To be completely honest, considering the current state of the NFL style of play, the Broncos' Super Bowl victory this past February had to be one of the most unexpected in recent memory. In a league defined by pass happy, finesse offense, and bend-don’t-break defense, the Broncos couldn’t be more opposite. Featuring the best defense we’ve seen since the 2000 Ravens and an offense that made the ’08 Lions look like the ’99 Rams, the Broncos' unorthodox style of play in today’s league really threw teams through a loop each week. There were plenty of ups and down along the way, including a benching of future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and then the subsequent benching of his backup Brock Osweiler just weeks later. But when all was said and done, this well-coached and defensive-led ball club suffocated their opponents all the way to the Lombardi Trophy.

Fast forward to early March – just one month after their victory – and on the surface, the entire culture was about to change. Manning announced his retirement and the supposed heir apparent Osweiler signed a mega-contract with the Houston Texans. Without a clear plan at quarterback, many fear that the Broncos' chances of making the playoffs again will be in jeopardy, let alone repeating as champions.

The reality is that quarterback play had very little to do with Denver’s postseason run in 2015-16, so provided they maintain their defensive dominance, chances are that they could be a force once again in 2016-17.

With already huge losses on the defensive side of the ball this offseason – including three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib Talib who was just shot in a Dallas nightclub – tons of questions remain for this ball club going forward.

Key Losses

Peyton Manning (QB) – Retirement

Undoubtedly one of the most accomplished players in the history of the game, Manning was one of the lucky ones who managed to go out on top a la Broncos GM John Elway in 1998. For me to explain how good Manning has been throughout his career and what he has done for the game would be understandably exhaustive – something that could use an entire article itself – so I will spare you the details here. Surprisingly enough, however, his retirement may end up being a blessing veiled in sorrow for the Broncos, as they will no longer feel the need to trot out his physically diminished talent at 40 years old each Sunday, and can instead move on to a younger quarterback seemingly willing to embrace coach Gary Kubiak’s offensive system. His presence will be missed for sure, but his ever-deteriorating arm talent and sudden fragility will not be.

**Live Feed of Manning Currently in Retirement**

Malik Jackson (DL) – Jaguars

While Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware got all of the attention during the Broncos' Super Bowl run in 2015-16, one could argue that Malik Jackson was in fact their most consistent disruptive force down the stretch. He compiled seven sacks combined throughout the regular and post season, seven batted passes at the line of scrimmage, and countless quarterback hurries. Beyond the stats, his ability to disrupt the interior line of scrimmage went a long way, as he managed to occupy offensive lines just enough to get the aforementioned Miller and Ware running free off the edge (1v1). His departure will certainly be felt, but with all of the other said talent on this defense, there was no way the Broncos were going to be able to pay Jackson upwards of $90 million.

Brock Osweiler (QB) – Texans

This was one of the more surprising departures of the offseason, as Osweiler was the heir apparent to Manning once he inevitably retired. That day of inevitability arrived just a month after the Super Bowl, but before the Broncos had a chance to lock up their torch recipient, he instead inked a mega-deal with the Houston Texans just two days after Manning’s retirement.

His play in 2015 was solid, not great, but with a more supportive offensive line and weapons that didn’t constantly drop the ball, his numbers would have better reflected his play. He did lead the Broncos to some clutch victories, including a late season overtime battle with the Patriots, but his inconsistencies – the same ones that Manning suffered from as well – weren’t enough to keep him as the starter throughout the rest of the season.

On the surface this appears to be at least a very risky move for Denver, as they currently have no quarterback on the roster with experience in Kubiak’s system, but potentially their lack of urgency in signing Osweiler long term when they had the chance is a sign that he wasn’t the guy for them going forward. Talented enough, in my opinion, Osweiler’s got a lot to live up to ($72 million) in Houston this season, while the Broncos are going to have to answer for their stubbornness.

Danny Trevathan (LB) – Bears

By far one of the most puzzling losses of the offseason for Denver was that of starting inside linebacker Danny Trevathan, as he reunited with coach John Fox in Chicago for a reasonable 4 year, $24.5 million contract. Now I understand that the Broncos are trying to save all of the money they can in order to rightfully pay Von Miller, but to let a player of Trevathan’s caliber go is a bit surprising, especially considering he didn’t command an outrageous price tag on the open market. The only reason that makes sense here as to why the Broncos let Trevathan walk is because they feel comfortable with his potential replacement(s).

