With trade speculations surrounding Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy and the Denver Broncos’ interest in various free-agent receivers, it is evident that they wish to upgrade the receiving area. This is not a strong class, and the Broncos are not in a position to pick an immediate upgrade, but they can take advantage of the class’s solid depth choices.
Nathaniel “Tank” Dell, Receiver, Houston Texans
Pros
- His short-area quickness and burst are exceptional.
- There is some returnee employment experience.
- He is a dynamic receiver who poses a threat for huge plays everytime he touches the ball.
- For the past two seasons, there was outstanding output, with nearly 300 targets, 199 receptions for over 2,700 yards, and 19 touchdowns.
- Even though he did not capture fifty percent or more of his contested receptions, he performed substantially better than expected given his stature.
- Due to his burst, he may obtain immediate separation in his routes.
- As a route runner, he is difficult to interpret since he provides almost little indication of what is forthcoming.
- Despite his stature, he possesses the ability and footwork to avoid becoming entangled in press coverage.
- He is not an exceptional blocker, but he makes an attempt.
- His ball tracking is exceptional, and he is able to make excellent adjustments for the ball on longer shots.
Cons
- A slot-only receiver who is small and much under the required weight of 165 pounds.
- Will his frame withstand the punishment it will endure in the NFL?
- He does not add a great deal of diversity to an offense.
- There is a problem with drops, since 20 have occurred during the past two seasons, although the drop rate was modest.
- With four career fumbles, there are concerns about ball security.
- Owing to his stature, he lacks an impressive catch radius.
- He does not run clean routes and his breaks are not precisely cut.
Overview
The problem with Dell will be his size. During the NFL Combine, he measured 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds, which is well below average, especially for slot-only receivers. In the NFL, where the game is bigger, quicker, and stronger, his larger stature does not necessarily translate to success. His ability to create explosive plays is tremendous, and he can be a dangerous weapon, but can he remain fit and on the field?
Suitable for Broncos
Dell possesses the explosive playmaking skills desired by the Broncos at wide. Nonetheless, they will likely consider a receiver with a larger stature and an unimpaired ability to withstand physical punishment. They gambled on K.J. Hamler, who is tiny and frail and has not remained on the field. Would they be prepared to gamble on a comparable player?
CJ Johnson II, Wide Receiver, East Carolina
Pros
- He is a robust receiver with a solid physique.
- While he did not routinely encounter challenging opposition, he had excellent results when he did.
- He effectively exploits his stature to box out defenders.
- Only four of his 15 career dips have occurred in the previous two seasons.
- He is difficult to subdue after the catch.
- His transition from receiver to ball carrier is seamless.
- A high football Intelligence is required to read coverages and locate the weak point in zone coverages.
- He excels at following the ball and making the grab by returning to it.
- He possesses a large catch radius and is fearless when capturing the ball.
- He has prior experience as a gunner on special teams, where he performed admirably.
Cons
- He lacks the suddenness and explosion necessary for immediate separation.
- With four career fumbles, ball security was a problem for him.
- As a result of the issues getting separation, he dealt with many contested catches, where he was successful on only 43% of them in his career.
- In coverage, he is simple to match and mirror for defensive backs.
- In an effort to mitigate the problems caused by his lack of suddenness, his route running can be more nuanced.
- His offensive variety is limited because he lacks the quickness to compete vertically.
Overview
CJ Johnson II is a large, well-built receiver who carries his 224-pound bulk on his 6-foot-1 frame incredibly well. As a receiver, he utilizes his bulk effectively to guard the catch point. Nonetheless, he had difficulty achieving separation, and his performance in disputed catch scenarios was insufficient. In addition, his offensive role lacks variety, and he is likely to end up as a possession receiver.
Suitable for Broncos
The Broncos have numerous options for enhancing their receiving corps. They want an individual with dependable explosive playmaking abilities. Johnson does not suit this description, but he can raise the room’s ceiling and provide them with a reliable depth target. If they release Courtland Sutton, Johnson would make much more sense, but if they retain Sutton, Johnson might serve as a long-term replacement.