The Denver Broncos went just 7-9 this past season and have not made the playoffs since last winning the Super Bowl during the 2015-16 campaign, but there is reason for optimism heading into 2020.
Thanks to an improving young offense and a defense that has a pair of dominant pass rushers in Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, the Broncos are a potential sleeper in the AFC West.
No, they won't be challenging the Kansas City Chiefs, but it would not be shocking to see Denver in the mix for a Wild Card berth in the AFC postseason picture.
Of course, the jury is still out on the upstart Broncos.
Here are the three biggest questions for Denver going into next season:
3. Who will step up as the No. 2 receiver?
Courtland Sutton is the Broncos' No. 1 wide receiver. That is not up for debate, particularly after he hauled in 72 receptions for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns in 2019.
But who will fill the No. 2 role?
Emmanuel Sanders began the year as Denver's second guy this past season, but after he was traded at the deadline, the Broncos' receiving corps was lost behind Sutton.
The good news is that Denver used a couple of really early draft picks on wide outs in April, taking Alabama's Jerry Jeudy in the first round and then rolling with Penn State's KJ Hamler in Round 2.
Jeudy may very well end up being the best receiver in this draft class, so there seems to be a good chance he ends up winning the No. 2 job. Another guy to watch is DaeSean Hamilton, who was a major disappointment this past year but is still young.
2. Is the offensive line up to snuff?
Historically, the Broncos have had very good offensive lines, but in recent years, that has changed.
That's not to say that Denver's offensive line is bad, but it certainly isn't what we have become accustomed to seeing from the franchise.
This past season, the Broncos hoped free-agent signing Ja'Wuan James would step in and hold down the fort at right tackle, but injuries limited him throughout the year. Garett Bolles continued to struggle with penalties on the other side, and center Connor McGovern just departed to the New York Jets via free agency.
Perhaps a healthier James will help patch things up, but there is no doubt that Denver's offensive line is a bit of a concern heading into 2020.
1. How will Drew Lock respond to being the full-time starter?
The Broncos took Drew Lock in the second round of the NFL Draft last year, but due to a preseason thumb injury, he was shelved for most of the season and didn't get a chance to play until Week 13 of the season.
Lock was impressive in his five starts, throwing for 1,020 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions while completing 64.1 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 89.7. Denver also went 4-1 in his appearances.
But of course, that was a very small sample size, and the jury is still largely out on Lock.
The Broncos' 2020 success largely depends on how well Lock plays. Fortunately for the young quarterback, Denver suddenly has an impressive stable of young weapons ranging from the aforementioned wide receivers to tight ends Noah Fant and Albert Okweugbunam, the latter of whom was a teammate of Lock's at Missouri.
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