Thoughts on Denver Drafting Paxton Lynch With the 26th Overall Pick

Many thought the Broncos would have to move past the New York Jets in order to grab Paxton Lynch, but they obviously knew that New York would not pick him in the first round. They ended up trading up to the 26th spot to take their future quarterback, relinquishing the 31st and the 94th picks. 

After the draft concluded, there were reports that Dallas was also trying to trade up for the opportunity to select Lynch, but the possession of a first round pick enticed Seattle to accept the Broncos offer. Good job on Elway’s part to ensure that another team was not able to complete a trade before them to pick Lynch. 

John Elway possessed 10 picks going into the draft so I was not a surprise that he used one of his mid-round picks as ammunition to put himself into a position to draft a player that he really wanted.

Lynch is a polarizing pick among Bronco fans because many thought they would be able to get a project quarterback in the later rounds. Dak Prescott and Christian Hackenberg would both be available in the second and maybe even third rounds. However, I am a huge fan of this pick because Lynch has the highest ceiling of any of the other quarterbacks in the draft. Some have raised concerns of his ability to work from under center and his ability to read NFL defenses (which every rookie QB is unequipped for). 

The best case scenario for both Lynch and Denver is for him to take zero snaps during the 2016 season. Hopefully Sanchez is able to hold down the fort without getting injured or preforming poorly enough to get benched. 

Jon Gruden compared Paxton Lynch to Cam Newton during the ESPN broadcast of the draft, which is good but Gruden is known for overemphasizing player skill. I don't agree with Gruden’s assessment because Cam is much more athletic and more polished coming out of college. 

Lynch has a strong arm and athleticism, but he needs to work on his mechanics, especially since he will be transition to an offense that operates mainly under center. With that said, it is reassuring that Lynch compares closely with Cam according to a former head coach. 

The Broncos did a good job of getting the player that they wanted in the first round and without panicking a trading up before they needed to. Lynch may not be prepared to play this season, but I believe he is the quarterback of the future. Reportedly, Paxton Lynch was the number one quarterback on the Broncos board, ahead of the first two overall picks Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Although I might not agree with that, it is hard for me to criticize John Elway when it comes to ranking quarterbacks.

Steelers @ Broncos Preview

This game would be much more exciting if Big Ben and Antonio Brown were at full health, this is not the case and as a Broncos fan, I cant really find it in me to care that much. Their offense is severely limited if they cant go deep to Marckus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant. TJ Ward and Darian Stewart missed the first matchup between these teams and their presence will certainly help the passing defense. Harris, Talib and Roby will do their thing and I wouldn't expect the Steelers to score more than 13.

Peyton Manning looked pretty good when he made his surprise emergence back into the starting lineup during the second half against the Chargers. He was able to make better calls at the line of scrimmage, which is the main reason the offense was able to move the ball better in the second half. Well, that and not turning the ball over. Benching Matt Schofield was a move that should have been made after he was abused for four sacks by Kahlil Mack. Tyler Polumbus came in for him in the second half and although he was pretty mediocre, he was a big step up from Schofield. 

Ronnie Hillman and CJ Anderson make a fairly intimidating duo in the backfield. If they can both play like they have shown that they are capable of, this offense will be really tough for the Steelers to stop. Neither of them were able to get it going in the first matchup, but the line has been blocking better since then and their play improved over the last two weeks. Kubiak needs to feed Anderson the ball more consistently, he always runs better with ten or more carries than he does with five. For some reason, Kubiak shies away from him at times and it tends to hurt the team. 

Demaryius Thomas's Mom will be able to watch him play live football for the first time in her life since she was released from prison in October of 2015. I expect Thomas to want to have a big game in front of his Mom and the Steelers' secondary lends themselves to those types of big games.

Emmanuel Sanders had a huge game in the first meeting and had 10 catches for 181 yards to go along with a long touchdown. He should be able to cook that secondary for a second time. Sanders probably should have had a bigger game, but Osweiler had a poor showing in the second half, which limited his opportunities.

Virgil Green caught his only pass last week when Manning came back in the second half. He and Owen Daniels will get most of the snaps at tight end since they cant risk putting Vernon Davis out there in important moments. 

Derek Wolfe tallied half of a sack in the first meeting. He could be in line for another big game and ready to prove that he is worth the big contract he just signed. Ben will be punished by him and the rest of the defensive front as well. He is already suffering from a separated shoulder and a relentless pass rush could cause him to come out of the game. Malik Jackson was ruthless in the first game as he tallied 1.5 sacks. His pass rushing ability will continue to cause many problems for the Steelers. Von Miller, who was voted first team all-pro, is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Expect Ben to try and get rid of the ball extremely quick because of the pass rush coupled with his injury.

The only way that the Steelers can move the ball effectively is if they are able to run it on first and second down. They were effective running the football against Cincinnati so I would not discount them even though the Broncos defense is spectacular. Big Ben will have a tough time throwing deep because of his shoulder injury, but he will likely still be a very effective passer within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.  

