Strength of schedule: Cleveland Browns 2021 Opponents whose stock has risen
By Colin Damms
4. Denver Broncos
The Broncos have been a bit less surprising than the Bengals, given that they usually have, at least, a competent/well-coached defense and decent offensive weapons. However, with Teddy Bridgewater in command of the offense, they appear to have found stability at the all-important position that they haven’t had since Peyton Manning.
Bridgewater is a calm passer who limits mistakes, and in Denver, he has an awesome arsenal of offensive weapons at his disposal. Courtland Sutton reminded everyone why there was hype around him with nine catches and 159 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he’s joined by talents such as KJ Hamler and Noah Fant, as well as current Injured Reserve placements Jerry Jeudy and DaeSean Hamilton, who should be healthy by the time they roll into Cleveland.
The running game also appears to have been properly sorted, with veteran Melvin Gordon and rookie Javonte Williams each contributing key carries so far.
Their offense hasn’t been explosive yet, but it has been controlling in wins against the Giants and Jaguars. This style of offense suits their defense well, which is much scarier as a unit than the previously mentioned “competent/well-coached” Broncos defenses of recent seasons.
The defensive back corps is especially frightening, adding budding star corner Patrick Surtain II to a strong unit that already includes veterans Bryce Callahan, Kyle Fuller, Kareem Jackson, and Justin Simmons. Backing a typically stout front seven, the Broncos secondary helps make the team one of the more frightening defenses in the NFL.
At 3-1, the Broncos are an early standout team, but it should be noted that their opponents haven’t exactly been much of a challenge. The Giants, Jaguars, and Jets are each 0-3 respectively, but wins are never a given in the NFL. They are much improved after finding a quarterback, and the Broncos are a team to keep an eye on moving forward.