Broncos miss another opportunity to upgrade offense

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Mar 20, 2023 6:36 PM ET

After a 5-12 season and ranking last in scoring offense, Denver requires several upgrades, so just missing on a two-time Pro Bowler is a frustration.

Free-agent WR Adam Thielen confirmed he spoke with multiple suitors, including the Broncos, but he was more attracted to Carolina.

"There was the Broncos, Cowboys—I had conversations with those teams and a few others. Again the Panthers just felt like the best fit," Thielen said Monday on "The Pat McAfee Show."

Thielen, who signed a three-year, $25M deal with Carolina, could have improved a wide-receiving corps that ranked 15th in yards and 23rd in receiving touchdowns last season. In nine seasons, the former Vikings wideout caught 534 receptions for 6,682 yards and 55 TDs.

The Broncos also recently pursued former Packers WR Allen Lazard, but he signed with the Jets. The wideouts spurning the franchise leaves it with few options in the free-agent WR market.

The Broncos can't use the draft to upgrade the position since they don't have a pick until the third round. Pro Football Focus' Michael Renner wrote, "The WR class in the 2023 NFL Draft is arguably the weakest in over a decade."

Their attempts to trade wideouts and acquire higher draft picks failed.

According to The Dallas Morning News' David Moore, the Cowboys called about Jerry Jeudy but moved on when they found out the asking price was a first-round pick.

It appears Denver didn't field an attractive offer for Courtland Sutton, either. On Thursday, longtime Broncos reporter Mike Klis reported that the organization is not planning to trade the wideouts.

Consequently, Denver must accept its limited options, so lamenting over it offers no solution.

Therefore, the Broncos should re-establish trust with Jeudy and Sutton, touting how new HC Sean Payton can devise a scheme to maximize their skill sets.

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