The hobbled Steeler should not be able put up many points against this very good defense. All the Broncos' need to do is sustain a couple of drives in order to put this one away. 27-10.

Update: Trevor Siemian is inactive, which means Brock must be healthy since there was talk of dressing a third QB earlier in the week. Shiloh Keo is inactive for the second time since they acquired him. He has not played very well and with the other safeties healthy, there isn't much reason to have him out there. Omar Bolden is active, which means he will provide safety depth because of his ability to cover. He will also be available to return kicks. Bolden is a not a big name as a returner, but he does have the ability to take it to the house. 

Derek Wolfe Extended

Derek Wolfe signed a four year extension today, ensuring that they will have good defensive lines for years to come. He will make 36.7 million over the life of the deal, which makes it very unlikely that they will also sign Malik Jackson. It was always going to be a one or the other situation with those two. Wolfe's ability to defend very well against the run probably gave him the edge over Malik when in front office was deciding who to pursue. Only about half of the deal is guaranteed, which makes it very easy to cut ties with him if he does not perform in the future.

Wolfe has been a extremely important part of the top ranked defense ever since he came off of his four game suspension to begin the season. He has registered at least half a sack in six out of the last seven games to finish the season. He finished with the most sacks since his rookie season despite missing four games.

He finally found his fit in the NFL in the 3-4 defense. He was good before this year, but he has been able to take his play to another level this season in his natural position.


Resigning Wolfe allows the front office to focus all of its efforts on Von Miller. I expect his deal to be done before the franchise tag deadline, unlike Demaryius last offseason.

Bronco's Backfield Situtation

CJ Anderson is the number one back and nothing will change that in the preseason. He has run well, but I just hope they don't run him too much before the season even starts. During the regular season, he will receive a majority of the carries and should not have any problem doing so as he demonstrated last year. CJ has not received many touches in the first two games of the preseason, but fans know what he is capable of doing.

The surprise of preseason is Ronnie Hillman because many people including myself wrote him off before camp even began. He had a really good training camp and it translated into the preseason where he won the starting job over Montee. Has a ran hard in both games, is finding the holes well and bursting through them. Al long as he continues to hold onto the ball there is no reason for him not be the #2 back. In theory, he will be a great change of pace back to have behind Anderson. I hope that we get a glimpse in the next game of what the touch distribution will look like.

What happened to Montee Ball? He played well during his rookie season in relief of Knowshon, but struggled during his very short sophomore campaign. Now he is getting third string reps behind CJ Anderson and Ronnie Hillman, two players Bronco fans never thought they would see ahead of Ball in at this point in 2014. That is not an indictment on those two because Hillman has run hard in the preseason and fans should already know what CJ can do. Montee is not hitting the hole hard and looks very hesitant. He is very clearly the fourth most talented back in this backfield at this moment.

Montee Ball does not have much of a future on this team past his rookie deal if he does not improve immensely this season. I believe Juwan Thompson is a better running back than Ball. He has done nothing this preseason to prove otherwise. He runs harder, looks quicker and just looks like an overall better back than Montee. Jeremy Stewart and Kapri Bibbs are not making any waves and Bibbs will likely be cut on September 1st.

Bronco's Special Teams Review

The Broncos return coverage was under scrutiny after allowing a touchdown and two other long returns against the Seahawks. They responded very well. The only kick off was returned 22 yards and the held them to a 6.4 yard average on 5 punt returns. This gives me a lot of home because I was very down on this unit entering the game.

The competition in the punting game was a highlight after Lanning was brought in and Colquitt struggled against Seattle. Colquitt averaged 43.8 yards per punt on 5 punts and had a long of 53 yards. He also had a punt that he should have put inside the 10, but he only got to the 15. It is the type of thing he needs to work on in order to win the job. He needs to perform better because Lanning averaged 50 yards per punt on 2 punts with a long of 56 yards. This battle will likely go into the fourth preseason game, but I think and hope that Lanning will win the job.

Nobody stood out on punt returns besides Omar Bolden, but that was for the wrong reasons. He had one return where he went in reverse 6 yards. Luckily for him, no one impressed enough to justify overtaking him. Corbin Louks returned two kickoffs for 26 yards each. This could help propel him onto the team after making the game winning touchdown catch as well. I hope he gets plenty of chances to return kicks next week.

Brandon McManus demonstrated why I believe he will win the starting kicking job. He was able to kickoff the ball well, which helped the kick return team. He also kicked the first extra point, which is notable because some thought that would be a sticking point to the Broncos only keeping him on the roster.

Stock Watch: Preseason Week Two

Stock Up

Ronnie Hillman: He was ahead of Montee on the depth chart heading into this game and did nothing to surrender that position. He finished with 8 carries for 54 yards, which puts him above 6 YPC for the second straight game.

