John Elway needs to put together another quality draft class to help Peyton Manning win a Super Bowl in Denver. (Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE)

Now that things have quieted down around Dove Valley, The Denver Broncos have shifted their focus to the 2012 NF Draft.

Denver has already made dramatic changes to their starting lineup by bringing in 6 new players via free agency who will see significant playing time next season. The changes will continue in a few weeks when the Broncos draft a horde of young talent who will hopefully fill the remaining holes on the roster and add much needed depth.

Let’s take a look at where the Broncos stand at each position right now and how they might address those positions in the draft:

• Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few weeks I don’t need to spend much time talking about the quarterback position. However, the signing of back-up Caleb Hanie has been the source of some angst among the fans recently. At this point I’m not even sure Hanie is going to make the team, so I didn’t read too much into his signing. There is no doubt that Denver will take a quarterback at some point during the draft. That quarterback, along with Adam Weber and Hanie, will compete for the backup position and one of those 3 players won’t make the 53-man roster.
• Willis McGahee is still the man at running back going into 2012. Although his age and the fact he wore down as the 2011 season went along means Denver is going to need a solid #2 to help carry the load. Knowshon Moreno is expected to return from injury and compete for that job, but almost everyone is running out of patience with him. It is a near guarantee that Denver will pick a running back in a few weeks, and I would bet it will happen very early in the draft. Some targets for the Broncos are Doug Martin, Boise State; Lamar Miller, Miami; Lamichael James, Oregon; and David Wilson, Virginia Tech.
• At wide receiver and tight end, the free agent additions of Andre Caldwell, Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen have filled the voids at those positions. The Broncos feel very good with the trio of Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, and Caldwell at receiver and they believe they will excel with Peyton Manning behind center. I tend to agree with that line of thinking. I’m not expecting anyone to get drafted at these positions, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see them add someone late to compete in camp and add some depth.
• The offensive line will look very similar in 2012 as it did in 2011. I feel like Denver has a great pair of tackles in Ryan Clady and Orlando Franklin that will anchor the line for years to come. It is important that Manning has talented guys who can protect him on the edge and these two fit that bill. Where I have some concern is right up the middle (this concern exists on both sides of the ball). Look for Denver to draft at least one interior offensive lineman at some point. At the very least they need to bring in a quality backup.
• The front 7 of the defense is where this team needs the most work, and so far this offseason they have lost impact players from this group rather than add them. They did re-sign middle linebacker Joe Mays, but losing Brodrick Bunkley at defensive tackle was a big loss. As of right now, no one really knows who will start at tackle next season. That is not good. I am hoping Ty Warren can return from his injury and assume one of those starting jobs, but there is no mistaking the fact that defensive tackle is the biggest hole on the entire Broncos’ roster. Denver subscribes to the strategy of drafting “the best available player at all times regardless of position”, but they should go defensive tackle with their first pick of the draft. Luckily, this draft is loaded with quality interior defensive linemen. If there was ever a year to be in the market for a tackle, this is it.  In no particular order, the best tackles available are Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State; Michael Brockers, LSU; Dontari Poe, Memphis; Jerel Worthy, Michigan State; Kendall Reyes, UConn; Devon Still, Penn State; and Brandon Thompson, Clemson. I expect that the Broncos will draft one of these players with the 25th pick, and by the end of the draft I will be surprised if they haven’t added at least a couple D-linemen.
• Denver has added a few quality names to their defensive backfield during the free agency period. Safety Mike Adams and cornerback Tracy Porter will help bolster a group that was exposed at times last season. I love the signing of Porter. With Champ Bailey on the other side of the field the Broncos now have a fearsome duo at cornerback. Although Denver does have some talented youth in their backfield with Chris Harris and Quinton Carter, there is no doubt that this is an aging group overall, and the possible loss of Brian Dawkins means they will be missing some valuable experience and leadership. I would like to see the Broncos use multiple draft picks on this group to provide some depth and increase the competition. I would also like to see them extend Porter’s 1-year contract if he plays well early in the 2012 campaign.
• As far as special teams go, Denver will be returning all of their specialists this season and don’t need to address it in the draft. Matt Prater and Britton Colquitt were 2 of the top performers in the league a year ago and they will have a big impact going forward.
• At the end of the draft, I would like to be able to report that the Broncos used most of their picks on the defensive side of the ball and sprinkled in a few offensive selections at quarterback, running back and/or offensive line. The Denver defense needs to take the next step and move into the top half of the league rankings, and a strong showing in this draft can help them do just that.
• In the big picture, the Broncos hopefully have as many as 4 seasons with Peyton Manning at quarterback. Every draft class is important for every team, but this draft is more important to Denver than most. The players brought in this year will be integral if the Broncos are to make a serious Super Bowl run in the next couple of seasons. So set your DVR’s and grab some popcorn; this year’s draft is must see TV for all Denver fans. Go Broncos!

