Denver Broncos' Offseason Needs

Geoff Cahill — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:23:43 -0500

What exactly are the Denver Broncos' offseason needs? The answer is simple: DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE.

With Mike Shanahan being shown the door, the Broncos ' offseason started differently than most people thought. Yes, a lot of fans were calling for his head on a platter, but the day he got fired, most of us regretted saying so. Mike Shanahan only had two losing seasons in 15 seasons; that number in itself is all you need to know.

Now the Broncos go into the offseason without a head coach for the first time in 15 seasons. Denver seems to be interviewing plenty of candidates for the job. The one that looks like will be a good fit is New York Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Steve orchestrated the defensive effort in last years Super Bowl victory that stopped the offensive juggernaut that was the New England Patriots. What his defenses brings is pressure on the Quarterback, something Denver has missed since 2005.

Without a pass rush , Denver's corners have been getting beat on a consistent basis. If teams have learned anything, a good pass rush is better than "lock down" corners.

If the Broncos want a stout defense right away, Pat Bowlen will have to once again open up the pocket book for free agents. The free agents that should be on the top of their list will be Defensive End Julius Peppers or Defensive Tackle Albert Haynsworth, either of which would boost the defense significantly.

With the first-round draft pick, it should be the story of a Trojan. If by some chance linebacker Rey Maualuga falls to pick 12, look for the Broncos to jump all over him, solidifying their line backing core.

If Rey doesn't fall, which seems more likely, they could get safety help from Taylor Mays, also a USC Trojan. If anything, it's going to be a busy offseason in Denver.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Geoff Cahill

Denver Broncos' Offseason Needs