Denver Broncos 2009 Mock Draft: The Beginning of Rebuilding

In the months before the election, many Americans, and specifically Coloradans, were moved by President Obama's messages of hope, reassessing the American dream, and change.

In August, the Democratic National Convention was held in Denver, and Obama's commencement speech was given in the Broncos' beautiful Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium.

Whether Broncos owner Pat Bowlen was in attendance or not I don't know, but I do know he was swept up in the soon-to-be President's theme of change.

Bowlen fired long-time, all-time great head coach Mike Shanahan, and with him went exhausted, ineffective ideas and schemes.

With Shanahan came the departure of GMs, yes two, and all previous assistant coaches besides Bobby Turner, running backs coach, and Rick Dennison, special teams coach. Both are tenured, serving Denver as assistant coaches for over a decade each. Included in the firings was Jeremy Bates, offensive play-caller, and the initial request of a trade by Jay Cutler.

In came Josh McDaniels, a young, relatively unproven entity at head coach, able to conceive the greatest offense in the history of the NFL. McDaniels didn't take much time to make changes of his own, hiring Brian Xanders as GM, and seemingly handing him a list of pink slips to hand out on his first day.

McDaniels and Xanders began to cut the fat off the sluggish, unproductive Broncos team, starting with many defenders. Jamie Winborn, Dwayne Robertson, and Dre' Bly were the big names to be sent home early, and more have come since then.

Jay Cutler, the latest Denver ex-Bronco, the most prestigious player to leave Broncos country, was unable to swallow his pride and subdue his ego long enough to even look at McDaniels' extensive and exciting playbook.

McDaniels and Co. were forced into trading away their young gunslinging QB Jay Cutler. Cutler, the one player on the Broncos' 2008 team that seemed safe, asked to be traded after the month and a half long McJaygate fiasco.

McDaniels and Xander got as close as possible to a “king's ransom” for the pro bowl quarterback, getting veteran QB Kyle Orton and two first-round draft picks from the Bears.

With the departures came an extensive list of newcomers as well, 16 veteran free agents in all, including Brian Dawkins, Andre Davis, and Chris Simms.

Now, as the draft approaches, beginning tomorrow morning, the Broncos brass must continue to focus on the future of the organization.

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