The Denver Broncos will have to replace a player who had become a dependable source of explosive plays after wide receiver Pat Bryant was carted off during the Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Locked On Broncos host Cody Roark said the short-term absence was better than the serious injury initially feared, but it still leaves Denver needing someone to assume Bryant’s snaps and production during a difficult stretch.
Locked On Broncos co-host Sayre Bedinger identified Denver wide receiver Troy Franklin as the clearest candidate. Franklin has had a quieter role in the passing game this season, but Bedinger pointed to his increased work as a blocker in heavier personnel packages as evidence that he can stay on the field in situations Bryant had handled.
Franklin’s opportunity cannot simply amount to more snaps without targets. Roark noted that Franklin played 32 offensive snaps without a target against San Francisco, a usage pattern the Broncos cannot afford to repeat if they expect him to help cover for Bryant. Denver also could seek more from wide receivers Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton, who the hosts said have not yet delivered consistent production together.
Bedinger argued that Waddle should become a more deliberate part of the plan against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 5, particularly on quick-hitting concepts that can punish the space defenses concede underneath. The hosts believe opponents have used two-high safety looks to limit Denver’s deep passing game, making faster throws and designed touches more important for Bo Nix.
Bryant’s absence raises the stakes for that adjustment. Franklin has a chance to reclaim a meaningful place in the rotation, but the Broncos also need their top options to make the passing game less predictable before the injury shortage becomes a larger offensive problem.
Denver’s response against the Chargers should reveal whether Franklin’s expanded role is a temporary patch or a chance for the third-year receiver to become a more central piece of the offense.
Broncos News and Notes
– Denver outside linebacker Nik Bonitto has drawn extra attention from opposing protections, Bedinger said, including chips and double teams that have limited his clean rush opportunities. The hosts argued that more pressure from the edge opposite Bonitto would make it harder for offenses to keep committing extra blockers to him.
– Roark and Bedinger said the run game has become too easy to anticipate, with Denver running backs J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey and Tyler Badie often entering in personnel patterns that suggest where or how a play will develop. They also pointed to inconsistent blocking and penalties as factors that have kept the offense from establishing a reliable ground attack.
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