2023: Pre-Season Rank: Unranked.  Peak Period 2021-23*

Patrick Surtain II has been the bright spot of a struggling Denver Broncos team over his first three seasons in the NFL and was a First Team All-Pro last year.  

*Surtain has only played three seasons.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023 revision of our top 50 Denver Broncos.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Broncos again struggled and could not make the playoffs.  There is only one new entry into our Top 50.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. John Elway
2. Von Miller
3. Shannon Sharpe
4. Champ Bailey
5. Randy Gradishar

You can find the entire list here.

The new entry is current free agent Safety Justin Simmons comes in at #40.  He was a four-time Second Team All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl Selection with Denver.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Arriving in Mile High as a Third Round Pick from Boston College, Justin Simmons won a starting job at Safety in his second season and settled in as the Broncos Free Safety from 2018 to 2023. 

Simmons proved himself to be a true ball-hawk, and his penchant for deep coverage netted him two Pro Bowls (2020 & 2023), and he was the league leader in picks in 2022 (6).  He was also a four-time AP Second Team All-Pro with the Broncos four times.

After the 2023 Season, despite his proven skill, Simmons was waived as a cost-cutting move.

He had 30 Interceptions and 604 Combined Tackles for Denver.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022 revision of our top 50 Denver Broncos.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following:

1. Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Broncos had a very disappointing season where they not only failed to make the playoffs but may have made a mistake in signing Russel Wilson, but year two could be completely different. This yielded no changes in our top 50 list, but we always acknowledge that the past season was taken into account.

As always, we present our top five, which had no changes (obviously).

1. John Elway

2. Von Miller

3. Shannon Sharpe

4. Champ Bailey

5. Randy Gradishar

You can find the entire list here.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post-2021 revision of our top 50 Denver Broncos.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Broncos went 7-10 and failed to make the playoffs.  No new players made the top 50, but there was one change, which we will comment on below.

As always, we present our top five:

1. John Elway

2. Von Miller

3. Shannon Sharpe

4. Champ Bailey

5. Randy Gradishar

You can find the entire list here.

The only change on the list was Von Miller, who was traded during the season to the Rams, who moved up to #2 from #3.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Having won the Super Bowl in 2014 and finished runners-up in 2015, the members of the Seattle Seahawks’ legendary Legion of Boom era have all been earmarked as potential Hall of Famers in the future. Despite not featuring in the legendary defense, Russell Wilson is all but certain to get the nod.

The 2021 season marked the first time that the 33-year-old had missed a game and finished with a losing record. Regardless of this, his incredible arm was often put on a show, even if a porous line held his scrambling feet in check. He’s still an NFL superstar, which is why his move to the Denver Broncos has stirred up the Super Bowl odds.

Broncos surge on the star power of Russell Wilson

Purely because of the arrival of Russell Wilson, the Denver Broncos flew up in the betting on NFL bookmakers' sites. From around +2000 to win the AFC Conference, the Broncos are now the third-favorites at +650, just behind the +400 Kansas City Chiefs and +350 Buffalo Bills.

For the Super Bowl, the Broncos are now joint-fourth with the reigning champions, the Los Angeles Rams, at +10000. It’s a huge leap, but we saw as recently as last season how much of a difference adding some star players can make. The betting tips on NFL earmarked the Rams for a close triumph in the Super Bowl, with their star-studded cast – which added Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. late – being key.

Prior to the trade, the power rankings on ESPN had Denver sitting 21st overall, expected to get a 7-10 record with the biggest question mark being around their quarterback. Now, they have one of the best and most reliable in the league, and Wilson will get to play behind an offensive line that was distinctly better than Seattle’s – assuming that Bobby Massie remains or a better replacement is found.

Generating offense atop a stubborn defence

Last season, the Denver Broncos’ defensive unit finished as the third most stubborn in the NFL, conceding a mere 18.9 points per game. Some big names from that unit were set to hit the free agency, with linebacker Josey Jewell and cornerbacks Bryce Callahan and Kyle Fuller among them, but as explained on Sports Illustrated, they have plenty of cap flexibility even after the Wilson trade.

The team has been able to save a good chunk of cash by sending Shelby Harris, Drew Lock, and Noah Fant to Seattle, as well as by releasing DaeSean Hamilton. It’s also not essential for the team to re-sign stud running back Melvin Gordon, given the immense breakout season of Javonte Williams. So, there should be the funds available to solidify the defense – if not improve it – and perhaps even upgrade the offensive line.

Best of all for Wilson, with the middling – but better than Seattle’s – offensive line aside, he already has a glut of offensive weapons ready for service. Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, and Jerry Jeudy offer one of the most menacing receiving corps in the NFL, while Williams, and now Wilson, will be a constant threat out of the backfield.

Looking at the strength of the defense, the weapons on offense, and now the prospect of Wilson in command, it’s easy to get excited about Denver’s chances next season. The NFL oddsmakers see the Broncos as a dark horse for the Super Bowl now, and it’s tough to argue against that stance.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our pre-2021 revision of our top 50 Denver Broncos of all-time.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

This our first revision in two years, with one significant jump and one new entry.

1. John Elway

2. Shannon Sharpe

3. Von Miller

4. Randy Gradishar

5. Champ Bailey

You can find the entire list here.

Although he was out for the 2020 Season, his strong 2019 brought Miller to the top five, up from his previous #6 rank.

