The Broncos will begin the 2015 season tomorrow as training camp opens in Dove Valley. The Broncos come into the season as the four-time defending AFC West champs, and they are looking for their fifth straight playoff appearance. A lot has changed for the Broncos since last year. A new head coach, new players, and a new focus for a team that still has high hopes and expectations. Let's break down the Broncos as they head into training camp.
Where We Left Off: The last time we saw the Broncos officially in action was a very depressing 24-13 loss at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts in Denver during the AFC Divisional Playoffs. The game featured a wounded and injured Peyton Manning, a poor effort from basically the entire team, and an absolute mail-in performance by the coaching staff including John Fox, Jack Del Rio, and Adam Gase. As Manning was walking off the field that day, his future was in certain, and you could sense the Broncos were going to go through a lot of changes as a result of that loss.
What Happened Since?: John Elway and John Fox decided to mutually part ways the day after the season ended, and Elway went back to find an old friend, Gary Kubiak, to come in and become the Broncos new head coach. Kubiak brought in Broncos alums Wade Phillips to run the defense and Rick Dennison to run the offensive side of the ball. Manning went back and forth on retirement for about a month, but he ultimately decided to come back and play in 2015, albeit with a pay cut in the process. Denver lost some big free agents in Julius Thomas, Orlando Franklin, Terrence Knighton, and Rahim Moore. The Broncos didn't make any real big splashes in free agency like they did in the previous years, but they signed some low-level guys like Darian Stewart, Vance Walker, Antonio Smith (Pending legal issues), Shelley Smith, Gino Gradkowski, and Ryan Harris. Derek Wolfe got suspended for the first four games of the season due to a PED issue. The Broncos traded up and moved Manny Ramirez to the Lions in the process of drafting pass rusher Shane Ray late in the first round of the NFL Draft. The team has certainly turned over some of their key players from the last two years, and it will be interesting to see how well some of these new and younger players develop in a team that is still designed to win now.
Position Battles at Camp: The big position battles will occur on the offensive line. With Ryan Clady out for the season due to an ACL injury suffered in OTAs, the Broncos will need to see some young guys step in on key spots on the offensive front. Chris Clark will fight for the RT spot with veteran Ryan Harris. Ben Garland and Shelley Smith will battle it out for the LG position, and Matt Paradis and Gino Gradkowski will be in competition for the center position.
Surprise Roster Cuts: Maybe if a guy like Clark gets beat out badly or Harris just doesn't have it, then one of them might get cut. Obviously, if Antonio Smith's legal issues are a problem, then he will get the boot as well. If Omar Bolden doesn't continue to make an impression as a kick returner, then I could see him being the odd man out in a loaded secondary.
Out of Nowhere Players: Wide receiver Jordan Norwood was going to make the team last year as a reserve player and as a returner, but he got injured late in the preseason and was put on injured reserve. Now, he has a chance to return from injury and flash the skills that would have earned him a roster spot last year. Look out for Norwood this camp.
Biggest Questions That Need To Be Answered: The Broncos have a lot of questions heading into training camp. The offensive line will be question mark once camp gets underway. Who will step up and start? How will young guys like Ty Sambraillo, Michael Schofield, and Matt Paradis fit into the scheme of things up front? The health of Peyton Manning and how he transitions into a new offense will be a question, but Manning might not be something Bronco fans should really worry about. The Broncos have a lot more questions this year than in previous years. The last two years the questions were if the Broncos were going to win the Super Bowl or not. This year the questions are certainly different and more challenging.
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