John Elway Signs Five-Year Extension with the Broncos

Right before training camp started this week, John Elway returned from vacation and ready to start the new year. When he returned, Elway signed a five-year extension with the Broncos to remain their General Manager through the 2021 season. This is great news for Broncos fans, and it was a move that most of us felt was going to happen. Although there was some nervous reports out there, the general consensus in Broncos Country was that Elway was going to get this deal done with the Broncos, and he did. You can't overstate how important Elway has been to this franchise since becoming the GM back in 2011. His resume speaks for itself, and it is big relief that it got done, and now the Broncos and Elway can fully focus on training camp and the beginning of the 2017 campaign.

2016 Broncos Training Camp Preview

The Broncos enjoyed tremendous success and national appraisal during the Peyton Manning era in Denver from 2012-2015. Last year, Manning retired, and the Broncos set out to defend the Super Bowl with a unproven Quarterback in Trevor Siemian, an ailing Head Coach in Gary Kubiak, and a top-notch defense led by Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips. All three of those key positions are either led by different men or could be led by someone else in 2017. The Broncos enter training camp with Head Coach Vance Joseph replacing the retired Kubiak, and the team is certainly not the favorites in the AFC, a distinction they held every year Manning was in the Mile High city. The Broncos head into camp this year as underdogs, and many people are picking them last in the AFC West. The Broncos are not rebuilding but really rebooting, but the consensus around the team is that just making the playoffs this season would be a success. That is a far cry from just a few years ago when the consensus was that the Broncos were one of the few teams in the entire NFL with a legitimate shot to win the Lombardi Trophy. As we get set for training camp, here are some facts and questions for the team as the new season is almost upon us.

Where We Left Off: The Broncos defeated the Raiders 24-6 in Mile High in Week 17 to finish the 2016 season with a 9-7 record. The Broncos didn't qualify for the playoffs and their fate was sealed the week before in a loss at Kansas City, which officially eliminated them from playoff contention.

What Happened Since? In the never ending drama that follows the Broncos, Gary Kubiak announced right after the Week 17 win over Oakland that he was retiring from coaching the Broncos. Kubes stepped down from his duties due to his health concerns that plagued him the last few seasons. In his place, the Broncos hired Vance Joseph, formerly the Defensive Coordinator from the Dolphins. Joseph is a first time Head Coach, but he brings in a good staff, which includes new Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy and QB coach Bill Musgrave. Unfortunately, Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips left after his contract expired to go to Los Angeles to coach the Rams. In his place, DB coach Joe Woods was promoted to DC. The Broncos biggest offseason personnel move was the signing of Guard Ronald Leary from the Cowboys and the selection of 1st Round pick OT Garett Bolles in the draft. The Broncos lost a key leader of the team when DeMarcus Ware announced his retirement leaving a huge void on this team.

Position Battles at Camp: All eyes will be on the QB battle between Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch. Siemian has the edge going into camp since he started the majority of games last year, but Lynch came on pretty strong in OTAs, so we will find out more about his progress during camp. I think that everyone in the Broncos organization wants to see what they have in Lynch, and I think a majority of them want Lynch to get the job, but Siemian won't go down without a fight. We'll see how this plays out, but I am rooting for Lynch, and I think he will be the starter unless he really struggles in camp and in the preseason games.

Surprise Cuts: After the drafting of WRs Carlos Henderson and Isaiah McKenzie, there seems to be a plethora of options at that position. I would think that one or even two out of these three players could get cut out of nowhere: Cody Latimer, Bennie Fowler, or Jordan Taylor. Also, don't be surprised if a guy like Jared Crick gets let go in camp based on the improvement of Adam Gotsis and the play of rookie DE DeMarcus Walker

Out of Nowhere Players: I know he kind of made a name for himself last year in camp, but lookout for LB Vontarroius Dora and his impact during the preseason and training camp. Dora turned quite a few heads last summer, and let's see if he will get a more expanded role in 2017.

Biggest Questions That Need To Be Answered: The biggest question is who will win the starting QB job? Can Paxton Lynch step into the starting role? The answers to those questions will determine how successful this season will be for the Broncos. Also, the contract status of GM John Elway is still an issue and there are a lot of questions of why this new deal didn't get done yet. That question will linger over training camp until Elway signs a new deal.

