Broncos stock report: Time for Devaughn Vele to take WR2 spot from Lil’Jordan Humphrey?

Here’s a look at which stock improved or declined after the Broncos’ 41-10 loss to the Ravens on Sunday in Baltimore.

Stock Up

DE John Franklin-Myers: The Broncos didn’t have a lot going for them defensively on Sunday. Franklin-Myers, however, continued to show his value. After an interception gave the Ravens the ball in scoring position on its opening drive, the defensive end sacked quarterback Lamar Jackson for an 11-yard loss, knocking them out of field goal range. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph should get credit, too. The Broncos showed a six-man front but rushed just three. Franklin-Myers bullied right tackle Roger Rosengarten before taking down the two-time MVP. The offseason pickup now has 19 pressures and four sacks — tied for third-most on the team.

OLB Nik Bonitto: Denver’s third-year edge rusher did some good things. Bonitto had an impressive stop on Ravens running back Derrick Henry on a 1-yard gain. And in the second quarter, he chased down Jackson before tackling him for an 8-yard loss. The latter was ruled a tackle for loss rather than a sack, ending Bonitto’s sack streak at six games, but it was another example of his improvement as a run defender and the strides he’s making to become a complete edge rusher.

Run game: Collectively, the Broncos’ rushing attack was better than expected against Baltimore’s stout run defense. Denver totaled 122 yards on 30 carries and averaged 4.1 yards per attempt. The Broncos had four different players with at least five carries. Javonte Williams rushed for 42 yards on 12 carries while quarterback Bo Nix had 36 yards on six attempts. Rookie running back Audric Estime got into the game late, totaling five carries for 35 yards and averaging seven yards per attempt.

Courtland Sutton the quarterback: The veteran Broncos receiver reached 100 yards receiving for the second game in a row … and completed a pass on yet another trick play. After Sutton’s 2-yard pass to Bo Nix, he is 2 for 2 for 30 yards this season with a perfect passer rating (158.3). For his career, the SMU product is 4 for 4 for 84 yards, averaging 21 yards per attempt. If Sean Payton is going to continue utilizing trick plays, it’s good that Sutton has the arm strength to make them work.

Stock Down

WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey: The Broncos need Josh Reynolds back. Since the receiver has been sidelined with a finger injury, Humphrey has slid into the WR2 spot and failed to fit the bill. For the second straight week, Humphrey had a hand in a turnover on Denver’s opening drive. In addition to the turnovers, Humphrey has totaled eight catches for 45 yards on 14 targets in three games. In the loss to Baltimore, Humphrey had 11 yards — the second time he was held under 20 in three weeks. The trust is, that Humphrey is more of a rotational player than a WR2. It might be time to consider giving rookie Devaughn Vele more time in that spot.

Safety Devon Key: Denver has been able to get by without injured safety P.J. Locke in Week 8’s win over Carolina. But against real competition like the Ravens, the Broncos could’ve used him. Safety Devon Key was picked apart by Lamar Jackson, giving up three catches for 98 yards and a passer rating of 158.3, according to Next Gen Stats. During the final seconds of the first half when Denver needed to keep it a one-score game, Key was caught sleeping. Jackson completed a deep pass to Zay Flowers in the middle of the field. Key failed to tackle the speedy wideout, resulting in a 53-yard score to give the Ravens a 24-10 lead at halftime.

CB Riley Moss: Moss vs. Flowers wasn’t fair, at all. At the start of the second quarter, Flowers caught a pass midfield before he sped past Moss, causing the second-year cornerback to do the stanky leg on a 28-yard reception. Later in the quarter, Flowers slipped past Moss for a 23-yard catch.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph: In a chess match with Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Joseph was 10 steps behind. The Ravens did whatever they wanted against Denver’s defense, totaling 396 yards and 7.3 yards per play. Lamar Jackson beat the Broncos with his arm in the first half, then the Ravens turned to running back Derrick Henry (23 carries, 106 yards, two touchdowns) to secure the victory. Baltimore created mismatches throughout the afternoon, including a 24-yard reception for Ravens running back Justice Hill with rookie edge rusher Jonah Elliss in coverage. Denver was confident in its game plan. The Ravens were quick to turn it into dust.

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