Broncos' Loss to Colts Signals More Than End to Super Bowl Hopes

The Denver Broncos barely put up a fight Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts in a 24-13 trouncing at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. If not for running back C.J. Anderson and a few timely plays by cornerback Chris Harris Jr., it would be hard to find a positive about Denver's performance.

Quarterback Peyton Manning looked like a shell of himself, raising questions about his future. But he is free to decide if he wants to come back and play at a level below what he expects from himself. The future of the coaching staff and pending free agents is much less certain.

General manager John Elway has some big decisions to make in the coming days and weeks. Maintaining the status quo after going all-in on this group this past offseason is likely not an option. If this group couldn’t get it done, it makes little sense to try to preserve it for another year.

Head coach John Fox's status suddenly went into limbo prior to the game, when Jay Glazer of Fox Sports suggested he might be available if the Broncos lost to the Colts. It was a sentiment shared by Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole.

Fox neither confirmed nor denied the validity of the report after the game. Glazer has been extremely reliable in the past, and Fox’s refusal to address it suggests there’s some truth to the report.  

"It's not about me, it's about those guys in that locker room,” Fox said in response to Glazer’s report, via Brandon Krisztal of The Denver Post. Fox also took responsibility for the team’s performance.

If Fox is out, his coaching staff is also in limbo. Denver’s two coordinators are already candidates to get promotions, although how much the lackluster showing Sunday changes that remains unclear. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio is one of the two finalists to be the next head coach of the Oakland Raiders, according to NBC's Dianna Marie Russini, and offensive coordinator Adam Gase interviewed with four teams—three that have yet to decide on their next head coach.

If Fox and at least one of his assistants are out, the Broncos could contact Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, who was the head coach of the Houston Texans from 2006 to 2013. Kubiak is a former Broncos offensive coordinator.

A shakeup of the coaching staff could affect Manning’s decision. He wasn’t ready to make any announcements immediately after his terrible postseason performance and ninth first-round playoff exit.

"I didn't play well enough today and I didn't play well enough consistently in the second half of the season," Manning said of his performance, via Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post.

“I need to process this game, and we'll meet tomorrow,” Manning continued, on his decision for next year.

Once they know what Manning will do and who the coaches will be, the Broncos will have to decide what to do with their gaggle of pending free agents. Players like wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, tight end Julius Thomas, slot receiver Wes Welker, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, tight end Virgil Green, free safety Rahim Moore and left guard Orlando Franklin are all set to hit the open market.

Players	Position	Status	2014 Snaps
Demaryius Thomas	WR	UFA	1053
Julius Thomas	TE	UFA	715
Wes Welker	SWR	UFA	760
Virgil Green	TE	UFA	403
Orlando Franklin	LG	UFA	1123
Terrance Knighton	DT	UFA	528
Rahim Moore	FS	UFA	1074
T.J. Ward	SS	$5 million fully guaranteed 5th day of league year.	1019
Aqib Talib	CB	$5.5 million fully guaranteed 5th day of league year.	934

The Broncos also have to make decisions on the free agents they brought in last offseason. Cornerback Aqib Talib and safety T.J. Ward have guarantees triggered shortly after the start of the new league year. Talib’s postseason performance and Ward’s regular-season performance certainly don’t make those decisions easy.

Outside linebacker Von Miller is also going into the final year of his contract, and this would be a customary time to give him an extension. If the Broncos wait, they run the risk of a new deal for Justin Houston being a factor in negotiations. If they don’t, a new contract for Houston will factor into any franchise tag number next season.

Miller may also fight for a designation as defensive end, so Houston defensive end J.J. Watt’s new contract would come into play. Considering that Miller and DeMarcus Ware basically disappeared against the Colts, the Broncos may no longer be in a rush to lock Miller up despite him still being one of the best linebackers in the league.

It’s rare that a No. 1 wide receiver like Demaryius Thomas becomes available, and all indications are that the Broncos will make him a priority. But beyond that, there are few guarantees. Welker’s decline in production and incline in age make him as good as gone, and Julius Thomas fell out of favor in the second half of the season as he nursed a sore ankle.

Franklin shifted from right tackle to left guard in 2014. At first, he struggled. But he seemed to get the hang of things as the Broncos shifted to a running attack in the second half of the season. If the Broncos go with a run-heavy offense in 2015 under a coach like Kubiak, Franklin could come back.

Knighton could follow Del Rio to Oakland, where the Raiders are in desperate need of an interior defensive lineman. With all the other players that the Broncos will have to pay, it would be surprising to have Knighton back if Del Rio is gone.

The Denver Post's Troy Renck speculated as much after to talking to Knighton following Sunday's loss:

Safety Rahim Moore played so far off the ball in 2015 that his performance was difficult to evaluate. If a new defensive coordinator wants his safeties to make plays and line up closer to the ball, Moore could leave in free agency.

The Broncos went all-in to win a Super Bowl this season and failed. Their performance against playoff teams in the regular season and Manning’s final 10 games were signs that something went wrong along the way. They couldn’t even blame injuries, as the team was relatively healthy coming into Sunday.

This team just wasn’t good enough to win it all. It wasn’t good enough because Andrew Luck is rising to stardom. It wasn’t good enough even if it managed to make it to Foxborough, where Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are waiting. Nor would Denver have been good enough to beat the Seattle Seahawks or Green Bay Packers, in all likelihood.

The Broncos simply weren’t prepared to travel such a tough road without a fully functional Manning behind Fox's conservative coaching and Del Rio's vanilla game plans. They showed some flashes, but they tended to shrink in the big moments.

Now the Broncos enter into an offseason of uncertainty. The Super Bowl window may have just slammed in their face, and the only way to fix that is to change the team’s identity. Even if Manning comes back, it may be the start of the team’s transition away from its star quarterback and on to the next chapter.