As I stated before, the Broncos come into the season lacking a lot of respect from a lot of experts and analysts from around the media world and the NFL universe. The Broncos have been flat out disrespected, and they can use that as motivation once training camp and the season begins. It is a different world from the one they enjoyed when Peyton Manning was the quarterback, but that doesn't mean that this franchise is far away from being a playoff caliber team. The Broncos could be a darkhorse in the AFC and a team that surprises a lot of experts this coming season.

10 Facts About the 2005 Denver Broncos

With training camp over a month away, I thought it would be a good time to have some fun and go back and continue the 10 Fact About series that I started a few years ago. Here is how it works: I take a random team in Broncos history (Focusing on teams from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s) and find 10 facts that are interesting about that team. Let's go back to 2005 and take a look at 10 Facts About the 2005 Denver Broncos.....

1) The Broncos ground game was so potent that year that the team almost got TWO 1,000 yard rushers in the same season. Mike Anderson led the Broncos with 1,014 yards and Tatum Bell had 921 yards.

2) 2005 was a very productive year for Jake Plummer. Plummer completed 60/7% of his passes, for 3,366 yards, 18 TDs and only 7 INT. He also ran for 2 TDs during the season. Plummer played very smart each week and protected the football in the process. He was a gamer that really helped lead Denver to a 13-3 record.

3) The Broncos finished 13-3, won the AFC West for the first time since 1998, and were the #2 seed in the AFC behind the 14-2 Colts. The Broncos could have very easily finished 15-1, but they lost a heartbreaker to the Giants 24-23 in Week 7, and nail-biter to the Chiefs 31-27 in Week 13.

4) The Broncos played a game on Thanksgiving at Dallas, on Christmas Eve against Oakland, and on New Year's Eve at San Diego, and they won all three games. They beat Dallas in a classic OT game 24-21. They buried the Raiders 22-3 in Denver to clinch the West and a first round bye, and they shut down the Chargers 23-7 in Week 17 in SD.

5) Champ Bailey was phenomenal that year. He finished with 8 interceptions and returned 2 of them for touchdowns. He also forced a fumble and made 64 total tackles.

6) Rod Smart led the team with 6 receiving touchdowns that season. Interestingly, FB Kyle Johnson finished second on the team with 5 receiving TDs.

7) John Lynch actually tied for the team lead in sacks with 4. Ebenezer Ekuban and Trevor Pryce also had 4 sacks on the year.

8) The Broncos defeated the Patriots in the Divisional Playoff Game 27-13. It was the first playoff loss for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick as New England Patriots. Both had previously been 10-0 together.

9) The Broncos played a Saturday game four straight weeks from Week 15 through the Divisional Round. In Week 15, the Broncos played at Buffalo for an ESPN Saturday night special. In Week 16, they hosted the Raiders on Christmas Eve because most of the NFL games were played that day to avoid Christmas Day. In Week 17, the Broncos played a special game at SD on a Saturday afternoon, and for the Divisional Playoff, Denver hosted the Patriots on a Saturday night game on CBS.

10) The Broncos lost to the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game in Denver 34-17. At the time, it was only the third playoff lost at home in Broncos history. The 1996 Broncos lost to the Jaguars in the Divisional Playoffs, and the 1984 Broncos lost to the Steelers in the Divisional Playoffs as well.

Broncos Summer Mailbag

The end of June and most of July is vacation time in the NFL. OTAs and mini-camps are over, and the players and coaches are all away as they prepare to return to training camp towards the end of July. There isn't much news at this point in the offseason, but it is always good to look into some of the major questions the Broncos have as the summer begins and training is over a month away. Here is a six-pack of burning questions surround the Broncos as we head into July.....

Who do you think eventually wins the QB competition? This is the main position battle as we enter training camp. After OTAs and mini-camp, the consensus was that Paxton Lynch really started to come on as the practices continued. It was also stated that Trevor Siemian had some really good days as well. Siemian will enter the training camp as QB1, but Lynch will get every opportunity to supplant him once camp gets going. In the end, I'm going with Lynch to win the job because the Broncos have to find out what they have with their 2016 first rounder.

