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As the Broncos take the field for training camp on Thursday, they will bring with them an impressive defense that will return nine starters. The same cannot be said for the offense.
The Broncos struggled at times to find an identity and any consistency last season on offense. The meshing of Peyton Manning’s style coupled with his aging arm did not fit with what Gary Kubiak is known for. He is hoping this season is different. As training camp gets underway, only five of the offensive starters from Super Bowl 50 will be returning, and the rest of the open positions will have active and compelling competitions to watch. Here’s a quick look at how the first depth chart will look as the team head into camp.
Quarterbacks
Mark Sanchez
Trevor Siemian
Paxton Lynch
Injury impacts: Sanchez had a slight setback in the early offseason after needing thumb surgery on his non-throwing hand. That injury slowed him enough to make way for Siemian. Throughout minicamp, Kubiak praised the second-year quarterback and maintained his admission that the quarterback competition was very close as the offseason closed.
Dark Horse: Lynch remains the third option as training camp begins this week, however, if he wows the coaches while Sanchez and Siemian suddenly struggle there is no reason to believe Kubiak would not move him up the depth chart and even let him start a preseason game or two. In-game reps will be critical if he somehow beats out the two more experienced quarterbacks on the practice field.
Backs
RB
C.J. Anderson
Ronnie Hillman
Kapri Bibbs
Devontae Booker
Cyrus Gray
FB
Andy Janovich
Juwan Thompson
Injury impacts: The Broncos exciting fourth-round draft pick, Booker is the only tailback nursing an injury. He suffered a torn meniscus in his last season as a Utah Ute. He has stated several times that while the coaching staff is easing him back into drills, he feels great and nearing 100 percent.
Dark Horse: Booker is also a player to be feared by veteran ball carriers. Hillman, in particular, may be looking at his last training camp in a Broncos uniform if he doesn’t show some kind of improvement and both young players have a great camp. Last season Hillman faded down the stretch, and Bibbs has also received a lot of praise in the early going. As the Broncos look highly likely to bring back the fullback position this season, a competition between Thompson and Janovich as arisen. Thompson played some fullback in high school and at Duke before being used as a traditional running back with the team the last two seasons. Janovich has already made his mark with Special Teams Coordinator Joe DeCamillis. It looks like they will need just one of them for the season.
Wide receivers
WR1
Demaryius Thomas
Jordan Taylor
DeVier Posey
WR2
Emmanuel Sanders
Jordan Norwood
Mose Frazier
Bralon Addison
Kalif Raymond
WR3
Bennie Fowler
Cody Latimer
Derron Neal
Injury impacts: The wide receiver group is healthy, and the competition will be high due to shear numbers.
Dark Horse: The third wide receiver slot is wide open as Sanders and Thomas have no fear of losing their jobs. Fowler and Norwood have the best shot at playing time due to experience, but neither has truly wowed the staff in the last two seasons. Latimer may be on the hottest seat after a high draft pick in 2014 and low receiving numbers to show for it. The return game will also affect who may stay on the receiving core as well. Addison, Frazier, Raymond and Norwood will all have opportunities to use that to their advantage. Taylor and Posey have the size and depth threat ability to push Fowler and Latimer in that respect.
Tight ends
TE1
Virgil Green
Henry Krieger-Coble
Manasseh Garner
TE2
Garrett Graham
Jeff Heuerman
Injury impacts: Green was briefly sidelined with a finger injury during offseason workouts but is the clear favorite to return as the mostly blocking tight end. Heuerman appears to have completely recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament tear last year but was also sidelined with a sore hamstring this offseason. There is a lot of hype surrounding the agile, versatile tight end.
Dark Horse: Krieger-Coble is certainly the dark horse of the group. Heuerman and Green have inside tracks to jobs, and Graham was in Kubiak’s system for some time in Houston. Krieger-Coble will have to catch on quick and make some impressive plays in order to make the 53-man roster. The former Iowa Hawkeye signed as an undrafted free agent after finishing second on the team in receptions and yards and seems to fit the Broncos’ system already. With Green and Heuerman out for some of the offseason workouts he showed off great route running and dependable hands. The team will likely keep just three tight ends on the active roster but this season it will not be unusual to see many double-tight end formations.
Offensive line
RT
Donald Stephenson
Cameron Jefferson
Justin Murray
Darrion Weems
RG
Ty Sambrailo
Connor McGovern
Aaron Neary
C
Matt Paradis
Dillon Day
James Ferentz
LG
Max Garcia
Sam Brenner
Robert Myers Jr.
LT
Russell Okung
Michael Schofield
Kyle Roberts
Lars Hanson
Injury impacts: Okung and Sambrailo are both still nursing significant shoulder injuries. Sambrailo’s from early last fall and Okung’s came during his final game with Seattle. Both are projected to be starters, but their injuries will allow extra snaps for backups.
Dark Horse: McGovern, a player with a reputation of an insatiable workout appetite, has already impressed the Broncos brass. He will have an opportunity to push Sambrailo at the right guard position. Sambrailo is recovering from an injury and moving back to guard where he hasn’t played since his senior year as a Colorado State Ram in 2014. Schofield will likely be the backup at both tackle slots but could be unseated. Watch for progress from Roberts and Jefferson on that front while Myers, Brenner and Ferentz compete for roster spots inside.
Every new season brings new roster constraints, but the defending champions have more competition than most teams on the offensive side of the ball, starting with the signal caller. Thursday, that battle truly begins and in a true juxtaposition, teammates must also gel in hopes of becoming a more balanced team across the board. The unknowns and the youth coming to camp will make for an interesting month, to say the least.
