Following their Super Bowl 50 victory, the Denver Broncos had seven players selected to the annual ‘Top 100 Players’ list released by NFL Network. This year, after failing to make the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, there’s a good chance the Broncos will have less than half that many.
NFL Network on Monday released the latest grouping of players, No. 41-50, and again there were no Broncos present. Through the 60 players ranked so far, only one Bronco has heard his name called – Chris Harris Jr. at No. 63.
Harris should have proved to be a harbinger of things to come. The defensive back earned his first ever first-team All-Pro nod following the 2016 season, yet somehow managed to fall 11 spots in the 2017 rankings.
As it stands right now, there’s a good chance that only his No Fly Zone partner Aqib Talib and fellow first-team All-Pro Von Miller will be the only three to make the list.
With only three players on the list, it would be Denver’s lowest showing since they had only two on the 2011 list – the first year of its existence.
Last year Denver had three players inside the top 50 – Miller (15), Talib (34) and DeMarcus Ware (36). With Ware’s retirement, he won’t be on the list again this year.
That means that four Broncos, all who continued to shine in 2016 despite Denver’s overall struggles as a team, probably won’t make the list.
Demaryius Thomas (62) had 90-plus catches and over 1,000 yards for the fifth consecutive season, but will likely fall off the list.
T.J. Ward (68) in 2016 recorded the second-highest pass rush productivity ranking in Pro Football Focus’ history, yet didn’t earn a Pro Bowl nomination and likely won’t make the list this year.
Emmanuel Sanders (74) did earn a Pro Bowl nod and went for more than 1,000 yards, but his place on the list is now in serious jeopardy as well.
The list is selected by the players in ballot form, in which the project their peers’ performance for the upcoming season. Prior performance plays a major role, however. Take Cam Newton, for example. Last year Newton ranked No. 1 overall, but on the 2017 list he dropped all the way to No. 44 after a sub-par 2016 season.
The next batch of players, 31-40, will be revealed on Monday, June 5. Last year Denver had two players in that batch, so stay tuned.