Marcel Jensen: He had two catches in this game that he was able to turn into 42 yards. I don't think that he has a legitimate shot at a roster spot, but he could end up on the practice squad.

Corbin Louks: He made a fantastic catch in the end-zone that put the Broncos ahead for good. That catch combined with his two kick returns for an average of 26 yards could vault him onto the roster. He looked good returning kicks and if he is able to repeat that again next week, he will make a push for the fifth receiver spot.

Todd Davis: As I mentioned last week, Todd Davis disappointed against Seattle, but he showed what he was capable of today. He always seemed to be around the ball in the run game and finished with five tackles. He also stuck on his man in coverage. I was glad to see him bounce back from a rough first outing.

Ty Sambrailo: He played much better against Houston than he did against Seattle, which was a relief to many Bronco fans. However, there are still plenty of things he needs to work on. He was called for another penalty, which took away a nice run by CJ.

Stock Down:

Nathan Palmer: He did not catch a single pass in this game. With Bennie Fowler making more plays and Louks making a name for himself tonight, he could find himself buried in the depth chart.

Jordan Norwood: The same goes with him. He did not record a catch either  and did not return once in this game. Without the chance to show his worth in the return game, his chances to make the roster slip away.

Brock Osweiler: He did not play well. Although he was pressured more, he still made bad mistakes and was inaccurate with his passes. I still think what we saw against Seattle is more in line with how good Brock is, it would be nice to see him become more consistent. His pick six was an awful throw too. He did not see the defender which is something he should look at on film.

Reaction to the Broncos Backups Against Houston

Brock Osweiler overthrew some of his targets early, but he had a great pass for a touchdown to Andre Caldwell with 7:21 left in the second quarter. Later in the game, he threw a pick six and it looked like he did not even notice the defender. He struggled after a really good showing against Seattle, but I don't think he looked comfortable behind the backup offensive line. He finished 7 of 16 for 121 yards, a touchdown and the interception. However, 57 of those yards were gained on the touchdow pass to Caldwell. Trevor Siemian came in after Brock, which indicates that he is the third QB on the roster. He may be ahead of Dysert, but that does not mean he will make the final roster. He did lead a nice go ahead drive with less than two minutes left that was capped by a nice throw and a great catch by Louks. He needs to keep having good games in order to force the Broncos to keep him on the active roster.

Montee did not receive his first carry until the second quarter. It looks like he has been relegated to the third running back on the team and likely wont receive more than five touches in regular season games after a poor showing today. He still struggled to run the ball and only had 4 yards on 4 carries. This does not bode well for his future NFL prospects. Hillman is firmly ahead of Ball on the depth chart now. He ran very well, finishing with 54 yards on 8 carries, and is going to see plenty of touches behind CJ this season if he is able to stay healthy. Juwan Thompson had a 23 yard run on his first carry in the game. He is a good back and would prove it more if he had a better line blocking for him.

The backup offensive line looked to be playing better, but that is not saying much considering how poorly they played against Seattle. They were able to open up more running lanes in this games which indicates at lease some improvement.

Darius Kilgo had another sack, which just proves that he will be a key rotational player on the defensive line this season. He is easily noticed because he always seems to be pushing back his man so far in the preseason. He had another tackle for a loss later on in the game. He has been making a name for himself in the preseason and could be a key rotational player to Sly Williams when the regular season rolls around. Vance Walker was also able to record three tackles and showed people that the line will be alright even with Wolfe gone the first four games.

Shane Ray had a nice pass knockdown with the pressure early in the 3rd. Shane was all over the place again and was involved in 6 tackles and had half a sack. He was beaten in pass coverage, which is something he will have to work on this season. He was slow to get up on a sack early in the third, but the trainers did not spend a lot of time with him and seemed fine agter the game. Barrett had another sack in with 11 minutes left in the third, but it was nullified due to a holding call on Webster. He had a strip sack with 14 seconds left in the game when Houston was looking to go ahead in the game. He has certainly proved to coaches that he deserves a roster spot.

Corey Nelson has probably performed the best out between him, Barrow and Johnson. He is consistently on his man in pass coverage and he made some nice plays in the run game. He was involved in 6 tackles overall. Steven Johnson also played well, but I still believe Nelson is the better player.

Kayvon Webster had a very nice sack on a perfectly timed blitz that kept Houston from scoring before halftime. However, he also committed a holding penalty that lead to a Houston first down on their field goal drive early in the third. He is still a little inconsistent, but he is only coming in on dime packages and I would take him one on one against any teams 4th best receiving option.

Curtis Marsh was beat deep early in the fourth and the play set up Houston inside the five yard line. He cannot let those plays happen if he is going to make the final 53-man roster. Doss probably played better than Marsh because of the absence of mistakes. The race between the two is still very tight and it will likely take all four games to decide the better fit.

