Monday, July 30, 2018

2018 Denver Broncos Training Camp Preview

The Denver Broncos return to training camp this weekend looking for a fresh start in 2018. Last year was a disaster and the 5-11 season was one of the worst in recent Broncos history. Now, the new year begins and the Broncos have a chance to get back to where they belong-in playoff contention. Here are some tidbits as we kick off training camp.

Where We Left Off: The Broncos were defeated by the Chiefs in the season finale in Denver to finish 5-11. There were a lot of questions about Vance Joseph returning as head coach and a lot of questions about the QB position. It was the end to a very dreadful 2017 campaign.

What Happened Since? The Broncos decided to keep VJ as head coach, but they made changes to the offensive staff and special teams. Denver went out and signed Case Keenum to be their new QB. Trevor Siemian was traded to Minnesota. Aqib Talib was traded to the Rams, and instead of drafting a QB in the top 5, the Broncos snagged Bradley Chubb with that pick.

Position Battles at Camp: On offense, it looks like RG is a position to watch with Connor McGovern battling it out with Max Garcia. It is imperative that the Broncos get better there in that spot. I would also keep an eye on the backup QB job between Paxton Lynch and Chad Kelly.

Surprise Cuts: I would not be surprised to see TE Jeff Heuerman get cut. Jake Butt is back healthy at TE and the Austin Traylor has flashed some potential in camp so far. I don't know if it would be a surprise but look out for Isaiah McKenzie or Carlos Henderson to get cut a year after getting drafted. On defense, it wouldn't surprise me to see Darian Stewart's name come up if the other safeties continue to develop.

Out of Nowhere Players: He isn't totally out of nowhere but look for DE Jeff Holland to be a guy that everyone is talking about. He comes out of Auburn and was undrafted, but he looks like he could be a guy that could make an impact this year.

Biggest Questions That Need To Be Answered: The biggest questions for the Broncos are if Vance Joseph can right the ship and improve as a HC in his second year. He has to get better in all areas of coaching this year. The other question is can this defense get back to a level that they aspire to be. The final question will come down to Case Keenum. If Keenum can play like he did last year in Minnesota, the Broncos will have a good chance at a winning season and getting back into the playoffs.