Denver Broncos: Ranking Denver's Top Unrestricted Free Agents

After today's Super Bowl, it will mark the end of the 2011 NFL season.

For Broncos fans, this was a season of great surprise.

The Denver Broncos were the second-worst team in all of the NFL in 2010. When 2011 arrived, a new coach was hired in John Fox. A new regime led by John Elway ushered in a new era. And even a new quarterback by the name of Tim Tebow took over the starting job and helped lead Denver to its first playoff berth in six years.

From an outsider's perspective, it would seem that the 2011 Broncos were nothing special.

Is it true that this team never really had a chance at competing for a Super Bowl in 2011? Probably.

But the facts are, this team was good enough to win its division, good enough to host a playoff game and even good enough to defeat the defending AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in a game that the Broncos entered as nine-point underdogs.

As mediocre as 8-8 looks, consider that the Broncos started out 2-5 and finished the season 6-3. They became just the fifth team since 1970 to make the playoffs after starting a season with a 2-5 record.

With the offseason looming, and focus zooming in on not only the draft, but free agency itself, it's about the right time to ponder which players Denver will bring back in its quest to go from a playoff team to a Super Bowl contender.

As it stands, the Broncos have 19 unrestricted free agents.

Who are the top five unrestricted free agents that the Broncos should re-sign heading into 2012?

5. Spencer Larsen

In the near future, Larsen probably won't make a Pro Bowl team. Hell, he probably won't ever make a Pro Bowl team.

He'll never be one of the handful of highly-touted fullbacks in the league such as Ovie Mughelli or Vonta Leach, but he's a solid fullback who simply gets the job done.

Larsen helped pave the way for the Broncos to lead the league in rushing. The Broncos relied heavily upon the running game in 2011, ranking near the bottom of the league in passing yards and pass attempts.

With Tebow heading into a full offseason for the first time in his career as an NFL starter, the Broncos will likely make strides in the passing game in 2012, but their identity will remain as a "ground and pound" team.

One of the keys to keeping that ingredient for success alive is by re-signing a solid fullback in Larsen.

4. Matt Prater

Prater established himself as one of the most clutch kickers in the league in 2011 when he converted numerous clutch field goals that either tied, or led to victories for the Broncos in the fourth quarter and/or overtime.

Prater isn't one of the most consistent kickers in the league. He converted on only 76.0 percent of his field goal attempts in 2011, which ranked as the 28th-best in the league. In fact, before his game-winning field goal over Miami in mid-October, there was constant chatter amongst Bronco fans whether or not Prater should be released due to his inconsistency.

However, as the season progressed, Prater proved his value to the Broncos.

He hit either game-tying or game-winning field goals in games vs. the Bears, Chargers and Dolphins.

Prater also led the NFL in percentage of kickoffs that were touchbacks, connecting on 68 percent of his kickoffs.

Prater likely won't be in high demand on the free agency market due to his inconsistencies as a kicker, so expect him to be re-signed by the Broncos.

3. Brian Dawkins

Dawkins was recently selected to his ninth Pro Bowl, and second as a Denver Bronco in 2011.

Here is the thing with Dawkins. Even at the age of 38, he is still a solid starting strong safety in the NFL. His ability to defend the run and crowd the box is still great. He is still the hard-hitting safety that he was in his younger days in Philadelphia.

But with the positives, comes the negatives.

Dawkins simply cannot defend the pass. Numerous times this season, especially in games against top tier quarterbacks such as Aaron Rodgers, Dawkins' weaknesses were exposed.

Dawkins cannot keep up with the younger receivers, especially now in his twilight years. Dawkins was never a fast safety in the first place, so after 16 years in the league, it's really evident now in his play. When receivers come out of their breaks, Dawkins is usually not in the proper position to defend the pass.

But you also have to consider Denver's depth at not only the safety position, but the defensive backfield itself. The Broncos played numerous rookies/inexperienced players in key packages in 2011, such as Chris Harris, Quinton Carter and Rahim Moore.

When Dawkins was out in key games such as the Divisional Playoff game vs. the New England Patriots, his presence was sorely missed.

Despite Dawkins having many negatives to his game, his ability to lead the defense and his intimidating presence in the backfield still outweigh the negatives that he brings to the table.

Depending upon the stability of his neck, bringing back Dawkins for one more year couldn't hurt.

2. Wesley Woodyard

Woodyard is one of the more underrated players on not only the Broncos, but at the linebacker position itself.

Is Woodyard a big playmaker who will create a lot of sacks and game-changing plays with turnovers or hard hits? No.

Is he a consistent tackler who knows how to wrap up ballcarriers and has a knack for making tackles all over the field? Yes.

Woodyard can step in as a starter, or he can be played in situational packages. He started seven of the 15 games he played in this season. Through the first half of the 2011 season, he was actually one of the top 10 leading tacklers in the league.

The Broncos are pretty stacked at the linebacker position with DJ Williams, Von Miller and Joe Mays. Woodyard simply makes an already stacked linebacking corps even better.

1. Brodrick Bunkley

Bunkley was carted off the field the last time we saw him after the Broncos were demolished by the Patriots 45-10 in the Divisional Playoffs.

His impact on the Broncos in 2011 went largely unrecognized due to "Tebow-mania" and all of the credit for the defense's resurgence going to Von Miller.

However, the Broncos would not have been as stout defensively without the presence of Bunkley.

As a defensive tackle, you rarely get credit. Period. It is about the equivalent of the job of a center or a guard on an offensive line. Your contributions are absolutely pivotal to the success of the running game, but you'll never hear your name thrown around very often when credit is due.

The same rule applies to Bunkley.

At first glance, the Broncos defense didn't look very impressive in 2011. They ranked 24th in the league in points per game, and they even ranked just 22nd in rushing yards given up per game.

But you need to look at the entire picture.

Before Bunkley arrived, the Broncos were last or second-to-last in just about every major run defense category. They ranked 31st in rushing yards given up, dead last in rushing TD's given up and 29th in yards per attempt.

What were their rankings in 2011?

22nd in rushing yards, 15th in TD's and 13th in yards per attempt.

If the Broncos want to continue their foundation of "ground and pound" and stout defense, re-signing Bunkley while he's in the prime of his career at the age of 28, is an absolute necessity.