Bolden and Bruton both seemed to play well as backups and did not let any big plays happen. They are going to be effective backups of Ward or Stewart go down for a short period of time.

Reaction to the Starters in the First Half

Manning: He looks fine. There have been some rough spots, but there have been some crucial mistakes to end drives. (Two drops and a holding). Did not score on four drives. I am not worried because he still looked poised. CJ had a nice run for 14 yards when the Broncos were deep in their own territory. He finished with 6 carries for 24 yards and had a couple of good runs called back because of penalties. He does not seem to have any lingering effects from his injured ankle. James Casey is unfortunately notable because had a drop late in the first quarter on third and one, which is disappointing because it was is an integral play on this offense for third and one situations. Hopefully that is not a problems that continues into the regular season.

Demaryius had a drop on what would have been a first down on the first drive. Had two nice catches the drive after. He finished with three catches for 24 yards, but it was his first game back and should be much better by the regular season. Virgil Green had a holding penalty with 6:18 in the first when Broncos were on Houston's 40. He only had one catch for 14 yards in the first half, but he said that he wanted to improve from his performance run blocking in Seattle. That penalty does not help, but he blocked better afterwards. Owen Daniels had four catches and Manning made it a point to get him the ball quickly and often.

The starting offensive line played much better than they did against Seattle. However, they have been called for a lot of penalties. The starters stayed in even when Manning, Demaryius and CJ all came out because they need the work still. They protected Brock well on his long TD pass to Caldwell with 7:21 left in the second quarter.

The defensive line played well as a unit as a unit. Good push on a third and one with around 11:14 left on the third. Vance Walker also made some nice plays in the first half. Sylvester Williams had a quick sack on a great spin move for the teams first sack of the game with 17 seconds left in the half.

Brandon Marshall only played the first quarter since it was his first game back. He still finished with three tackles and was very good in pass coverage. He had nice coverage on Blue on third down to force a punt with 9:11 left in the first. Almost had a pick late in the first quarter. He reads the pass well and always seems to be right with his man. Todd Davis played much better than he did against Seattle. He was better in coverage and made some nice tackles in the run game.Von Miller did not have a sack in the game, but he still played well and had a nice tackle at the line of scrimmage. Ware jumped offsides early in the game to make a third and 10 into a third and 5, which hurt, but they still ended up getting the stop.

Harris Aqib and Roby all played very well. Roby has shown good growth and he has been on top of his man for most of the game. The entire secondary played well as they held Houston scoreless in the first half. They did not give up any big plays and came up with stops when needed.

Broncos @Texans Backup Preview

Brock Osweiler played well against Seattle and proved to me that he can be the QB after Manning calls it quits. He at least has the potential of Jake Plummer and he lead the Broncos to an AFC championship game. He should be able to handle Houston's second team well. I am more interested in seeing if Siemian or Dysert receive third team reps. Siemian clearly outplayed him in Seattle, but I am not sure if he has convinced coaches to keep him on the final 53. He seemed very poised against Seattle, which is something he should carry over into Houston. Dysert might not see any playing time considering his struggles and that Manning could be playing the entire first half.

Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman are firmly number two and three on the depth chart and are not fighting for a roster spot. However, if Hillman has another good game and Ball struggles, he could find himself receiving more touches than Ball in the regular season. Hillman ran very well in the first game and I would love to watch him repeat that performance in Houston. Montee had some decent runs, but did not have a great game overall. Hopefully he is able to string together some quality runs in this game. Juwan Thompson did not run well, but he did not get any help from an offensive line that struggled to give him lanes. He is still likely to make the roster considering Jeremy Stewart and Kapri Bibbs have not done anything spectacular. I hope the line can block at least semi decently so he at least has a chance to run well.

Cody Latimer is the third receiver when everyone is healthy, but he will get a lot of playing time in this game since Sanders is not going to play. Bennie Fowler will also get a lot of playing time because he has had a great camp along with a productive first game. With another excellent showing, he could solidify a roster spot for himself. Jordan Norwood also has a chance to make the roster, but he needs to do better on special teams to give him a boost. Jordan Taylor and Solomon Patton also have a shot, but Andre Caldwell stands in their way because of his relationship with Manning and his veteran leadership. The coaching staff probably would like to see more out of Dominique Jones. He only had one catch in the first game and I am sure the coaching staff would like to keep a third tight end on the roster even though James Casey will play fullback and tight end. Hopefully he is able stand out on Saturday.

The backup offensive line was not any good against Seattle. They struggled to produce holes in the running game and also had some trouble pass blocking. Ben Garland, Michael Schofield and Gino Gradkowski all had bad games. Each of them had a chance to start this season and it is a relief to know that they aren't likely to anymore. However, they really need to show improvement just in case one of the current starters is lost due to injury.

