The three players who will define the Broncos season

Now that discussions, waivers and signatures are over, let's be clear: if one of the Broncos' recent players has become "significant," the situation probably went bad in Denver.

The discard is a question of depth and special teams. Some of the players recently recruited by the Broncos may well take this into account. Take the example of the return specialist, Diontae Spencer. His presence will be immediately felt and the Broncos should be applauded for recognizing that, no matter what camp return they might have kept, they would have "settled" for a below-average return. There is no point in sticking to mediocre simply because you need to know it over OTAs and training camps (or longer).

But many other late additions – CB Duke Dawson (from New England), ILB Kieshawn Bierria, CB Davontae Harris, ILB Corey Nelson and even quarterback Brandon Allen – had an interest in not taking this into account, or the less not immediately. These additions are absolutely not bad; it's just that if they're going to have an immediate impact, the Broncos will probably be in trouble. There could even be a rough diamond in this group, but it would be as lucky as expected.

Like all NFL teams, the Broncos will go as far as their beginners. The end of the pre-season means the last time of the season that "backups" will make headlines.

And if you really summarize it, the Broncos season will be defined by three players.

First, the evidence: Joe Flacco.

Because only teams with good quarterfinals reach the Super Bowl.

Over the past 15 years, there are actually only two exceptions to this rule: Matt Hasselbeck (Super Bowl XL), who lost; and Nick Foles (Super Bowl LII), who won. Foles is definitely an aberration, and it's probably fair to think that if he had been the starting quarterback of the Eagles from start to finish in 2017, the Philly would not have come all that way. Nothing against Foles, but it falls into the category "Every dog ​​has his day." Teams with middle quarters can go pre-game, but they are rare for a long time.

Joe Flacco can be a quarterback of Super Bowl caliber. He proved that. Now the only question is, will he is?

If Flacco – as John Elway suggests – is in his "prime", then the Broncos should be in very good shape. With a defense that has high expectations, an apparently improved offensive line and a respectable set of occupants, it's up to Flacco to take the Broncos from good to big, or (actually) very bad season. last (behind Case Keenum) to pretty good this season (behind a much better quarterback). It's so simple.

If Flacco is the "obvious" factor for defining the Broncos, the other two are not so clear. One of them does not even play for the Broncos.

In the spirit of the Broncos fans, Noah Fant and Devin Bush will be forever linked. The performances of these two players this season will probably reveal what the Broncos will have, or could have finished at the end of the season.

Fant must deliver. There is no other way to say it. For him to be considered a good choice, his rookie numbers must be staggering. Even if it's not fair to expect it right now, he must finally look more like Shannon Sharpe or Julius Thomas, and less at the reality, like many others, like most of Broncos' lately. Plus, when Flacco has a tight tight end, it's usually Flacco who wins. The story shows that.

And yes, you're right: Devin Bush is spilled milk, a rolling powder, the grass is always greener. Devin Bush is not a Bronco.

The Denver defense is supposed to be the backbone of the team – and it probably will be – but if there's a concern, it's inside the linebacker. Even before Denver became lean on the job because of injuries, it was not exactly the strength of the defense. In fact, if there is a weakness in defense, it is actually inside the linebacker.

Have you ever wondered if Vic Fangio wanted Bush, or what he thought of going back?

And if the linebacker was thin and messy all season. What happens if Denver is not powerful in stopping the race and can not cover the tight ends and run back from the field? What if a potentially large defense became mediocre because the teams became very soft to expose his Achilles heel?

And if Fant is only a rookie average, then Bush, a player already compared to Bobby Wagner, is spending a fantastic season in Pittsburgh? In his pre-season debut, Devin Bush had 10 tackles – Ten! – and the experts are already singing his praises.

And if John Elway had recruited him instead of going down to take Fant (and finally Drew Lock, who would spend the first part of the season in IR)?

The conversation between Fant-Bush is spilled milk, so this is a hypothesis at this point. But if the Broncos' only defense hole is the linebacker, and if Fant does not impress, there will be a lot of "what if" in Denver.

Flacco, Fant, Bush. When 2019 is in the books, the lineup of these three players could very well tell the story of the current version of the Denver Broncos.