Biggest Takeaways from the Denver Broncos' 2014 Season
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
The Denver Broncos made all the right moves in free agency to improve on the team that made it all the way to the Super Bowl in 2013. They worked diligently to have balance on offense, and Denver found a star running back to help. The defense had added toughness, and their pass rush was supposed to be the best in the game.
They finished with a 12-4 record and were poised to make another run at the Super Bowl. Denver earned a well-deserved bye as the AFC’s second seed, and the added rest was supposed to help them look fresh in the divisional round.
Instead of marching into Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots in an epic AFC Championship Game, the Broncos were once again defeated in their first playoff game. They failed to win against the Indianapolis Colts, and now the Broncos (and Broncos Country) have to ask themselves several questions about next season.
Before we do that, let’s go ahead and take a look back at the season that was in Denver.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the Broncos' 2014 season.
Peyton Manning Isn't What He Used to Be
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Things change pretty quickly around the NFL. In 2013, Peyton Manning had the best single season of any quarterback in NFL history. He set single-season records for passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55) as the Broncos breezed to a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl appearance.
Nobody should have been expecting him to duplicate those numbers in 2014, but many did not see the downfall of his game coming after a tremendous 2013.
Manning’s numbers didn’t fall off a cliff—largely due to a strong production level in the first half of the season. His 4,727 yards passing was the second-highest total of his illustrious career. Manning’s 39 touchdown passes in 2014 represent the third-highest total of his career.
What happened to Manning after the Week 11 game against the St. Louis Rams?
That game marked the last time we really saw Manning unleash an aerial attack like he did in 2013. In that game, Manning had 389 yards passing but the Broncos lost 22-7. After that, Denver shifted to a run-heavy attack.
Manning’s largest game after that was a 311-yard performance in a Week 16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. In that game, Manning threw a whopping four interceptions and looked rattled for most of the game.
To be clear, Manning was not 100 percent healthy. He was fighting through a thigh injury he suffered in the Week 15 game against the San Diego Chargers, and that certainly impacted his play.
If he chooses to return in 2015, Manning may never be the player he used to be. Age and injuries have a way of catching up with every player—even an all-time great like Manning.
C.J. Anderson Is a Star
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The Broncos found a star running back in second-year pro C.J. Anderson. They began the season with Montee Ball as their anointed starter, but he failed to impress. Ball went down with a groin injury in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, but that didn’t get Anderson the opportunity he needed. Instead, he had to wait until Ronnie Hillman was also injured in Week 10 against the Oakland Raiders before he would see his opportunity come to light.
Once Anderson had the starting job, he never surrendered it. Instead, he showed that he is one of the best young running backs in the game today.
Anderson wears No. 22 because there were that many backs selected in the 2013 NFL draft. He went the whole draft without hearing his name called, and that has fueled him during his pro career. Outside of Le’Veon Bell (Pittsburgh Steelers), one can’t look at the 2013 draft class and say there are backs that much better—or equal—to the player that Anderson has become.
Over the last six weeks of the season, Anderson led the league in rushing yards (648) and rushing touchdowns (8). Only Seattle Seahawks star Marshawn Lynch (299) had more rushing yards after contact than Anderson (273) during that time.
Anderson runs with a blend of power and quickness. He can make defenders miss in a small amount of space, and Anderson has the leg drive to grind out yards after getting hit. While he’s not the fastest back, Anderson does have great burst and can get to top speed in a hurry.
He’s clearly the best back on the Broncos roster, and Anderson should enter 2015 as the clear-cut starter.
Emmanuel Sanders Was a Steal
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When he signed with the Broncos in free agency, Emmanuel Sanders referred to Denver as “wide receiver heaven” because of Manning and the elite passing game. He was replacing Eric Decker in the offense, but very few expected the amount of production Sanders provided the Broncos in 2014.
Sanders finished the 2014 season with 101 catches, 1,404 yards and nine receiving touchdowns. All of those numbers represent career highs for the five-year veteran.
The Broncos were able to secure Sanders in free agency for a deal that paid him $15 million over three years. The contract included a $3 million signing bonus with $6 million guaranteed and an annual average salary of $6 million. Simply put, this was a fantastic deal for the Broncos.
By comparison, Sanders' former teammate with the Steelers Mike Wallace signed a five-year, $60 million contract with the Miami Dolphins in 2013. This deal came with an $11 million signing bonus, $30 million guaranteed and an annual average salary of $12 million. In two years with the Dolphins, Wallace has 140 catches for 1,792 yards.
Denver was correct in their assessment of Sanders. His speed and big-play ability have been a perfect complement to Demaryius Thomas on the other side.