Darius Kilgo played very well against Seattle and demonstrated to fans why he has jumped up the depth chart. He should have a good follow up game and should prove to be a good rotational player during his rookie season. Marvin Austin was placed on IR, which means Sione Fua likely makes the team. Kenny Anunike will miss this game, which means Antonio Smith will see plenty of snaps. Chuka Ndulue and Josh Watson will also get chances, but their hopes lie in a spot on the practice squad.

Shaq Barrett looks to dominate much like he did in the first game. I go to CSU so I have been a fan of him, but his game against Seattle opened the eyes of many fans. If he lives in the backfield against the Texans, he could start earning himself some decent rotational time during the regular season. Unfortunately, Lerentee McCray will not see any action this week because he is still in the process of returning from multiple injuries. Chase Vaughn had a pretty good first game, but his chances of getting on the 53 man roster are slim, but he will be fighting for a spot on the practice squad. Lamin Barrow, Steven Johnson and Corey Nelson are all looking to make an impact in this game because one of them could find themselves off of the roster. Lamin Barrow has struggled on defense, but seems to be a good special teams player, which significantly help his chances to make the roster. My guess is that if the decision had to be made today, Corey Nelson would be the odd man out, but there are still three games left for players to prove their worth.

As I have mentioned before, the battle for the last corner spot on the roster will be important for the coaches to watch. I would rather Curtis Marsh and Lorenzo Doss win the job than Tony Carter. Fans know what they will be getting from him and to be honest, he is a solid player, but he gambles too much for the fifth corner on the depth chart. I want to see Omar Bolden playing safety. He missed the first game, but if he proves himself against Houston, I can rest easier about the safety situation after Ward and Stewart. Hopefully Josh Bush or Ross Madison stand out in this game, but for a safety that deep in the depth chart, they need to show coaches that they can make plays on special teams.

Brandon McManus, in my mind, has a legitimate shot of supplanting Barth if he is able to keep making field goals. I would like to see him kick some new extra points to prove that he has the consistency to be the only kicker on the roster. Some might think this is crazy considering the bad position the Broncos were in last season because of their confidence in him, but kickers do improve. Matt Prater also had accuracy issues at the beginning of his career and he ironed those out. Another reason to keep him over Barth is that he can boot it into the end-zone at a higher angle, which gives the kick team more time to get downfield and they could obviously use that. Spencer Lanning was signed right before the Seattle game, which he was not able to play in. He has a legitimate shot at supplanting Colquitt because he struggled at Seattle and during the 2014 season. If Lanning is able to have a net yardage in the 40's, he will likely make the team. The return team needs to perform better. They muffed two punts against Seattle and nobody really stood out to supplant Omar Bolden. Patton, Norwood, Burse, Fowler and Caldwell will all likely get shots to return. All of them need to do a lot better than they did against Seattle to catch the coaches eye.

There are many roster spots to be won, which is what makes preseason football watchable. I am excited to see which backups are able to make a name for themselves and get on the coaches radar.

Broncos @ Texans Starter Preview

The Broncos and the Texans kickoff in Houston at 6:00 mountain standard time. Peyton Manning and Demaryius Thomas will be making their 2015 preseason debuts so it will be great to see those two work together again even if it is only preseason. Kubiak stated that Manning and Thomas will likely play one and half quarters or into halftime depending on how it is going. This will be a good test for the line because they will have to accommodate  for JJ Watt.

The offensive line needs to show improvement from last game. They struggled against Seattle, but they improved throughout the game, which gives me some hope. However, they still need to prove themselves early in the game. Playing against JJ Watt and the rest of Houston's starters will be a big test even though it is preseason. Ty Sambrailo needs to show that he can handle the Houston pass rush. Having Manning back there makes it a little more high stakes than Brock. I believe he has the ability to be really good and will likely show positive steps during this game. Max Garcia and Paradis need to show consistency after they both had good first games.

Virgil Green showed that he will be a formidable receiving option against Seattle. He is not as talented as Julius Thomas, but he is still able to create matchup problems. He will likely be targeted often again as the new offense will give him plenty of opportunities. Owen Daniels will see his first action as well and it will be nice to see him and Green in two tight end sets.

Demaryius and Emmanuel will see the field together for the first time. Hopefully Manning will be able to connect on one long ball to either of the two. We could see some three wide sets with Cody Latimer which adds another dimension to the number one offense.

The starters on the defensive line performed well in the first game, but I would like to see continued growth from Sylvester Williams at nose tackle. Keep and eye on Vance Walker because he will be starting for Wolfe during the first four games. He was solid against Seattle and that is all Denver needs him to be since he will be backing up Wolfe for most of the Season. I am not worried about Wolfe or Jackson this game, they have proved that they will be effective.

Brandon Marshall will see his first action this season, but Trevathan will miss this game. I love Marshall and am ready to see him work in the new defense. Todd Davis will be lining up next to him. As I have said, I want to see him play much better than he did in Seattle. He needs show that he can stop the run after only having one tackle last week. Von Miller and Shane Ray are going to start again. Both of them were fantastic last week. Miller obviously had the strip sack, but Shane was in the backfield consistently as well. Expect to see more of the same on Saturday.