Besides QB, what is the biggest issue facing the offense after OTAs are over and training camp is on the horizon? The offensive line is the biggest issue going into training camp. Center Matt Paradis is coming off double hip surgery, and he hasn't practiced in the offseason yet. You have Ronald Leary and Max Garcia at the guard positions, but the tackle spots are up in the air. Can Garret Boles win the LT spot? Can he not get our QBs killed if he does start from day one? Will Menelik Watson start at RT and stay healthy all year? Can Ty Sambraillo contribute and somehow improve from his disastrous season last year? Can Donald Stephenson contribute if needed? The focus will be on the QB battle, but the offensive line play will be a huge area to watch as training camp progresses.

Which position on defense is the one area where the Broncos have a lot of questions surrounding heading into training camp? I think the biggest area of interest is the defensive end spot. Jared Crick is penciled in as the starter because he started last year, but it looks like Adam Gotsis has bulked up and put some weight on. Can he step up and win the position? How about rookie second rounder, Demarcus Walker? Zach Kerr was signed from Indy to beef up that position too. The DE spot opposite of Derek Wolfe has to improve from last year, and that is the area to watch come late July in Dove Valley.

What has been your first impressions of new Head Coach Vance Joseph after OTAs? From what I have seen, I have been impressed with Joseph's on-field presence and demeanor in the press conferences with the media. As a NFL head coach, you have to be a leader, motivator, and a CEO-type off the field. I feel like VJ seems to fill that criteria. Watching video of him the first few days of OTAs was impressive to me because he looked, acted, and sounded like a NFL head coach. That is a good sign. I just think he seems natural at it, and that might help all the players buy in to his vision and his program.

Will John Elway sign a contract extension before training camp or before the summer? It is starting to worry me that Elway didn't sign an extension yet-considering it was reported that he has been talking to the Broncos since October about signing a new deal. I think there are two factors in play here: Deadlines spurring action and Elway waiting to see any type of ownership situation. I think the closer we get to the end of his contract is when the real negotiations will pick up with the team. I also think that Elway might know that Pat Bowlen could pass away soon, and maybe he wants to see what the ownership transferal will look like before he signs off. Elway has stated many times on the record that it isn't a concern and he will sign a new deal and be a Bronco for life, but I'm still worried it hasn't gotten done yet. Ultimately, I do think it gets done at some point this season.

Where does this team stand in the AFC West and in the overall playoff picture in the AFC?

Right now, the Broncos are behind the Raiders and Chiefs in the AFC West pecking order and they are clearly behind teams like the Pats and Steelers as far as contenders go in the AFC. Not too many people are expecting much from the Broncos this year. In fact, there are a few websites that are actually predicting the Chargers to finish above Denver this year. I don't mind the lack of faith from the media and low expectations for this team. In fact, I like it better that way. With that said, right now they are behind KC and the Raiders, and I don't think they are in the mix with the other AFC contenders, but it is June and not September, so many things can change.

2017 Broncos Early Spring Preliminary Depth Chart

2017 Broncos Depth Chart (5/5/2017)

QB: Trevor Siemian/Paxton Lynch

RB: C.J. Anderson/Devontae Booker/Jamaal Charles/DeAngelo Henderson/Juwan Thompson

FB: Andy Janovich

TE: Virgil Green/A.J. Derby/Jeff Heuerman/Jake Butt/Henry Krieger-Coble

WR: Demaryius Thomas/Emmanuel Sanders/Cody Latimer/Bennie Fowler/Jordan Taylor/

Carlos Henderson/Isaiah McKenzie

OT: Menelik Watson/Garret Bolles/Donald Stephenson/Ty Sambraillo

OG:Ronald Leary/Max Garcia/Michael Schofield/Connor McGovern

C:Matt Paradis/Dillon Day

K:Brandon McManus

P:Riley Dixon

LS: Casey Kreiter

DE:DeMarcus Walker/Derek Wolfe/Zach Kerr/Jared Crick/Adam Gotsis/Billy Winn

NT: Domata Peko/Kyle Peko

OLB:Von Miller/Shane Ray/Shaq Barrett/Vontarris Dora/Kasim Adebali

ILB:Todd Davis/Brandon Marshall/Corey Nelson

CB: Aqib Talib/Chris Harris/Bradley Roby/Lorenzo Doss/Taurean Nixon/Brendan Langley