We could see Sanders moved to the slot in 2015. Wes Welker is unlikely to return, and the Broncos selected Cody Latimer in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft with the idea that he could be a starter on the outside someday.
No matter the role, Sanders has proved to be worth every penny the Broncos paid to acquire his services.
Losing Zane Beadles Proved Costly
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The Broncos had to make some tough decisions in free agency. One of those decisions was letting left guard Zane Beadles move on. At the start of free agency, Beadles signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The deal included $12.45 million guaranteed and an annual average salary of $6 million. The deal was too rich for the Broncos, so the tough decision was made to let him go.
That one move led to a ripple effect that had an impact for the rest of the season.
To replace Beadles, the Broncos just moved right tackle Orlando Franklin inside to left guard. With Franklin moved, the Broncos then began to shuffle the rest of the offensive line.
Chris Clark originally took Franklin’s spot at right tackle, but he proved to be ineffective as a starter. To replace him, the Broncos moved right guard Louis Vasquez over.
With Vasquez moved, the Broncos shifted center Manny Ramirez back to his more natural position of right guard. At center, the Broncos then put veteran Will Montgomery in that spot.
The offensive line had multiple incarnations this year, and none of the combinations were overly impressive. With one player removed, the offensive line that looked good in 2013 struggled to duplicate that success in 2014.
Sylvester Williams Has a Lot of Work to Do
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Their first-round pick in 2013, Sylvester Williams was going to take a little time to develop. He failed to show much as a rookie, but he did start to play better after Kevin Vickerson went down with a hip injury near the midway point of the 2013 season.
This year, Williams was supposed to do more—but he failed to impress. In fact, Williams didn’t match the production he had in about half of his rookie season.
As a rookie, Williams compiled 19 tackles, 12 solo tackles, seven assists, two sacks and one fumble recovery. This year, Williams only had 21 tackles, 17 solo tackles, four assists with zero sacks, forced fumbles or recovered fumbles.
He was regularly pushed out of the way by one opponent, and Williams struggled to be the interior force the Broncos had hoped for when they made him a first-round pick.
It’s still too early to call Williams a bust—but it’s close.
If he doesn’t start producing at a better level, then Broncos fans will look at him as a wasted pick. Terrance Knighton is a free agent in 2015, and Williams may be exposed without “Pot Roast” in the lineup next to him.
Linebacker Injuries Devastated the Defense
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The Broncos had good depth at multiple positions—including linebacker—to begin the 2014 season. That depth was tested—and exhausted—by the time 2014 had wrapped up.
Danny Trevathan was a breakout player for the Broncos in 2013. He was set to star at weak-side linebacker once again this year, but a knee injury in training camp derailed that. Trevathan was able to come back later in the year, but he fell to another knee injury and was lost for the season.
Trevathan’s injury led to Brandon Marshall receiving more playing time. Marshall was a standout player for the Broncos this year, but even he couldn’t shake the injury bug. He was lost for a two-game stretch at the end of the season, but Marshall did return for the team’s lone postseason game. Simply put, the Broncos defense was not the same without Marshall in the lineup.
In addition to Trevathan and Marshall missing time, the Broncos also lost middle linebacker Nate Irving to injury. In Week 9 against the New England Patriots, Irving suffered a partially-torn MCL and he was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
The Broncos drafted guys like Lamin Barrow and Corey Nelson in the 2014 NFL draft, but undrafted free-agent rookie Todd Davis ended up with more playing time late in the year.
Chris Harris Is a Top-5 Cornerback
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Every year the Broncos have a knack for finding talent via the college free-agent class after the draft. After the 2011 NFL draft, Denver added four-year starter from Kansas Chris Harris. The young cornerback began his career as a standout sub-package player.
Now, Harris has emerged as one of the best cornerbacks in the entire league.
He fought back from a partially-torn ACL he suffered in the 2013 playoffs to have a great season this year. Harris was eased back into action during training camp, but by the time Week 1 came around he was ready to go.
In 2014, Harris allowed the lowest quarterback rating (47.8) of any cornerback in the NFL. Harris also did not allow a touchdown pass to any receiver he covered in 2014.
The Broncos are facing some tough decisions in free agency this offseason. One decision they went ahead and made was to re-sign Harris. He was set to be a free agent, but the Broncos went ahead and gave him a new contract.
Harris signed a team-friendly deal in order to stay with the Broncos. The Broncos were able to snare the incredibly talented corner for a five-year deal worth $42.5 million. The deal includes a $10 million signing bonus and $24 million guaranteed.
It’s a great move for the Broncos, as Harris should continue to play at a high level during his time in Denver.
All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via email from the Denver Broncos unless otherwise noted. Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac.com. Transaction history provided by ProSportsTransactions.com.
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