Future of Broncos WR Cody Latimer Unclear Under New Offense

The Denver Broncos acquired a special talent when they moved up in the second round (56th overall) of the 2014 NFL draft so they could select wide receiver Cody Latimer out of the University of Indiana.

The 2014 draft class contained arguably the best group of receivers we’ve seen enter the league in NFL history. Latimer was highly touted coming out of Indiana and could go down as one of the best receivers from this amazing and historic draft class.

The plan was likely to have Latimer develop this year, then potentially start in 2015 on the outside opposite Demaryius Thomas. This, of course, would require Emmanuel Sanders to be moved to the slot position. Sanders put up career-best numbers in 2014, but one could argue that he’s a more natural fit in the slot.

That plan was altered when the Broncos hired Gary Kubiak to be their new head coach.

Under Kubiak, the Broncos should employ the two-tight end set as their base formation. With 22 personnel (two running backs, two tight ends) on the field, there is little need for a slot receiver.

Latimer is not as proven as Sanders is, so this change in philosophy means the second-year receiver could be more of a backup for the new-look Broncos.

The future of Latimer is unclear in this new Broncos offense. Let’s see how he can fit in with—and potentially star for—the Broncos in 2015.

Skill Set

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Latimer is a talented player with a ton of upside as a pro. The first thing that stands out about hm is his work ethic. He regularly stayed late at practice each day to learn—and catch passes—from quarterback Peyton Manning.

Whenever I’ve talked to Latimer, his passion for the game and willingness to learn are topics of conversation.

Listed at 6’2”, 215 pounds, Latimer plays bigger than his size. His wingspan and leaping ability help him play “above the rim,” which comes in handy near the sideline or in the end zone.

Latimer has an incredibly large catch radius and can make difficult catches seem routine. Multiple times during rookie minicamp, OTAs and training camp, I would see Latimer make a leaping/twisting/turning catch that not many can make.

It’s like the Broncos have their own version of Odell Beckham Jr.

Even though he’s a big receiver, Latimer moves well laterally at the snap of the ball. Most cornerbacks are smaller than him, and he can certainly outmuscle them with his strength. He also has the agility to avoid the jam at the line of scrimmage.

Latimer’s game is tailor-made for go routes or fade-stops. He can work the sideline regularly and has the awareness to get two feet in bounds.

However, Latimer is also fearless when asked to run routes over the middle. He can look in a pass, take a big hit, keep his feet and continue for big yards after the catch.

Rookie Season

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Latimer didn’t do a whole lot in 2014. Including the playoffs, Latimer was inactive for nine games.

He rarely saw the field as a rookie as he continued to learn and develop each week during practice. He was targeted four times in 2014, catching two passes for 23 yards.

Latimer nearly had a touchdown in Week 13 against the Kansas City Chiefs. At the Chiefs' 31-yard line, Latimer ran a fade route on the outside. Manning put the pass out in front of him where the big man could go get it.

Latimer seemed to slow down ever so slightly in his route, and thus the pass fell harmlessly to the ground. Had he caught that pass, Latimer likely scores on that play.

Latimer did split time at wide receiver—and on special teams—with veteran Andre Caldwell. In 2015, Caldwell has a $1.5 million cap hit, but there is only $200,000 left in dead money on his contract. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Broncos release Caldwell in order to free up some cap space.

If Caldwell is released, it would create an even larger opportunity for Latimer.

The New System

Under Kubiak, Latimer may have to wait for his opportunity. Assuming the Broncos re-sign Demaryius Thomas in free agency—or use the franchise tag on him—Latimer will likely be the backup behind him.

Historically, Kubiak doesn’t feature a third wide receiver a lot in his offense. The best season from a WR3 under Kubiak (as a head coach) came in 2010 with the Houston Texans when Jacoby Jones caught 51 passes for 562 yards and three touchdowns.

Last year with the Baltimore Ravens, Kubiak (as offensive coordinator) basically split the WR3 position between three different players. Nobody out of Kamar Aiken, Jacoby Jones or Marlon Brown really emerged for the Ravens:

Player	Routes	Targets	Receptions	Yards	TDs
Kamar Aiken	140	33	24	267	3
Marlon Brown	233	31	24	255	0
Jacoby Jones	113	19	9	131	0

Kubiak’s offense mostly features two tight ends who catch 50 or more passes combined. However, Kubiak will also lean heavily on running backs as receivers out of the backfield.

If he develops and plays up to his potential, the ceiling for Latimer could look like what Jones put up in 2010. I would expect a few more touchdowns from Latimer because of his size and ability to dominate smaller cornerbacks.

Summary

The Broncos have a different plan in place for 2015. That plan can and will include Latimer. However, things may unfold a bit differently than some originally anticipated when Latimer was drafted last year.

Latimer has the upside to be one of the best receivers in the game today. Even as a reserve player, he’s a valuable asset for the Broncos to develop.

He may have more of a part-time role in 2015, but his impact on key passing situations could be huge. Latimer’s presence in the red zone could really be highlighted this season. When the Broncos get near pay dirt, it would make a lot of sense to target Latimer because of his size, wingspan and leaping ability.

Latimer’s role with the team is a bit unclear at this time. Clarity is found when examining his natural skill set, work ethic and untapped potential.

Simply put, Latimer is one of the brightest young stars on the team. As he develops, we should see a true playmaker emerge for the Broncos. Latimer is too good to stay in a part-time role for long.

All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted.

Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac. Transaction history provided by Pro Sports Transactions.