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The Broncos could look to re-sign Mario Haggan as an alternative to drafting a linebacker. (Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE)

With free agency beginning Tuesday at 2 PM MDT and the draft next month, it’s time to look at who the Denver Broncos might take in free agency and what that might mean for how they draft:

1st round, 25th overall. Denver Broncos
.The Pick: Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State.
.NFL.com analysis: “Cox is an impressive athlete who is capable of making big, impactful plays from the interior of the defensive line. He is extremely quick off the ball and can get into the backfield as quickly as any tackle prospect in the country.”
.The Options: This pick is a bit of a reach given Denver’s position in the draft, but I’m more and more convinced that there is a substantial gap between Cox and the next two tackles, Jerel Worthy and Devon Still.  When you identify weaknesses on the Denver Broncos defense, defensive line is the most glaring…but perhaps the easiest to fix.  This Broncos line could be a Brodrick Bunkley signing and Cox drafting away from being very talented when you combine the return of Ty Warren and the pass rush of ends Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers.  If the Broncos opt not to bring back Bunkley/use a first rounder on Cox, signing the massive (6’4″, 323 lbs.) and versatile Red Bryant from Seattle to stuff the opposition’s run game would be a step toward helping the line correct its weakness.

2nd round. Denver Broncos
.The Pick: Dwight Bentley, CB, Louisiana-Lafayette
.NFL.com analysis:”Bentley is athletic and it shows once the ball is thrown to his area. He is able to jump and adjust his body to make a play on the ball. He is very natural when working on the line of scrimmage and in zone coverage.”
.The Options: Denver’s secondary is next on the list of needs, but not as easy to fix as the defensive front.  I’m always leery of the late-first round cornerback and with decent depth in this year’s draft I feel like a second rounder is a great place to draft a corner.  Bentley isn’t as big as you’d like to see (5’10″, 178 lbs.), but his speed (4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash)  is what you’d want out of a high-round cornerback.  A huge plus is that Denver may desperately need a kick returner to jump right in if Eddie Royal departs in free agency as I fully expect him to do.  With Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman still the starters at cornerback and the surprising Chris Harris as the nickleback, I don’t see a big splash on the free agent market at this position.  Names like Tracy Porter, Carlos Rogers, and Brandon Carr are players who will want to start, not play their way into a starting position.

3rd round. Denver Broncos
.The Pick: Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
.NFL.com analysis: “Givens is an elite deep threat receiver who is fluid and quick off the ball. He can eat up a defensive backs cushion in a few steps to get them on their heels, and then accelerates in a very controlled, explosive motion.”
.The Options: Running back is probably a more pressing need, but the field thins out after the second round.  Aside from Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, the Broncos are suddenly thin on receivers.  Defense takes precedent in this draft, so receiver has had to wait until now.  The Broncos need a speed man and Givens (4.41 seconds) sits in between projected first-rounders Stephen Hill and Michael Floyd on that front.  He’s not huge at 5’11″, but he is physical enough to compete for the third receiver spot.  Laurent Robinson may be a good fit with his size and performance in Dallas to take the second spot and push Decker into the third receiver role, which would suit him very nicely.  Other possibilities would be Marques Colston and Mario Manningham, though both might come at a slightly elevated cost given their performances in past years.