Defensive coordinator Wade Philips has gone on the record claiming that he is a huge fan of what they have at inside linebacker currently, pumping up the lesser-known Brandon Marshall, and the two players vying for Trevathan’s vacant spot – Todd Davis and Corey Nelson. Only time will tell if he’s going to bat for his GM, or if these guys can really play, as they have seen very little action over the few seasons.

Key Additions

Mark Sanchez (QB) – via Trade with Eagles

People will laugh as they always do with Mark Sanchez, but the reality is that he can play when given the right circumstances. His best seasons undoubtedly came early on in his career with the Jets when he was surrounded by an elite defense and a fierce running game, so it is plausible that a revitalized Sanchez can emerge in 2016 when likely starting for the reigning Super Bowl champs whose title was predicated on exactly those principles in 2015. Without Manning at the helm, Kubiak will have a much better chance at implementing his offensive principles. Expect Denver to rely much more upon a power running game, alleviating pressure off of the much-maligned quarterback.

One thing that is rarely disputed about Sanchez is that he is excellent off play action, and further proving his fit within the Broncos system, that is exactly what Kubiak’s passing game is predicated off of. Moving the pocket and getting the quarterback working towards the action is Denver’s ideal offensive line, so it is likely that Sanchez is poised for his best season yet, now that he’s finally operating in a scheme seemingly built towards his strengths.

As of now, word is that he’s the leader in the clubhouse for the starting job and I fully expect him to win it. Adjust your fantasy draft big boards accordingly.

Russell Okung (OT) – 5 year, $53,000,000

This deal is an absolute home run for the Broncos on a couple of levels here, so let me begin…

First of all, Okung comes to Denver on a contract featuring zero guaranteed money, so if he hasn’t fully recovered from his myriad of injuries, the Broncos are on the hook for absolutely nothing. The contract includes several incentive bonuses for the first season, and if he gets through it without being cut, a potential team option can then be triggered for Year 2 of the deal. The meat of his $53 million doesn’t kick in until his third, fourth, and fifth years of the deal where he would make a combined $27 million in salary alone, but by the third year he will already be 30 years old and if his injury history is any indication, the Broncos can comfortably cut him after the second year.

The second part of this home run signing is that Okung is a massive upgrade over any other lineman on the Broncos roster currently. An NFL Pro Bowler and a two-time All-American in college, Okung was every bit worthy of the sixth overall pick the Seahawks spent on him in the 2010 NFL Draft. When healthy, Okung has frequently served as a top-10 tackle in the league. The belief here is that with him anchoring the blindside – and fully healthy – the Broncos offensive line will be a much more competent group than the one featured in 2015.

Donald Stephenson (OT) – 3 year, $14,000,000

An offensive line muddled in debilitation and decimation last season could only benefit from adding talent in 2016. Stephenson comes at a reasonable price and will bring positional versatility and the type of athleticism that Kubiak needs for his zone-blocking scheme. Expect Stephenson to be the leading candidate to start at right tackle for Denver this season, but there is a chance that he can kick inside and serve as a swing tackle when needed.

Key Draft Selections

Paxton Lynch (QB) – 1^st Round

Lynch’s stock reached unexpected heights during December, as he was absolutely thrashing conference opponents, compiling unbelievable statistics. Lynch-mania peaked after his video game-esque performance against SMU, where he completed 9-of-14 passes for 222 yards and seven touchdowns in only one half of play. After a month off, his hype train took a wrong turn when he looked lost in the Birmingham Bowl against Auburn, completing only 16-of-37 passes for 106 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. With most NFL evaluators trying to figure out who the real Paxton Lynch is throughout the draft process, John Elway and the Broncos brass couldn’t pass up the opportunity of taking a chance on him in the first round.

On tape, physically, Lynch has it all. He measures in at around Cam Newton’s size and isn’t afraid to play like him. At Memphis, Lynch was asked to operate – in many ways – like Newton did during his Heisman winning season at Auburn. Lots of designed runs up the gut and read options. However, on top of this, Lynch was asked to do much more as a passer than Newton was in 2010-11. As a passer, Lynch has a cannon. He can bomb it with the best of them and successfully rifles the ball into tight windows on intermediate-to-deep over the middle throws. Because of his size, Lynch seems unafraid to take a hit when making throws, while he also possesses a natural feel for pressure on his blind side. One of his most impressive traits is his ability to sell the play fake. He throws very well out of play-action, and exhibits feather touch on sideline throws and jump ball fades.

