5 reasons the Denver Broncos won’t make the AFC Playoffs
By John Buhler
5. The Super Bowl 50 mass exodus
It happened a few years ago with the Baltimore Ravens, but the Broncos are in the middle of a mass exodus with regards to their 2015 roster much like what Baltimore had to deal with after winning the Super Bowl in 2012.
Denver has lost starting quarterback Peyton Manning to retirement, his replacement Brock Osweiler to the Houston Texans, defensive end Malik Jackson to the on-the-rise Jacksonville Jaguars, and inside linebacker Danny Trevathan to former Broncos head coach John Fox with his new-ish gig with the Chicago Bears in the NFC North.
When great teams end up winning Super Bowls that have many talented players playing on the last year of the contracts, this kind of mass exodus can ultimately come to fruition. While the Broncos knew that Manning was rapidly decaying as a starting quarterback, the front office could have done a better job of keeping emerging stars in this league like Jackson, Osweiler, and Trevathan in town on a new deal.
Perhaps Chicago, Houston, Jacksonville, and maybe even Papa Johns could provide those four departing Broncos with more financial incentives in 2016 and beyond than what their former employer was willing to divvy out. While Osweiler’s departure is still shocking, the framework behind the mass exodus is not.
Next: 4. Worst quarterback situation in AFC West