S:Darian Stewart/T.J. Ward/Justin Simmons/Will Parks

2017 Denver Broncos Draft Class

With the 2017 NFL Draft in the books, the Broncos will now turn their attention to the next phase of OTAs, Rookie Mini Camp, and then mandatory Mini Camp before they commence for the summer. It was a very productive draft for the Broncos, and there is a lot of reason for optimism as the Broncos head into the late spring and summer months, but before I breakdown the Broncos draft picks, there are a couple of things I would like to say about the NFL Draft in particular.

First, I love the draft and I always have been a fan of the event. Going back to when I was a kid in the 80s and watching the 1st round of draft on an April Sunday on ESPN, and I would then have to check the newspaper for the a review of who got picked in the later rounds after the broadcast went off the air. After the event was switched to a Saturday and Sunday afternoon setup, the draft exploded into a mega event on the NFL calendar and I loved it even more. It became a must watch for any NFL fan. In 2010, they switched the format to the current setup: Round 1 Thursday night, Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday night, and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday afternoon. It really bothers me that they moved it to this format. I hate the idea of only Round 1 on one night, and it takes away from the idea of Draft parties and that afternoon "feel" that football fans love. I would love, but I know they won't, for the NFL to go back to that format and scrap the current one.

Next, do we need the NFL to have former players on each team announce each pick on Day 2? Even more egregious is the idea that the NFL announces a lot of picks on Day 3 from other locations like a mountain side, a zoo, outer space, and a golf course amongst others. What a disaster that is. Who the hell thought this was a good idea? It makes the later rounds of the draft seem like a joke. If the NFL makes one change in any aspect of their product, I pray to God that they will just simply announce the picks in a normal fashion next year. Anyway, here is my breakdown of the 2017 Denver Broncos Draft Class....

Round 1 (Pick #20): Garret Bolles, Tackle, Utah
-The Broncos needed a Left Tackle, and they stayed put at 20 and let arguably the best tackle in the draft come to them. I know there could be an adjustment for Bolles in his first year and tackles are not a given in the 1st round as they were a decade ago, but this looks like the best move the Broncos could have made given where they were picking. Let's hope Bolles produces a solid pick just like Ryan Clady did back in 2008.

Round 2 (Pick #51): DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State
-There is a gaping hole at DE along the Broncos front seven, and Walker could be a guy that helps fill that role. He will likely play a rotational role this year, but I really like Walker, and I remember seeing him standout a lot in his time at FSU. You can't go wrong with more pass rushers, and I think Walker can even play inside on 3rd down situations. I really like this pick by John Elway.

Round 3 (Pick #82): Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech
-Henderson brings a speed dimension to the Broncos that desperately need at the skill positions. The Broncos need another weapon to add to the Demaryius Thomas-Emmanuel Sanders combo, and Henderson could be just what they need. The speedster could help stretch the field and he can even return kicks, which is something that Denver hasn't had since Trindon Holliday in 2013.

Round 3 (Pick #101): Brendan Langley, CB, Lamar
-Langley is a big, tall CB who actually transferred to Lamar from Georgia. Most likely, Langley will be added the Broncos 4th or 5th cornerback and add depth to the group and contribute on special teams-like Kayvon Webster- his first year while he learns from the best secondary in the NFL.

Round 5 (Pick #145): Jake Butt, TE, Michigan
-This might be the most intriguing pick of the draft for the Broncos. Butt was a top TE talent until he tore is ACL in the Orange Bowl. He falls all the way to the Broncos in the 5th round, and if anything the Broncos now have a very talented TE who might be ready to contribute in 2018. As for 2017, it sounds like his rehab is ahead of schedule, and maybe they can put him on the PUP list to start the year, and he wouldn't have to return until October. In any event, if the Broncos get anything from Butt this year, than that is a plus, but going forward this could be a great value pick and a guy that can come in and help a very underwhelming group of tight ends on the roster.

