5 Biggest Winners and Losers of Denver Broncos OTAs, so Far

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

The offseason is young and the OTAs will soon be a distant memory for everyone, but that doesn't mean that what happens now won't have an effect on the final roster in August.

Winning and losing can be separated by a fine margin with so many players competing for a precious few spots on the roster. A great catch here, a dropped interception there can easily be the difference in making the team or not.

Here are some players and new coaches that are the winners and losers of the Denver Broncos' OTAs so far.

WINNER: Rahim Moore, S

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Rahim Moore is hoping to follow up an underwhelming rookie campaign with a super sophomore season. The Broncos are going to need it if they hope to fill the void left by Brian Dawkins.

The good news is that Lindsay H. Jones of the Denver Post is reporting that Moore has shown up to the Broncos looking "noticeably bigger in his upper body." Even though Moore declined to comment on his actual weight, it can be assumed that he is checking in above the 196 lbs that he played at last year.

Moore has also been working primarily with the first-team defense opposite Mike Adams, whom many believed to be his competition. 

WINNER: Brandon Stokley, WR

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

It might not be enough just to be the person whose floor Peyton Manning slept on when he made his first visit to Denver for Brandon Stokley to make the team.

In order to make the roster, Stokley will have to continue making catches that "catch" the attention of Broncos coaches and management like he did on Monday.

Broncos beat writer Mike Klis of the Denver Post reported that after an acrobatic drive-saving catch, the aging wide receiver was spotted sharing a "fist bump" with John Elway.

LOSER: Knowshon Moreno, RB

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

In some ways, the old saying that "no news is good news" may have been true for Moreno after his DUI incident in Denver.

However, when the running back returned to the field for the first time since a torn ACL took him out of 2011, he may have hoped that some good reports followed him.

To date, there hasn't been any news about Moreno wowing the team with his progress and performance, which could hurt the running back's chances of sticking on the roster.

Newcomer Ronnie Hillman, along with holdovers Lance Ball, Jeremiah Johnson and Mario Fannin, will push extremely hard to take his spot.

LOSER: Julius Thomas, TE

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

It's tough to call Thomas a loser since the more accurate description is that he is "losing out" on the opportunity to start working with Peyton Manning.

The Broncos desperately need a threatening presence at the tight end position, and many believe that Thomas can be that player.

Coming off of an ankle surgery, though, it will be a little bit more time before Thomas is a full participant in all the team's activities. 

WINNER: Jack Del Rio, Defensive Coordinator

Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

The players on the Denver Broncos' defense that have been around for a while are going through the annual rite of passage: meeting the new flavor of the year that will be leading the defense.

I know better than to say that a defensive coordinator will be around for any extended period of time in Denver, because I have been made to look like a fool more than once in the last seven seasons; however, that doesn't mean that Del Rio cannot come in and do a good job.

The linebackers already seem to be "sold" on their new coordinator, according to Lindsay H. Jones of the Denver Post, and that is a good sign considering the man he is replacing, Dennis Allen, was a well-liked and respected figure for the much-improved Denver defense of a year ago.

There is still a lot of time before fans see how effective Del Rio's defense will really be, but in the meantime it is heartening to know that the players are already "buying into" the new coach.