Denver’s edge position is undergoing a youth movement, and Baron Browning is a key part of it.

Gone are the days of veterans like Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, and even newcomers Randy Gregory and Frank Clark. For this Vance Joseph defense, it’s Browning, Nik Bonitto, and Jonathan Cooper.

And if 2023 was any indication, the kids are alright.

Browning was Denver’s highest-graded defender by PFF

Justin Simmons, Josey Jewell; these may be the players you think of when it comes to best Broncos defenders. No doubt, Simmons is the leader of the defense. And Jewell has been a great inside linebacker as of late.

But according to Pro Football Focus, Browning was the highest-graded defender in 2023:

Not only did he grade out at a solid 75.8 overall, but it was a massive leap from 2022’s 58.5 grade. Keep in mind, though, that Browning started the year on the PUP list due to a surgery on his knee, which forced him to the sideline until October. He ended up playing in 10 games, with 9 starts.

And in that limited time, he was a force to be reckoned with. Browning totaled 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 4 TFLs, and 9 QB hits.

And his first sack of the season was a special one:

Browning sacks and forces fumble of Patrick Mahomes

He stormed back from the PUP list, racking up 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 4 QB hits in his first four games. But all year, Browning impressed his teammates.

From The Athletic during the 2023 season:

“Baron is as talented an edge rusher as I’ve ever played with,” said Zach Allen, who is in his fifth NFL season and played his first four seasons with the Cardinals alongside players such as J.J. Watt and Haason Reddick. “He has that size and that power, but then his flexibility and bend is something you don’t really see. Everybody jokes around saying he’s Von Miller-esque, obviously, for what Von did here, but it’s true. It’s pretty special to watch and he can be a really special player for us.”

With Browning, Bonitto, and Cooper, do Broncos need to draft an edge?

Look at Denver’s sack leaders from 2023 and it’s mostly the young trio we’ve discussed already.

Cooper, who was a full-time starter for the first time in his career, racked up a team-leading 8.5 sacks. He also enjoyed an all-around great season, with a pick, a touchdown, and 2 forced fumbles.

Right behind him was Bonitto, the 2022 draft pick, with 8.0 sacks. Bonitto also racked up 20 QB hits and a team-leading 13 TFLs, and only started in four games.

Then, there’s the aforementioned Zach Allen, who had 5.0 sacks and a team-high 24 QB hits, just before Browning (4.5 sacks).

Still, some are concerned about the production of the Broncos edge position and want Denver to take one in the first round instead of a QB.

Consider this: Denver’s pass rush win rate last year was 30th of 32 teams. And the Broncos 42 total sacks ranked them 22nd. And to note how important sacks are to winning, the Ravens (60) led the league, with the Chiefs (57), Miami Dolphins (56) and Buffalo Bills (54) behind them. Those four were all playoff teams, with the Chiefs winning Super Bowl LVIII.

When weighing all those stats, the Broncos simply need to get a better pass rush from the edge. Yes, Browning, Cooper and Bonitto are growing, but many consider them backup-level players.

So, if Denver uses their first-round pick (No. 12) on an edge rusher, who could it be?

DenverBroncos.com has compiled mock draft picks from around the country—7 of which have J.J. McCarthy as the pick—but multiple have edges there.

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, and Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports have Jared Verse out of Florida State to the Broncos at 12. Verse is a 6’4″ 250-pounder who was named All-American in 2022 and racked up 9 sacks in each of the last two years.

Nate Tice and Charles McDonald of Yahoo! have Dallas Turner from Alabama going to the Broncos. Turner is 6’4″ and 240 pounds and was named a First-Team All-American in 2023 and used his explosiveness off the ball to total 10 sacks last year.

Fianlly, there’s Laiatu Latu, mocked to Denver by Connor Livesay of the 33rd Team. Latu tips the scales at 261 pounds and some argue he has the best pass-rushing skills in the NFL Draft this year.

Still, other options for the Broncos outside of quarterback and edge abound. They could go for a cornerback, or Denver could select an offensive tackle.

The NFL Draft’s first round is on Thursday, April 25, 2024.