Round 5 (Pick #172): Isaiah McKenzie, WR, Georgia
-McKenzie is another speedster who can return punts and kicks. He will be in the mix with a crowded group of WRs on the roster, so look for him to be a practice squad candidate if he doesn't stick as a returner right away.

Round 6 (Pick #203): De'Angelo Henderson, RB, Coastal Carolina
-The Broncos traded away Kapri Bibbs on Day 3 of the draft to the 49ers, so there is an opening in the Broncos backfield. Henderson is a speed back, and maybe he can fill the void that was left after the Broncos mistakenly let Ronnie Hillman right before the 2016 season. If Henderson doesn't make the team in camp, then he looks like a practice squad candidate.

Round 7 (Pick #253): Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss
-The Broncos selected Kelly as Mr. Irrelevant with the last pick in the entire draft. Kelly comes with a lot of baggage. He wasn't invited to the combine and he had a lot of character concerns in his college career. Some experts feel there is a tremendous amount of potential in him, but I just remember a very overrated QB when I watched him at Ole Miss. In any event, it can't hurt to take a flier on a guy like him with the last pick of the entire draft. If Kelly shows he can play, then he sticks on the practice squad. If he doesn't look very good in camp, then he will be cut loose.

2017 NFL Mock Draft

It is time for my final mock draft for this year's NFL Draft. The real intrigue will be what teams like Cleveland, San Francisco, the Jets, and Houston do about the QB position. This year's QB class isn't glamorous, but there is enough value in there to see some teams move up and around to get their guy. The Broncos need an offensive tackle, an offensive skill player, a defensive end, and an interior linebacker. Here is my mock draft for 2017. Let's see how close I can get when Round 1 kicks off on Thursday night.

Round 1:
#1) Cleveland Browns select Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M

#2)  San Francisco 49ers select Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

#3)  Chicago Bears select Jonathan Allen, DE, Stanford

#4) Jacksonville Jaguars select Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State

#5) Tennessee Titans select Jamal Adams, S, LSU

#6) TRADE: Cleveland trades their 1st Round selection (#12 overall and a 2nd Round selection (#33 overall)and a 5th Round selection (#175 overall) to the NY Jets for their 1st Round selection (#6 overall).

Cleveland Browns select Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson

#7) Los Angeles Chargers select Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford

#8) Carolina Panthers select Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

#9) Cincinnati Bengals select Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee

#10) Buffalo Bills select O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama

#11) New Orleans Saints select Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State

#12) New York Jets (from Cleveland) select Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

#13) Arizona Cardinals select Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

#14) Philadelphia Eagles select Mike Williams, WR, Clemson

#15) Indianapolis Colts select Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri

#16) Baltimore Ravens select Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

#17) Washington Redskins select Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama

#18) Tennessee Titans select John Ross, WR, Washington

#19) TRADE: Tampa Bay trades their 1st Round pick (#19 overall) to the Raiders for the Oakland's 1st Round pick (#24 overall) and Oakland's 3rd round pick (#88 overall).

Oakland Raiders select David Njoku, TE, Miami 

#20) Denver Broncos select Ryan Ramcyzk, OT, Wisconsin

#21) Detroit Lions select Haason Reddick, LB, Temple

#22) Miami Dolphins select Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky

#23) New York Giants select Garret Bolles, OT, Utah

#24) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Oakland) select Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State

#25) Houston Texans select Deshone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame

#26) Seattle Seahawks select Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State

#27) TRADE:Kansas City trades their 1st Round pick (#27 overall) to the Indianapolis Colts for Indy's 2nd Round pick (#46 overall) and one of Indy's 4th round picks (#137 overall).

Indianapolis Colts select Cam Robinson, OT/G, Alabama

#28) Dallas Cowboys select Adoree Jackson, CB, USC

#29) Green Bay Packers select T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin

#30) Pittsburgh Steelers select Kevin King, CB, Washington

#31) Atlanta Falcons select Takkarist McKinely, DE, UCLA

#32) New Orleans Saints select Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida