5 NFL teams that made the leap to contenders after the 2022 NFL Draft

Post-2022 NFL Draft contender no. 1: Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos had their NFL Draft back in early March.

On March 8, Denver Broncos GM George Paton swung a trade for veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, and the entire outlook for the franchise in the Mile High City changed.

After the 2022 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos look like the team this season that is poised to go from top-10 pick to obvious Super Bowl contender.

It’s not easy to contend for a Super Bowl overnight, but the Buccaneers and Rams have won the Super Bowl in consecutive years with a quarterback they acquired that offseason.

Russell Wilson could have the same type of impact for Denver.

The Broncos already had a solid roster before the Russell Wilson trade. Since the Wilson trade, they have made substantial additions to the defense including signing free agent pass rusher Randy Gregory as well as defensive lineman DJ Jones.

The Broncos also brought in Billy Turner and veteran Tom Compton to fortify the offensive line depth and starting lineup.

During the 2022 NFL Draft itself, the Broncos landed another dynamic pass rusher in Oklahoma’s Nik Bonitto and followed up that pick by adding tight end Greg Dulcich to an already loaded offense.

With Melvin Gordon back for another season to pair with Javonte Williams, the Broncos also have a two-headed monster at running back for new head coach Nathaniel Hackett to work with.

The Russell Wilson trade wasn’t made during the 2022 NFL Draft, but after the Draft, it’s clear that the Denver Broncos are now a viable contender in the absolutely loaded AFC.