Grading the Broncos

Mark Kiszla

B+Going to trust general manager George Paton’s draft knowledge over my inclination to thumb a nose at groupthink. Nik Bonitto is capable of five sacks as a rotational edge-rusher and Greg Dulcich is a tight end who could grab a deep ball from Russell Wilson. But with the Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean on board at No. 80, how do you not take a bonafide baller, regardless of his injury history?

Sean Keeler

A-

Pass-rushing depth? Check. Tight- end depth? Check. Picks in the 2023 draft? Check. Broncos general manager George Paton managed to tick off three of the Broncos’ major boxes on Day 2. ExUCLA tight end Greg Dulcich might’ve been a slight reach with pick No. 80, but it crossed a pressing need off the list. And the pick of Oklahoma quarterback-masher Nik Bonitto was a huge victory for common sense, given the injury history of projected OLB starters Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory. Bonus: there’s a ton of value left to snap up in Day 3. And a ton of picks left to play with.

AKyle Newman

Taking an edge rusher like Nic Bonitto says GM George Paton isn’t 100% confident Bradley Chubb (who is entering a contract year) can be the healthy, perennial Pro Bowl player that Denver had hoped. For 2022, Bonitto provides quality depth on the edge alongside Chubb and Randy Gregory. Meanwhile, Paton’s pair of trades were adept, giving the Broncos an extra pick this year and next year (Denver had only four picks in 2023 coming into Friday night).

Ryan O’halloran B+

The Broncos did well, drafting another edge rusher in Oklahoma’s Nic Bonitto (can’t have enough of those, especially in the AFC West) and filling a need with UCLA tight end Greg Dulcich, who averaged more than 17 yards per catch last year. The big thing for Paton on Friday, though, was trading down from No. 96, which netted him a third-round pick in 2023. But what about inside linebacker?

Matt Schubert B

The last two Super Bowl champs proved the importance of pass-rushing depth, and the Broncos appear to be heeding that lesson given their selection of Oklahoma’s Nic Bonitto in the second round and the signing of Randy Gregory in free agency. As any CU fan can tell you, the Broncos also got a serious big-play threat in tight end Greg Dulcich (7 receptions, 213 yards in two games vs. the Buffs). But my colleague Mr. Kiszla makes a valid point: The Broncos missed a chance to nab a first-round talent on Day 2 when they passed on Georgia’s Nakobe Dean.