Broncos stock report: Who’s up, who’s down after 19-16 loss to Los Angeles Chargers

The Broncos’ stock report after their 19-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday:

Stock up

ILB Alex Singleton

When Josey Jewell is healthy, he’s essentially an every-down player for Denver. When he’s not — and he’s missed time this year now with a calf strain and a knee sprain — Singleton has been… an every-down player. He turned in his best performance of the season Monday night in Los Angeles, just down the road from his hometown of Thousand Oaks, Calif., with 21 tackles (19 solo) and a pair of TFLs. He played all 93 defensive snaps and made plays all over the field. Singleton didn’t play a single defensive snap the two full games Jewell was healthy and still leads the team with 47 total tackles. Of that number, 31 have come since Jewell went down with an injury in the second half against Indianapolis.

OLB Baron Browning

The outside linebacker has seen more pass-rush opportunities since Randy Gregory went on short-term injured reserve with a knee injury and Browning has done nothing but capitalize. Against the Chargers he posted another sack, two tackles for loss and also intercepted a pass by quarterback Justin Herbert early in the fourth quarter. Browning is explosive off the edge and looks every bit as promising as general manager George Paton and the coaching staff could have hoped when they decided this offseason to try him on the edge rather than in the middle of the field.

TE Greg Dulcich

Not only did the rookie tight end make his debut and catch a touchdown, but he immediately became the most-used player in the room. Dulcich played 41 snaps against the Chargers, while Andrew Beck and Eric Tomlinson played 16 apiece, Eric Saubert played just one and Albert Okwuegbunam was inactive. The former UCLA standout is a natural weapon in the passing game, but like a lot of young tight ends, he has a long way to go in the blocking game. It certainly appears as though he’s going to get a lot of chances to learn.

Stock down

TE Albert Okwuegbunam

At just 24, Okwuegbunam looked like a potential breakout candidate for Denver this year as a vertical pass-catching threat now playing with Russell Wilson. Instead, he’s been phased out of the offense. Okwuegbunam saw his playing time dwindle to a single snap against the Raiders before he played a dozen plays against Indianapolis. Monday night in Los Angeles, though, he didn’t even suit up as he found himself a healthy scratch among Denver’s inactives. Rookie Greg Dulcich stepped into his role, essentially, and immediately played the most snaps in the group. What’s next for Albert O? A bounce-back in the second half of the season? Could he be a trade chip ahead of the Nov. 1 deadline?

Melvin Gordon

The running back started and carried the ball on Denver’s first two plays of the night. He didn’t get the ball – or get into the game – after the early second quarter, though, and played just nine snaps. Hackett after the game said Gordon wasn’t hurt “as far as I’m aware of,” indicating that 32-year-old Latavius Murray supplanted him as the lead back after two weeks in the organization. Gordon expressed confusion and frustration to NFL Network after the game. It’s been a rough season so far for the veteran back.

OL depth

Getting Quinn Meinerz back at right guard is a boost for the Broncos, but they struggled to contain Los Angeles’ pass-rush as the game went along and have decisions to make at tackle going forward. Calvin Anderson started at left tackle and played 19 snaps, while Cam Fleming started his sixth straight game at right tackle. In the second quarter, though, Fleming moved to the left side and Billy Turner made his season debut at right tackle. The Chargers kept on harassing Wilson regardless of who was in the game. Losing a staple like Garret Bolles is going to have an impact regardless of depth, but exactly how much depth Denver really has at tackle looks like a question going forward.

CB Damarri Mathis

Yeah, the rookie had a tough night in his first start. Mathis, getting the nod in place of Ronald Darby (torn ACL), played every snap despite being limited during the practice week with a knee issue. He was flagged four times for pass interference and picked on from the first snap by Justin Herbert. A couple of positives: Mathis didn’t back down. He kept playing and came up with a big fourth-down breakup and also a knock-down on a Hail Mary before halftime. Then after the game, he answered questions at his locker about the tough outing. He’ll be all right. There’s more of this coming, though, for him. That’s life playing opposite a true shutdown corner like Pat Surtain II, whom Herbert tested once early and hardly even looked at again in 57 pass attempts.

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