With all of his noted arm strength, Lynch’s downfall can at times be too much zip on short-to-intermediate throws. It’s not what many receivers would call a “catchable ball,” leading to him struggle to find “easy completions.” His throws down the field seem more polished than his 12-yard out or running back banana route. Another concern is that while he may measure like Cam Newton, athletically, Lynch is just not that. His combine numbers came in much slower than his rushing production indicated in the box scores. This is not the biggest drawback for his NFL transition, but it’s not a feather in his cap, either. Finally, pundits have worried about the offense in which he operated out of during his time at Memphis. The designed runs don’t worry people, but in an offense that often relied upon gimmicky-type rollouts, many NFL talent evaluators worried about how he would transition at the position at the next level.

Luckily, Lynch will have a chance to sit early on in his rookie season, and in the worst case scenario will be asked to play the final eight games of the season if Mark Sanchez completely flops and butt fumbles on every other play. By mid-season, he should have a good grasp on taking snaps from under center, while the designed roll outs that he was so used to at the college level will actually be featured in the Broncos' offensive system. If by the time Lynch takes over Kubiak is still the OC, he will be in a perfect system for his style of play. Expect Lynch to thrive off of play action early on, while his 6-foot-7, 250-pound frame may be utilized around the goal line in sub-packages even when he’s not starting at the beginning of the season.

Devontae Booker (RB) ­– 4^th Round

After suffering injuries and taking on a heavy workload throughout his collegiate career, it is understandable why Booker slipped all the way to the fourth round in this past April’s draft. On talent alone, though, he’s more of a Day 2 pick and is perfectly suited to play off of the finesse of both C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman. Consider Booker the “Thunder” to their “Lightning." However, he offers more to the ground game than just power football.

Booker is likely to be responsible for mainly between-the-tackles runs, and while his excellent footwork, patience and vision are well suited for that role, he’s got more explosiveness than people expect. In only 10 games, Booker compiled rushing 1,261 yards and 10 touchdowns in his senior season, striking fear into opposing defensive coordinators week after week. 

It should be noted that Booker is also a talented receiver and blocker out of the backfield, so if needed, he can be featured on third downs. Considering the money that the Broncos have tied up in their top two running backs, many will find it hard to believe that Booker has a legitimate chance at getting any burn, but the reality is that he might be the most talented of the bunch. Consider him a sleeper fantasy option with plus touchdown potential.

*** As a side note, it should be made clear that I did take issue with the fact that on his tape, Booker never carries the ball in his right arm. This is something that I brought up during the draft process with Tevin Coleman in 2015, and while he was my favorite running back in the class, I did think that it was something he would have to work on or else he would see problems in the NFL. Sure enough, it appeared to be something the coaching staff identified and while a good thing, Coleman suffered fumbling issues whenever trying to put the ball in his right arm. Keep an eye on this development with Booker going forward. ***

Connor McGovern (OL) – 5^th Round

As stated multiple times earlier, the Broncos desperately need help on the offensive line. Adding the weight room warrior that is McGovern should bring a much-needed nastiness and competitive edge to the Broncos' interior offensive line. He fits the zone-blocking scheme that Kubiak is trying to implement, and while he may not start right off the bat, McGovern will add excellent depth and versatility to a line sorely lacking it.

Conclusion

After an offseason of ample moves, the Broncos appear to be shuffling things up just one offseason removed from winning a Super Bowl. They certainly addressed their incredible deficiencies on the offensive line, and with the addition of Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch, they might actually be better off at the quarterback position than they were just one year ago. They doubled down this offseason by allowing some of their defensive talent to walk, banking on the “next man up” mentality proving true as it typically does for championship winning franchises. No team has repeated as Super Bowl champs since the ’03-’04 Patriots, and gun to my head I wouldn’t bet on the Broncos being the first team to do so since, but what is evident is that GM John Elway is building this team to fit what his coach wants to do. They are getting younger, cheaper and more athletic. All characteristics of a team looking towards the future as opposed to trying to hang on the memories of a miracle season that has passed.