Wide Receiver, Emmanuel Sanders, who is no longer with the club, debuts at #50.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Aqib Talib was the 20^thOverall Pick in 2008, but the former Kansas Jayhawk struggled early to live up to expectations.  Winning the starting job at Left Cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his sophomore year, Talib did well, but it was not until 2012, when he was traded to the New England Patriots where his star began to rise.

Brandon Marshall was a really good Wide Receiver, but was he a Hall of Fame wide out?

Thomas Hall of Mile Hile Huddle discusses Denver Broncos who should be in the Hall of Fame and Football Analytics.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Denver Broncos. 

The Nets were formed in 1960, as a charter member of the American Football League.  While the fanbase proved to be strong, the play on the field was not, and they had little to no success in the 1960s.  The first few seasons when they migrated to the NFL saw the same result, but a developing “Orange Crush” Defense, took them to Super Bowl XII.  They came up short, but it was a start.

The Broncos would trade for the number one pick in 1983, John Elway, and it would usher in a wave of success in Mile High.  Elway took the Broncos to three AFC Championships in the 1980s, but they were unable to convert that success into a Super Bowl ring.  This changed in the 90s, when Elway gained a prime offensive weapon in Terrell Davis, and the two would win Super Bowl back-to-back in the 1997 and 1998 season, ending the anxiety of Broncos fans.

Denver would again sign a Hall of Fame Quarterback, though in Peyton Manning, it was at the end of his career.  The Broncos went to Super Bowl XLVIII, but were thrashed by the Seattle Seahawks. In Manning’s last year, he did enough for them to win Super Bowl 50, though that was more on the strength of their defense.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories.

This list is updated up until the end of the 2018 Season.

The complete list can be found here,but as always we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. John Elway

2. Randy Gradishar

3. ShannonSharpe

4. RodSmith

5. ChampBailey

We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.  

Look for or All-Time Top 50 Carolina Panthers coming next!

As always we thank you for your support.

An MVP of the Big 10 and College Football Hall of Famer for his work at Purdue, Otis Armstrong was drafted 9^th Overall in 1973 by the Broncos, but as a rookie, he was little more than a Kick Returner.  He would have a monster second season in Pro Football where he would lead the NFL in Rushing Yards, Yards From Scrimmage and Approximate Value in a First Team All-Pro campaign.  Injuries took him out of most of the 1975 season, and in the following year, he would have his second 1,000 Yard Season where he would go to his second Pro Bowl.  The Running Back never had a year like that again close to this, but he would finish his career with Denver, retiring after 1980 with nearly 5,000 Yards on the ground.

After playing in the NFL for 12 seasons (with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants) Craig Morton signed with the Denver Broncos at age 34 and would go on the best run of his career.  Winning the PFWA Comeback Player of the Year in his first year as a Bronco (1977) and took the Broncos to their first Super Bowl appearance.  Morton never reached the Super Bowl again but would finish third in Pass Completion Percentage twice (1980 & 1981) and had his only 3,000 Yard Passing season in 1981 as a Bronco.  Overall, he would throw for 79 TDs and 11,895 Yards.

Splitting his career evenly between the Washington Redskins and the Denver Broncos, Mark Schlereth’s back nine was spent in Colorado.  Schlereth would switch from Right Guard to Left Guard with Denver, and he would help stable an O-Line that opened up holes for Terrell Davis and protected John Elway.  He assisted the Broncos in winning their first two Super Bowls, which would add to the one he already won with the Washington Redskins.  Schlereth would be named to a Pro Bowl in 1998.

Playing his college ball at Utah State, Rulon Jones would stay in the mountain region as a pro as his entire career was spent with the Denver Broncos who drafted him in the 2^nd Round in 1980.  Jones played all none of seasons with Denver where he landed the starting Right Defensive End job in 1981 and kept it until 1987 and was part of an active defensive corps that took the Broncos to two straight AFC Titles.  He would go to two Pro Bowls (1985 & 1986) and was a First Team All-Pro in the latter.

While Jake “The Snake” Plummer was supposed to be a star in Arizona for the Cardinals (he was a legend at Arizona State), he would have greater success at Mile High with the Broncos.

Bill Bryan was drafted in the 4^th Round in 1977 from Duke, and he would win the starting Center's job in his second season.  Bryan would start 151 of his 153 Games for Denver, and while he never made a Pro Bowl, he was worthy of consideration in at least five of his years.

Undrafted in 1997 from the University of Colorado, Matt Lepsis would sign with the Denver Broncos where as a rookie he would play a small role in helping the team defend their Super Bowl.  After that season, Lepsis would start 133 of his next 134 Games at Tackle (Right or Left) and filled in on the O-Line where needed.  He would play all ten of his seasons with the Broncos.

Steve Watson played his entire career with the Denver Broncos, which would work out to 126 Games over nine seasons, a pretty good number for an undrafted player out of Temple.  The Wide Receiver would have three 1,000 Yard Receiving Seasons, all of which were good enough to get him ranked in the top ten.  The first of those, 1981, would see him earn his only Pro Bowl Selection and lead the NFL Touchdown Receptions with 13.  Watson would catch 353 Passes for 6,112 Yards with 36 TDs.

A very popular Wide Receiver for the Broncos during their first three Super Bowl appearances in the late 1980s, Mark Jackson was one of John Elway's "Three Amigos" receiving corps.  Jackson never had a 1,000 Yard season but had five with 700 or more.  Jackson would have 276 Receptions, but his most memorable one would be a game-tying Touchdown in the famous "Drive" against the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Championship Game that took Denver to Super Bowl XXII.  Overall, Jackson would net 276 Catches for 4,746 Yards and 24 Touchdowns.