TJ Ward most likely will play after being excused from practice. If he plays, I hope that he gets more work covering players one on one. If he is able to be serviceable in that area this season, this defense will be dangerous. Darien Stewart will start and hopefully play well again. Rahim Moore plays for Houston so Bronco fans can get a glimpse of how Stewart and Moore compare.

Connar Barth and Britton Colquitt are still the starters ay kicker and punter, but they could both lose their jobs. They cannot afford to make any major mistakes in these upcoming games because of the competition.

I cant wait to see how all of the starters perform against Houston. It's only preseason, but it can be an indicator of how a team will play in the regular season.


Update: I now know that Sanders will not be playing in this game. Hopefully we will see Demayius and Emmanuel on the field at the same time in the third game.

Who and What to Watch For on Saturday Against the Texans

Peyton Manning: He will be making his debut in the new offense against the Texans, which is probably the most intriguing thing about this game. Everyone knows Manning is a great QB, but for some reason, some talking heads don't think he will be able to succeed in this offense. Some have said that the Broncos wont even win the division and a few have questioned their ability to make playoffs this season. Most of this stems from Manning's unspectacular finish to last season, but that was caused by a torn quad and is not indicative of his future. Manning will come out strong on Saturday and prove to everyone that he is ready to ball out this season.

Ronnie Hilliman: He played great against Seattle and it would be nice to see him prove that he can continue to play well. I think he will show that he will play an important role in this offense after his performance on Saturday.

Demaryius Thomas: He will be seeing his first action since signing his new contract. He will be playing for as long as Manning does and it will be fantastic to see both of them work in Kubiak's offense.

Left side of the offensive line: Sambrailo, Garcia and Paradis were all making their first starts and it showed during the game. Sambrailo mostly struggle. Hopefully he is able to correct his mistakes because Manning will be behind center on Saturday. Garcia and Paradis both played well. Garcia could improve his pass blocking a little bit, but he should he will be a very effective run blocker in his first season. Paradis also played well and coaches love him and it would be great if he followed with another good performance.

Shaq Barret: He was outstanding against the Seahawks and with another stellar performance he could solidify a roster spot. His new physique was obviously beneficial to his game and it will be great to see dominate again.

Todd Davis: He did not play well against the Seahawks, but I know that he has the potential to be a good player in this league. I think he will be able to demonstrate his potential when he gets into the groove against Houston.

Competition for the Fifth Cornerback Spot: Tony Carter, Curtis Marsh, Lorenzo Doss and Taurean Nixon are all competing although it looks as if Nixon could find himself on the practice Squad. Doss likely would not pass through waivers because he is a fifth round pock so it is important that he wins the job. I'm not a fan of Tony Carter and am indifferent to Marsh. I think the battle will boil down to Marsh and Doss, but their performances in this game will have a lot sway in that decision.

How Good Will the Bronco Defense Be in 2015?

The Broncos had a good defense last season, but they had the potential to be so much better, which is why they chose to hire Wade Phillips as Jack Del Rio's replacement. Wade brings a new style of defense with him that I think suits the Broncos' needs much better than Del Rio's style. The switch to the 3-4 could automatically make some players better than they were in 2014. I believe that Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson and Demarcus Ware are all better suited for the 3-4. Demarcus Ware started off 2014 fantastically, but ran out of gas and was unable to sustain his success. Now that the Broncos have Shane Ray, they likely rotate him a lot of Ware. This should keep him fresh for the entire season, which is necessary for the Broncos to have a top five defense. It should also be noted that Ware plays really well in a 3-4 defense and reuniting with his old coach could help him out. Derek Wolfe will miss the first four games of the regular season due to a suspension that involved PED use. However, when he returns I expect him to have his best season in the league. He was a tweener on the line in a 4-3 because he was too small to play defensive tackle and not quick enough to effectively play defensive end. He should be a perfect fit as a 5 technique in Wade's 3-4. Malik Jackson is sort of the same story, but he was a little more effective than Wolfe in the 4-3 last season.

Every Bronco fan should be ecstatic at just how much potential this defense has in 2015. Just the talent alone is staggering. Chris Harris, Von Miller, Aqib Talib, TJ Ward, Brandon Marshall, Danny Trevathan and Demarcus Ware are all top 10 at their respective positions in my mind. Malik Jackson will make waves around the league in my opinion. They also had  In 2014 they had the second best run defense in terms of yards and the 9th ranked passing defense in terms of yards. However, they were 16th in terms of points scored per game. They did this without Danny Trevathan for most of the season and Brandon Marshall also missed a couple of games. This season they hope both will be healthy and flourish in the new defense. Bradley Roby will take a step forward and teams will struggle to pass against the Broncos. The pass rush combined with the sheer talent on the outside will disrupt the flow of the opposing teams passing game. It should also be noted that Trevathan and Marshall are good coverage linebackers which will help take away check downs to the tight end or running back. If everyone were to stay healthy, this defense could be top ten on talent alone, but when combined with Wade Phillips taking over the defense, I think it makes them a lock to be a top five defense. In 2014, Del Rio was way too conservative for me and many other fans. At times it seemed like he refused to blitz, even though he had one of the best blitzing safeties in the league at his disposal.  Wade should change that this season. Expect the defense to blitz a lot and to go after the football much more than previous years.

