Bo Nix won’t be the only offensive rookie of the year candidate on the field Sunday when the Broncos visit Las Vegas.
The Raiders may be headed for a last-place finish and are 5.5-point home underdogs to Denver, but they’ve got one of the best young players in football in tight end Brock Bowers.
Better yet: Nix and Bowers were selected in back-to-back picks during April’s draft at Nos. 12 and 13, respectively.
“He can move, he can be outside, he can run a route tree maybe different than most tight ends,” Denver head coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. “When it’s happening week in and week out — you see it with (Detroit’s Sam LaPorta), you see it obviously with (Travis) Kelce and (George) Kittle. It becomes a little bit more challenging when they’re outside at receiver.”
While Nix has come on strong in recent weeks, Bowers has been a force from the start. He’s second in the NFL in catches (70), has 713 receiving yards and is tracking toward breaking just about every rookie record on the books for tight ends.
Two of his biggest games of the season came last week in a loss to Miami (13 catches for 126 yards and a touchdown) and Week 5 against Denver (8 catches for 97 and a touchdown). He’s had eight or more catches five times this year and he’s ninth overall in the NFL in yards after the catch.
“They’ve made it a key for him to get the ball,” Broncos corner Pat Surtain II said. “Obviously 13 catches is a high rate, especially for a rookie. But they’ve made it a point of emphasis to get him the ball at any spot and any position. They’ve even got him at X back-side, at tight end, at Z. He’s playing all positions and they’re utilizing him very well.
“It’s going to be a good challenge for us.”
Turner-Yell out for the year. Wednesday brought tough news for safety Delarrin Turner-Yell.
The Broncos opted not to activate him from the physically unable to perform list at the end of his 21-day practice window, meaning he’ll revert to PUP and is out for the season.
“We spent a lot of time going through it,” Payton said. “We’ve got a real clear vision for him. Bright future. Had a real good visit. I know it’s difficult.”
Turner-Yell tore his ACL and meniscus in Week 17 last year and had worked diligently to get back. He was on track to hit his goal of returning around midseason when Denver returned him to practice three weeks ago.
Denver is healthy, though, and ultimately decided it didn’t have a roster move it felt comfortable making to get him back on the 53-man roster.
“With where we’re at in the season, it just became a challenge relative to managing the roster,” Payton said.
The Broncos have decisions to make on other reserve-list players in the coming week in linebacker Drew Sanders (Nov. 27 deadline) and wide receiver Josh Reynolds (Dec. 4 deadline).
Powers out Wednesday. Broncos left guard Ben Powers did not practice Wednesday because of a right shoulder injury he suffered late in Sunday’s win against Atlanta.
Safety Brandon Jones (abdomen) was limited all of last week, missed Sunday’s game and was limited again Wednesday. Defensive lineman Zach Allen’s been getting veteran rest days regularly on Wednesdays, while Sanders (Achilles), Reynolds (hand) and safety P.J. Locke (thumb) all practiced fully.
Run defense. Given the opponent and circumstances, Sunday against Atlanta might have been the Broncos’ best run defense performance since 2019. Denver held the Falcons to 50 rushing yards despite that offense averaging 152 over its past five games. The Broncos had only held two opponents to less than 50 rushing yards since the 2019 season.
“If an offense has got a run rhythm, you’re defending a lot of different elements,” Payton said Wednesday. “If an offense at some point becomes one dimensional, then you’re defending one element.”
Related Articles
Broncos QB Bo Nix named AFC Offensive Player of the Week
Blowout of Falcons offers more evidence Broncos offensive line has become formidable
Broncos Mailbag: Is Garett Bolles in Denver’s plans at left tackle beyond this season?
Sean Payton lays out Hall of Fame case for former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan: “It’s all right there in front of you”
Renck vs. Keeler: Is Broncos’ Bo Nix the best quarterback in 2024 draft class?
The Broncos have surged to No. 4 in the NFL in yards allowed per carry (3.8) and are tied for sixth in EPA per rush allowed (-.12). Denver finished the 2023 season last yards allowed per carry (5.0).
Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.