Notable Free Agents
Running Back – Knowshon Moreno
Wide Receiver – Eric Decker, Andre Caldwell
Guard – Zane Beadles
Defensive End – Robert Ayers
Linebacker – Shaun Phillips, Wesley Woodyard, Paris Lenon
Cornerback – Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tony Carter, Chris Harris (RFA)
Safety – Mike Adams, Quentin Jammer
2014 Draft Picks
Round One: Pick 31
Round Two: Pick 63
Round Three: Pick 95
Round Four: Pick 127
Round Five: Pick 159
Round Six: Pick 191
Round Seven: Pick 223
Biggest Offseason Needs
Cornerback: The top priority for the Broncos should be on the defensive side of the ball and that mainly includes the cornerback position. The past couple years we have seen the poor play from older corners such as Champ Bailey and it has affected the Broncos quest to the Super Bowl severely. Whether it be in the draft or free agency, this position needs to be addressed immediately.
Defensive Line: The Broncos have done a decent job finding players to put on the defensive line. It is injuries and lack of depth that makes the position as weak as it is. Season ending injuries to Derek Wolfe and Kevin Vickerson shortened their staff on the defensive line and the Broncos need to find some suitable backups incase this problem occurs again next season.
Offensive Line: Other than preserving a lead for quarterback Peyton Manning, then next priority is protecting Manning so that he can remain on the field. We saw this past season that Manning has some ankle stability issues and one bad hit on the quarterback could be devastating to the team. Without Manning this team will not be as good as they are so protecting him will be a main concern.
Safety: This is another position that just needs more depth. Mike Adams may be hitting free agency and Rahim Moore will be returning from a lower leg injury so there is a need for some depth. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Broncos address the matter in the draft and bring in some youth to the position just like the cornerback spot.
Running Back: The Broncos drafted running back Montee Ball last year and Knowshon Moreno looks to be heading out of the door unless they miraculously come up with funds to re-sign him. If he leaves, Ball and Hillman will be the feature backs but they are both a little too small to power the ball all season long. I expect the Broncos to look for a vet power third down back to sign in free agency like a LeGarrette Blount or a Maurice Jones-Drew
One Player New York Should Target In Free Agency
Inside linebacker Brandon Spikes is a player that the Broncos should target in free agency. There have been no talks between him and the Patriots so the chances of him leaving New England are pretty high. The Broncos are losing a few linebackers to free agency and need inside help. So if they decide to not re-sign them, they will have to find one in free agency and a run stopping thumper like Spikes would be a good fit to a team that is already a solid run stopping team.
One Player New York Should Retain
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would be a player that the Broncos could benefit most from re-signing. Yes his age is getting up there but he had a huge turnaround season in Denver that will make many teams take a chance to sign him which is why the Broncos need to snatch him up.
Cromartie shown that he fits well in Jack Del Rio’s system and will perform at a high level. The Broncos desperately need all the help they can get at the corner position and re-signing Cromartie would be a great start.
Players In Need Of Extensions
There are going to be some major decisions to be made for the Denver Broncos over the next year and a half. Three of their top receivers become free agents in 2015 so deciding on who to keep for the long term will be extremely important.
Demaryius Thomas is coming off of another spectacular season that nearly mimics the breakout season he achieved in 2012. Now is this because of the Peyton Manning effect? Or is this because he truly is a talented receiver? One will only find out when another quarterback is throwing to him but for now Manning is the man. Thomas caught 14 touchdowns with over 1,400 receiving yards this past season. Even when Manning is gone they will want this man to remain the number one receiver but it will take a pretty penny to extend or retain him. Either way, Thomas deserves what will be heading his direction.
The Broncos have waited a long time to see Julius Thomas hit the field. The giant six foot five, 250 pound tight end is really what the Broncos have wanted for a while. He had a break out year with 12 touchdown catches and 788 receiving yards. He has had some dropped ball issues this season but is something that can be developed over time. Even before he has another solid year on the field, the Broncos are going to want this guy around for a long period of time so extending him will be very important.
Overall Offseason Outlook
There are many things that need to be improved for the Broncos to remain among the elite in the NFL. There are some quality players being lost to free agency that will need to be replaced by better players. We all know that the Broncos are a Super Bowl caliber team with Peyton Manning at the helm but without a solid defensive effort, they will fall short once again like we saw the past two seasons ending against the Ravens in 2012 and against the Seahawks in 2013.
The offense barely needs to be touched this offseason except for some depth at the offensive line. Defensively this team needs it all. This is a passing league which means you need top corners and safeties to cover top receivers and tight ends. If the Broncos address these issues in the offseason, look for them to make another trip to the Super Bowl.