The defense played wonderfully in the first preseason game. They got to the quarterback seven times and forced four fumbles. That is what Kubiak and Elway want to see from this defense. This makes me exited to see what they are capable of in the regular season. I honestly believe this team could be a playoff contender with Brock at QB because of the talent on the defense. Manning makes them Super Bowl contenders.

Expect big numbers from Von Miller this season. He is one of the best defensive players in the NFL and is in a contract year. He is going to ball out. Also, the transition to the 3-4 might benefit him too. Shane Ray will have plenty of chances to get after the quarterback when he is relieving Demarcus Ware. I think he could het 8 or more sacks this season. Maybe I am too excited and will be disappointed, but just thinking about the changes and their performance on Friday makes me believe they are going to be elite.

Preseason Game One Review of the Offense

I know it is only preseason, but it is difficult to not be exited about the work that most of the players displayed last night. The offense played well overall and was consistently able to drive down the field. Brock was great and finally proved, at least to me, that he can be a good quarterback in the league. He made plenty of throws and was confident in the pocket, which is something he lacked when he saw action earlier in his career. I only saw one bad pass that he threw last night, which is a major improvement from previous preseasons. He put passes in the perfect spot to lead receivers away from hits, which is a skill he likely honed watching Manning. It also looks as if Trevor Siemian could pass Dysert on the depth chart, after his solid performance. He made some smart throws and looked much better than Dysert who came in flat and did not impress.
CJ Anderson only received three carries and had to come out of the game after injuring his ankle. The injury appeared to be minor, but there was little reason to put him back in the game. On the carry he got injured, Ty Sambrailo missed a key block and was the reason he was stuffed for about a four yard loss, which altered his stats. His first two carries were solid, but it was hard to get a feel for how good he will be this season because of the limited carries. Montee Ball had some good runs mixed in with some bad runs. He finished with 8 carries for 26 yards to go along with 1 reception for 7 yards. He looked like he will be effective in this offense as the one cut and go style fits him very well. Ronnie Hillman showed that last season was not just a fluke and ran with purpose for the entire game. He had 8 carries for 66 yards and was decisive in his running, something that plagued him early in his career. He also added one catch for 11 yards. He showed the coaching staff that he deserves more touches during the regular season. One comparison that I thought he has a chance to live up to is Tatum Bell in 2005. He can come in and spell Anderson, which will allow the coaching staff to get the most out of the run game like they did with Mike Anderson and Bell in 2005. Juwan Thompson failed to find much running room during his time in the game. He finished with 8 carries for 12 yards, but added a reception for 18 yards. Hopefully he is able to improve in the next couple of preseason games because he is now firmly the fourth running back on the depth chart after Hillman's performance Friday night. Jeremy Stewart only had 4 carries for 10 yards and added a catch for 8 yards. He needs to make a splash in the coming games in order to have a chance to make the roster. Kapri Bibbs did not run the ball in this game and it is looking more and more like he does not have much of a chance to make the team.
Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders did not play on Friday, which gave Cody Latimer plenty of reps to show why he was drafted in the second round last year. He did not disappoint as he pulled in 4 receptions for 49 yards. He also had a spectacular catch that did not count because of a false start penalty. He demonstrated that he can be an effective third receiver during the season. He showed a lot of growth from the past preseason, which should be expect heading into his second year. The receiver picture behind him just got murkier after this game. Andre Caldwell did not have a catch the entire game, but he would have likely made a big play where he beat his man down the field, but Brock slightly under-threw him.  Bennie Fowler played a good game and showed he can create separation in his routes. He finished with three receptions for 67 yards including a pretty long throw from Siemian. He could be a good candidate to make the roster depending on what he does in the following preseason games. Jordan Norwood also had three catches, but unlike Fowler, he was only able to amass 29 yards. He also muffed a punt in the game, which means he probably needs to perform a little better on the offensive side of the ball if he wants to make the team. I think he has plenty of talent to make the roster, but it will be interesting to see if the coaching staff and front office want to go with three inexperienced players behind Demaryius and Emmanuel. They probably wouldn't want to do that, which is why I think Caldwell makes the roster for another season.
Virgil Green was the only tight end to do much receiving game as he finished with 5 receptions for 45 yards to go along with a touchdown. Green looked like he will replace Julius nicely. Although he is not as talented in the receiving game as Julius, Friday's game revealed that he is still a good receiver in his own right and was able to get open numerous times during the game. He is also a better blocker than Thomas although he did have a couple of missed assignments early in the game. Owen Daniels did not play because he is familiar with the offense, but it will be interesting to see how it plays out when he is on the field at the same time as Green. Dominique Jones received some playing time and looked alright, but he did not do much to stand out to coaches or fans in my opinion.
The line was shaky to start the game when Brock was sacked on the second offensive play for the Broncos. However, they did seem to figure things out as the game progressed on. Ty Sambrailo had a rough game. He missed a handful of assignments and had a false start. Fans were probably hoping to see him play better considering the hype he received in camp. He has the skills necessary to play his position so hopefully his showing last night was not a sign of things to come. We did not hear Max Garcia's names too much and it looked like he was able to run block effectively as well as give Brock time in the pocket. Matt Paradis also looked like he played well, which is good for both Paradis and Garcia considering both of their jobs are still in open competition. Ryan Harris played solid at right tackle and I would be okay entering the season with him starting, which is a good thing considering Schofield did not do much to impress me. He still seems to be making the same mistakes and just might not be good enough to play tackle in the NFL. With Sambrailo starting on the other side, it would be better if the Broncos opted for a veteran presence on the right side. The second team line as a whole seemed to run block well and give some time to the QB, but that was also playing against Seattles backup defensive line.
As a whole, the offense played great even if they did settle for a lot of field goals. Brock gave us fans hope for when Manning decides to call it quits. The running game makes all of the backs better than they would be, which was demonstrated perfectly by Ronnie Hillman last night. Latimer took another step in his game and should get a lot more reps this season than he received during his rookie season. The offensive line looked like it could be serviceable in pass blocking, which was my biggest concern. Maybe Manning will play a drive or two in the second preseason game in order to show off the true ability of this offense.

