Broncos Need to be Aggressive in 2014 Offseason

Feb 2, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette (83) makes a catch against Denver Broncos cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (45) during the third quarter in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Despite a horrific loss in the Super Bowl, it’s not like the Denver Broncos are a bad team. They just got crushed by a better one.

So how do you become the best? You need to be aggressive in the offseason and fill your team with talented players.

One of the best parts about being fans of a Super Bowl contender is that the team is almost forced to be aggressive in the offseason in order to maintain just that. The Broncos have some big names coming up in free agency, most notably this offseason are guys like Eric Decker, Knowshon Moreno, Zane Beadles, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, among others.

The rumors right now are saying the Broncos want to keep Eric Decker, but that he’ll test free agency. The team is also expected to let Knowshon Moreno look at his value in free agency. Those two players alone accounted for well over 2,500 yards of total offense and 24 touchdowns.

That’s a lot of offensive production to try and replace in a pinch.

The Broncos are also looking at a guy like Zane Beadles who went to the Pro Bowl in 2012, reportedly asking for a five-year deal worth at least $5 million per season. That’s also a big price for the Broncos to consider with their recent signing of Louis Vasquez and Ryan Clady’s contract.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie may very well be the Broncos’ top free agent priority this offseason, and his price range could be pretty broad.

Regardless, the Broncos’ cap situation is fine, and they have ways to get even further under the cap with some cuts and restructures. The Broncos aren’t poorly constructed in terms of spreading the wealth.

No matter what people are saying or what the rumor mill says, the Broncos have to find a way to be aggressive this offseason and make some moves that can put them right back into Super Bowl contention this next season.

Last year, people thought the Broncos would be a lot more quiet than they had been, but they went out and got an All-Pro in Louis Vasquez, Wes Welker, Rodgers-Cromartie, among some others. John Elway is aggressive in the front office, and he knows that the Broncos need to make some moves to get back to the big game in 2015.

First things first, get healthy defensively and add some playmakers at all three levels. The Broncos should take a significant interest in free agents at every level of the defense, especially after what we saw from Seattle. The Seahawks have been fortunate to have drafted really well on that side of the ball the last few years, hitting on almost every pick from the first to the seventh round it seems, but what the Broncos need to copy is getting that speed, aggressiveness, and tenacity for their defense to make a playoff run.

To win a championship, you need to inflict fear into your opponent. The Seahawks do that. They are intimidating. The Broncos need to go out and make moves like Seattle to get guys like Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, and other players that can really help you in the long haul. The Seattle defensive front is built so well with combinations of size, speed, power, and grit. The Broncos will get a huge boost with some returning players, but looking at the list of free agent defensive players, this is an opportunity to add guys that can put you over the championship hump.

The Broncos need to make sure that they make the right additions so that they don’t find themselves in this same position next year.