The 2023 season for the Denver Broncos was a rollercoaster of ups and downs, twists and turns, excitement and heartbreak. As we look back on the season, our Mile High Sports staff shared their votes on various categories surrounding the Broncos to reflect on the season.
Denver Broncos offensive player of the year
Which players did the MHS staff vote on for Broncos offensive player of the year? Even though Denver’s offense sputtered often at times this season, there are various players worth recognizing.
Cody Roark:
I can’t imagine any other Broncos player getting the nod for this award than Courtland Sutton. For several years, Broncos fans have been hoping to see Sutton return to the 2019 form that saw him put up career numbers. Sutton didn’t put up 2019 numbers in terms of receiving yards, but the 2023 version of Sutton is the best we have ever seen. It’s clear that he was the number one option for Russell Wilson and he made terrific play after terrific play. When the ESPY’s happen later on this year, Sutton better be nominated for one of the craziest catches of the season for what he did against the Buffalo Bills. This was truly a different year for Sutton, and he took the extreme initiative last offseason to put himself in a position to have one of his best seasons, and he did just that with 10 touchdown catches.
Rich Kurtzman:
Courtland Sutton. Sutton was sensational for the Broncos this year, not only reaching his 2019 level but going beyond that. He was the team’s best receiver and had some incredibly memorable catches this year.
Doug Ottewill:
There were plenty of Broncos who had “improved” years, but it feels like a season in which nobody ultimately stood out. I thought Courtland Sutton had an incredible season given his limited touches, He wasn’t “great” by any means, but I was impressed with Javonte Williams return from injury. I also love what Quinn Meinerz brings to the table; he just plays with an edge. All that said, I’ll go with a choice that could easily get me laughed right out of this roundtable – I’m going with Russell Wilson. If nothing else, Wilson’s strides allowed the Broncos to enter the playoff conversation. Whether he was “coached up” or not isn’t the point; he beat the Chiefs, beat the Bills, and had the Broncos in a position to make the playoffs. The Patriots game was horribly managed from a coaching standpoint, and yet Wilson almost put the Broncos in a position to win. And then we saw what happened once he was benched. I know it’s an unpopular, very much “up-for-debate” choice, but Wilson was the team’s best player on offense.
Shawn Drotar:
Quinn Meinerz. The Broncos’ third-year lineman was consistently excellent in all facets of the game, earning a sterling 83.8 rating from Pro Football Focus and ranking him second in the NFL among all guards. The eye test matches that data. More than just the burly mauler that he came into the league as Meinerz now blends outstanding technique with his obvious strength and athleticism, and his durability makes him even more valuable – he has yet to miss a snap in his career. Though the Wisconsin-Whitewater product finishes run blocks downfield with a ferocity that’s unsurpassed in the NFL today, Meinerz wasn’t named to the Pro Bowl this season – but that’s a product of the Broncos’ pop-gun offense and a lack of reputation as a small-school, third-round draft pick. He’ll get there soon, and more than once. If you were to look at the Broncos’ offense and be confident that any player will still be wearing orange and blue in 2030 – it’s Meinerz. He stands a good chance to become a Ring-of-Fame caliber player for the Broncos.
Lindsay Bebout:
Courtland Sutton was the Denver Broncos’ best offensive player this year, and it was not close. His toe-tap touchdown against Buffalo still makes me giddy to think about. Sutton scoring an outrageously impressive touchdown on a week-to-week basis was one of the few consistencies you could bank on with this offense. He singlehandedly made the Broncos highlight-worthy on ESPN. Sutton was tied for the fourth-most touchdown receptions in the entire league despite missing multiple games. He had more touchdowns than Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, AJ Brown, and Jamar Chase. The second-highest touchdowns scored on the Broncos was by Brandon Johnson, who had only four. Sutton was literally their entire offense this year, and I hope he finds a way to land on the Pro Bowl roster in the next few weeks.