Denver Broncos Tight End Competition

Jacob Tamme was the starter last season due to his receiving ability. He is not much a blocker, but he is a good receiver who is adept at finding the open spot on the field. He was off and on last season, sometimes he would show up and have a great game, others he would be nonexistent. He will probably not be a top option this season since the Broncos signed Welker, but he will still be an important part of the team. 

Joel Dreesen had been thought of as more of a blocker, but he was a really good receiver last season. He was Manning's main tight end target near the end zone last season and that showed with his 5 touchdowns. He is not a big play guy, but he will move the chains. Blocking is his forte which is why I think he will get a lot of playing time next season. 

Virgil Green was suspended for the first four games last season due to violating the leagues substance abuse policy. When he finally got back he had a hard time finding a place on the team. He is a good blocker who has some decent receiving skills. He found himself playing some fullback last season, but I don't thinl that will carry over into this season. With Dreesen and Tamme likely in front of him on the depth chart, it will likely be tough for him to find playing time barring injury.

Julius Thomas was a project pick when the Broncos took him in the 5th round of the 2011 draft. It looks as if this project has run amuck. He has not developed well coming into this season and whenever he is on the field he looks lost and confused. Maybe that changes this season, but I doubt it. He was stuck on the inactive list last season, but Broncos brass may think that spot could be filled by someone who could be more productive. 

Lucas Reed was picked up as an undrafted free agent after this years draft. He looks the part of an NFL tight end, he is 6'6" and 250 pounds and he has big hands. He has the athleticism that his necessary to get open and make plays. However, he has problems with patterns and looks stiff when he runs. He will likely battle Thomas for the last roster spot for a tight end. \

I think Dreesen will end up being the starter because of his superior blocking skills and his developing receiving skills. Tamme is a close second and should see the field a lot because he can be split out wide. Virgil Green is nowhere close to those two, but he is definitely separated from both Thomas and Reed. Thomas should win the position battle wit Reed, but coaches may think they can develop Reeds' potential more than Thomas

Three Ways the Broncos Can Make a Run for the Superbowl in 2014

1. Draft well
In Order to be effective next season, the Broncos need to draft well NOW. If they can grab a starter in the first or second round they will be where they need to be in terms of quality players. Middle linebacker, running back, Defensive tackle and safety are all options for the Broncos to consider. If they can snag a smart slot receiver it will boost their already robust passing game.

2. Do not let John Fox run the offense
Fox is a great defensive coach, but he is way too conservative on the offensive side of the ball. He game plans like Kyle Orton or Tebow are still the QB's. This is Peyton Manning, let him be Peyton Manning. Too many times McCoy called a running play on 3rd down when we know Peyton could have thrown for it. Hopefully a new offensive coordinator will change the play calling, but the final say resides with Fox.

3. Continue to unleash Thomas and Decker
Decker and Thomas were both able to catch 80+ passes for 1,000+ yards and 10+ TD's. Teams could not stop them and they meshed well with Peyton Manning. The offense should continue to feature them and show the league that it will be very hard to stop this team.