’s reason to believe they can quiet them all.
Broncos training camp kicks off on Wednesday, July 27 at Dove Valley and runs through Aug. 11.
