Rebuilding a Dynasty?

The 2009 Denver Broncos will be a new team with a new coaching staff.  The tumultuous off-season included, Josh McDaniels being hired to replace fired coach Mike Shanahan, franchise quarterback Jay Cutler being traded to the Chicago Bears, and the defense being completely overhauled from a 4-3 to a 3-4.

            There are so many questions about this team it is difficult to predict the upcoming season.  If it is any indication, team owner Pat Bowlen is not expecting a Super Bowl appearance.  This may not seem like a bold statement, but Mr. Bowlen always predicts a 16-0 season with a Super Bowl victory for his team.  For him to back away from that speaks volumes.  Broncos fans should be prepared for a long though season.  Four of five wins this season is realistic for this completely revised team.

            The Broncos can reach a better record if coach McDaniels proves to be the great quarterback coach he seems to think he is, and can turn Kyle Orton or Chris Simms into some semblance of Tom Brady.  Former coach and commentator John Madden once said if you have more than one quarterback, you don’t have any, at this point the Broncos don’t have any.  The Broncos will also need Knowshon Moreno to be the next Terrell Davis.  If these things happen the offense will be as good as it was last year at moving the ball. 

            The defense will need a minor miracle to be good enough to keep the Broncos in games against some of the teams on the schedule.  Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill are definite improvements over the safeties here last year.  The front seven is the problem for this unit.  The holdovers are not accustomed to the 3-4 scheme, and many of them will be playing new positions.  Elvis Dumervil and Jarvis Moss will be moved from defensive end to outside linebacker.  Marcus Thomas will move from defensive tackle to nose tackle, which many consider the most important position in a 3-4 defense.  Overall, this is a defense with six free agents that are projected as starters and that does not include first round pick, defensive end Robert Ayers.  If these players can excel the defense may be appreciatively better than last year.

            The Broncos can falter and actually do worse than 4-12 if Orton and Simms prove to be backup quality quarterbacks, as they have been most of their careers.  Knowshon Moreno may be like most rookie running backs and struggle with the speed and physical play of the game at the NFL level.  The defense could implode and be as inept as last season or even worse with this many new faces and people playing in new positions.  If these things happen look for the Broncos to go 3-13 or worse.