4th round. Denver Broncos
.The Pick: Robert Turbin, RB, Utah State
.NFL.com analysis: “Turbin is very athletic. Has the size to be a thumper inside, but moves more like a shifty, quick back. Has very quick feet that he employs to stop and start instantaneously out of the backfield.”
.The Options: Turbin is a large, quick running back with a great deal of strength (28 bench press reps, 122 inch broad jump).  Pair him with Willis McGahee and new free agent Mike Tolbert and you have an exceptionally productive backfield.  While wideouts may not be lining up to be role players in the Denver offense, what running back wouldn’t want to be a part of this game plan?  Tolbert is a monster who is a great change of pace back and is big enough that he could line up at fullback.  Speaking of…Peyton Hillis perhaps?  Maybe a return to Denver is just what he needs to get back on track.

5th round. Denver Broncos
.The Pick: Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin
.NFL.com analysis: “If Wilson were three inches taller there would be debate at the top of the draft as to where he fits in.”
.The Options: When a player of this caliber is limited only by scouts’ apprehension of the under 6’0″ quarterback, you take out a flier.  Wilson has everything you want out of a quarterback sans vertical presence.  Each pick in the draft is precious, but Wilson could be one of those underdog stories.  Feel free to jump to my full post on the Broncos’ options at quarterback to see what free agent options the Broncos have.  At the top of the list is Dennis Dixon, Mark Brunell, and as of last week, Peyton Manning.

7th round. Denver Broncos
.The Pick: Emmanuel Acho, LB, Texas
.NFL.com analysis: “Acho is an instinctual inside linebacker who usually takes a good first step toward the ball off the snap. He is good to meet running backs inside and fill a gap, if not two, to make a play and get the ball carrier to the ground.”
.The Options: A high-character pick who may be a special teams/depth player that the Broncos may need given the uncertainty of D.J. Williams after the league suspended him for six games due to a positive PED test.  Denver was able to get good linebacker play in 2011, but don’t have a surplus of talent behind the starters.  The Broncos do, however, have three options for linebacker that are free agents in Joe Mays, Wesley Woodyard, and Mario Haggan.  The rest of the field of free agents isn’t great and there aren’t many who would fit in Denver.  I think London Fletcher would be a tremendous piece given that he’s one of the most underrated players in the entire league, but I don’t see him meshing well with a 4-3 scheme this late in his career.  Look for the Broncos to re-sign their own before making a splash at linebacker.

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Tim Tebow brought Mile High Magic back to Denver against the Jets. (Garrett W. Ellwood/Getty Images)

Thoughts on the big win over the New York Jets at Mile High Stadium (In no particular order):

• There are almost no words to describe what we’ve been seeing during these Broncos games. For the 5th game in a row Tim Tebow has given his detractors a bunch of ammunition for criticism, but for the 4th time in those 5 games he has led the Broncos to victory. And this one may have been the most thrilling yet. This was the first of those 4 wins to occur at home and it happened on national TV in amazingly dramatic fashion. The crowd was electric after Tebow scored the game winning touchdown with under a minute left, and Mile High Stadium was officially insane after the game. I haven’t seen an energy like that since John Elway was the Broncos quarterback.
• The Broncos have now won 3 straight games. Think about that for a minute. Think about how you were feeling about this team a month ago, and then think about how you feel about this team now. It’s simply amazing what has transpired for the Broncos organization over the last several weeks. No one is going to start making crazy proclamations about this season just yet, but for now, winning is a lot more fun than the alternative. Its nights like last night that make being a fan worth it.
• I am ecstatic about how well the Broncos defense is playing, and I’m happy that they got a chance to show the entire country just how far they have come last night. It is hard to describe the transformation on the defensive side of the ball, but they are a wrecking crew right now. They are getting contributions from everyone, and they seem to be playing as a group. They look like they believe in what they are doing and they play extremely hard. Watch how they all run to the ball and never give up on a play. They may bend every once in a while, but scoring on this defense is becoming a tough task for the opposing teams. 

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