The Lead
Midway through the 2020 season, Pro Football Focus says three Broncos are playing the best football at their position.
Garett Bolles, Bryce Callahan and Justin Simmons earned first-team selections to their Midseason All-Pro Team, which was unveiled Thursday.
According to PFF's stats, Bolles' overall rating is just shy of Trent Williams' for second overall among left tackles. But where Bolles separates himself is in run blocking, with a 90.1 overall grade.
"Bolles has yet to surrender a sack this season and has been beaten for just nine total pressures over eight games," Sam Monson wrote. "His run blocking has taken an even bigger leap, grading out at 90.1 through the first half of the season — almost 20 grading points higher than a season ago."
Callahan was picked as a flex defender, as his play in the slot and even as an outside cornerback has been equally outstanding.
"He played well in that role despite being undersized for the task," Monson wrote. "[H]e has moved back inside since then, grading as the best corner in the league. Callahan has yet to surrender a touchdown in coverage and is allowing just 8.5 yards per catch as well as a 46.0 passer rating."
And finally, Justin Simmons is on track to earn a second straight PFF All-Pro honor.
"Simmons has been excellent in the run game, even grading out a little better in that facet (89.7) than last year," Monson wrote. "And while hasn't quite been able to replicate his absurd playmaking in coverage from last season, he is a sure-fire positive force for the Broncos' defense."
Below the Fold
Bolles earned another midseason accolade from PFF, as the stats site picked him as the Broncos’ top surprise so far in a new article on ESPN.com. "He has a 90.1 PFF run-blocking grade on the season, while allowing a 2.7% pressure rate that has him tied for fifth among all tackles," they wrote.
A few coaches with Broncos ties made Tom Pelissero’s list of young coaches to watch that could be on track to earn head-coaching opportunities. Wide Receivers Coach Zach Azzanni was named a coach to watch in coming years, as was former Broncos assistant coach Brian Callahan, who is now the offensive coordinator for the Bengals. Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, who coaches outside linebackers for Denver in 2019, made the article as one of the "new faces for this year's list."
