What Will Denver Broncos Offense Look Like Under Pat Shurmur?

What does the Denver Broncos offense have in common with a unicorn? The answer, of course, is that neither one exists.

One major difference between the two is there is a chance the Broncos offense could actually be resurrected.

First of all, a look at the facts. The Broncos offense was in the garbage pile of NFL offenses in 2019. It's well-documented the Broncos were the only team in the NFL this past season to finish in the bottom 5 in points scored, total offense, third-down success rate, and red zone success. Another fact is that in half their games the Broncos failed to score more than 16 points. It shouldn't be a secret that 16 points doesn't win many games in the NFL.

While the Broncos' offense late in the season looked better and more creative than it had previously under first-year coordinator Rich Scangarello, the divide between the innovative offenses of teams like the Saints and the Chiefs compared to the Broncos was great and it was obvious.

The question Bronco fans want answered right now is should we be hopeful the Broncos slumbering offense will come to life under the direction of a man who failed miserably as a head coach? In two years as head coach of the New York Giants Shurmur was 9-23, and went 9-23 in two seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

The answer is yes. There is hope.

Although it's impossible to say exactly what Pat Shurmur's offense will look like with quarterback Drew Lock throwing to the likes of Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant and handing off to the dynamic Phillip Lindsay. But, based upon previous experience, here's what you can expect.

Shurmur's early days in the NFL included time with Andy Reid's west coast offense, which is a spread offense. We also expect some up-tempo offense similar to his days with Chip Kelly, and an aggressive passing attack from his time with Norv Turner.

When Shurmur helped lead Minnesota to the NFC championship game a couple of years ago, the Vikings used a 3-wide-receiver set 56% of the time, but still had the second-most rushing attempts in the league. That simply means the offense is more unpredictable because they run out of formations that look like passing formations. A less predictable and more dynamic offense with more big plays should mean more points- and, ultimately, more wins.

The Broncos will need to add a few pieces if they are going to be a contender next season, and they are going to have to be significantly better on the offensive line. But, if they add enough of the right pieces, and if they can improve the offense line, Pat Shurmur's offense should help get the Broncos into the playoff race.