Grading The Week: Broncos’ midseason MVP? These scouts say it’s safety Brandon Jones

Miss Justin Simmons?

The kids on the Grading The Week staff sure do, but the Broncos don’t. Not according to Pro Football Focus, at least.

With the Broncos having already won more games (five) in eight weeks than many in the NFL thought they’d win in 18, the statniks on Team GTW scoured the popular scouting and analytics site, known colloquially as “PFF,” for some clues as to why.

Speaking of grades, PFF scouts grade NFL players on a 100-point scale. And with the regular season’s midpoint approaching, the member of the orange and blue with the highest mark to date is Simmons’ replacement — veteran safety Brandon Jones.

The 26-year-old Jones, who was signed this past winter from Miami to a three-year, $20-million deal, topped all Broncos with an 86.7 grade through eight games.

The next-highest defender on the list, though, came as something of a surprise: cornerback Levi Wallace, with an 82.4 grade. Wallace heads into the Broncos’ showdown with Baltimore having recorded 15 tackles and one pass break-up in 115 snaps.

After Wallace, the remainder of the top five contributors to one of the best defenses in the NFL under coordinator Vance Joseph are linebacker Justin Strnad (81.6 grade), cornerback Pat Surtain II (76.9) and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach (75.9).

On the offensive side of the ball, PFF’s evaluators decree that the Broncos’ most reliable contributors have been along the line. Four of the five highest-graded Denver offensive players are blockers, led by longtime left tackle Garett Bolles (78.0) and followed by right guard Quinn Meinerz (75.5) and tackles Mike McGlinchey (75.5 on 265 snaps), Matt Peart (71.4 on 132 snaps) and wide receiver Courtland Sutton (69.7).

Broncos’ Jones as NFL’s best bargain — A-

Still, if you’re seeking out a sneaky first-half MVP, it might well be Jones, the former Texas Longhorns product who’s earned more-than-respectable grades from PFF film review in nearly every facet of the game.

Jones headed into Week 9 ranked fourth in overall grades (86.7) among NFL safeties who’ve appeared on at least 50% of their team’s snaps this season, trailing only the Lions’ Brian Branch (90.4) and Kerby Joseph (89.9) and the Packers’ Xavier McKinney (89.8).

Given that Jones also ranks 46th among safeties in terms of 2024 salary cap hits ($3.3 million), per Spotrac.com, the Broncos defender is also looking like one of the biggest bargains in the league. For context, Simmons’ cap hit of $4.3 million ranks 26th, while the former Broncos’ overall PFF grade of 61.7 was tied for 32nd heading into the weekend. When you’re in cap purgatory to pay for the Russell Wilson divorce, the more “downsized” contracts — rookies, veteran finds — you can hit on, the better.

DU hockey … everything — A

While the Avs limp and the Nuggets flounder, everything’s coming up gold for DU hockey to start the season.

The Pioneers opened defense of their national title with a 7-0 start to the 2024-25 campaign. Senior forward Jack Devine, who averaged 2.33 points per game over DU’s first six tilts, on Wednesday was named the NCHC Player of the Month for October.

Heck, even the threads are sharp at Magness Arena these days. The Pios unveiled a throwback sweater to celebrate the 75th anniversary of DU hockey — a crimson number with a simple, interlocking “DU” logo beneath the left shoulder and six horizontal gold stripes along each arm. The Pios will debut the new look next Saturday against Lindenwood.

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