The Denver Broncos have been relatively quiet on the free agent market this season. While they need to retool their offensive and defensive lines, and acquire a few other skill positions, there were a limited number of viable free agents to pursue. John Elway would settle on a few select candidates, that he is hoping can improve the Broncos current roster.
Ron Leary and Menelik Watson are veteran offensive lineman, that should be able to battle for starting spots, and both have played on top notch offensive fronts with the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders, respectively. Elway then signed two defensive linemen that are at opposite ends of their career. Domata Peko is an 11-year veteran that is hoping to close out his career with some success in Denver, while Zach Kerr has played just three seasons and is looking to make a name for himself. The Broncos also grabbed high-energy linebacker Kasim Edebali, to bring a spark to the defense and special teams.
Many fans may be disappointed with the Broncos’ lack of big moves so far, but the fact is, that free agency is a high-risk endeavor that doesn’t always yield rewards. Sure, you might end up with Emmanuel Sanders or Aqib Talib, but those instances are rare. The odds are, you are just as likely to end up with Russell Okung or Henry Melton.
The Broncos have chosen instead, to try and address their needs in this year’s NFL Draft, and it is a draft that could reap big rewards. The 2017 NFL Draft is a deep draft, in which you can find talent even in the later rounds. That is particularly good for the Broncos, who have 10 selections, and a number of needs to fill.
We know that they need to fortify both the offensive tackle position and the defensive line. The offensive tackle position is going to be difficult. Alabama’s Cam Robinson is the highest-rated tackle in the draft, but he has struggled with speed rushers. Wisconsin’s Ryan Ramczyk or Utah’s Garett Bolles could be a better fit, and might even be available later in the draft.
Finding some players for the defensive line should be significantly easier. There are a number of defensive lineman available, and the Broncos could even find value later in the draft. Vincent Taylor out of Oklahoma State is a powerful inside presence, and could be available on the second or even third day.
For all of the needs on the line of scrimmage, there are a number of other areas that need to be addressed in this draft. With the injury to C.J. Anderson last season, Denver may need to look at another running back to fill out the depth chart. Broncos fans are very familiar with Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, and he could be a welcome addition, as could Samaje Perine out of Oklahoma. Perine is a hard-nosed runner that scored 10 touchdowns in his final season at OU.
This offense is in desperate need of a playmaker, whether that be a new wide receiver, or a pass catching tight end. He didn’t go to a big-name school, but Corey Davis out of Western Michigan has the size and skills to play in the NFL. At the tight end spot, O.J. Howard from Alabama, or Evan Engram out of Ole Miss, could become big-play receiving threats in the Broncos struggling offense.
The Denver defense could look to upgrade their depth at inside linebacker and at cornerback, and this draft is full of potential candidates. Vanderbilt’s Zach Cunningham is a tackling machine at inside linebacker, and we all saw the Broncos need help in that department. Washington cornerback Kevin King is an experienced player that had 44 tackles in his senior season, while breaking up 13 passes. He might be a good fit for the Broncos “No Fly Zone”.
The Denver Broncos have been relatively quiet in the offseason so far. They can make some serious noise in this year’s draft, by grabbing a few selections, that could change the look of this team significantly. After struggling to defend their Super Bowl 50 title, the 2017 NFL Draft is going to be very important to the Broncos’ upcoming season.