2015 Denver Broncos Free Agency: An Early Guide to the Market

The Denver Broncos have seen a big change after getting bounced from the postseason by the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. On Monday it was announced that head coach John Fox and the Broncos had mutually agreed to part ways.

At a press conference on Tuesday, general manager John Elway highlighted the positives and thanked Fox for his service.

“We had four tremendous years with John here. We won 49 games and four AFC West championships. It really was a good run.”

Now, the Broncos turn their attention to a head coaching search nobody was expecting a week ago. In addition to finding the right coach to lead this team into the future, the Broncos must also start structuring their roster for next year.

A great way the Broncos can continue to add quality talent is through free agency.

In this article we take an early look at free agents the Broncos could target later this year. We’ll delve into things deeper as we get closer to the start of the free-agent period. Consider this piece a guide and overview of players, positions and situations the team could be making moves at.

The five positions we’ll take a look at are quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, defensive tackle and inside linebacker in order from need and potential impact. Each position will have a dream pick and a more realistic sort of prospect to offer some balance.

Quarterback

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At this time, we don’t know if Peyton Manning is going to return for the 2015 season. After the loss to the Colts on Sunday, Manning was non-committal when asked about his future.

When asked if he was coming back next year, Manning succinctly replied. “Yeah I guess I can’t just give that simple answer. I’m processing it. So I can’t say that. I could not say that.”

If Manning stays, the Broncos won’t look for a quarterback via free agency. If Manning chooses to retire, the Broncos will be scrambling a bit at the position.

Brock Osweiler has been developing behind Manning over the last three years. The 2012 second-round pick is still seen as the quarterback of the future, but he’s entering the final year of his contract in 2015.

Without a coach, we have no idea what kind of system the Broncos could have in place on offense. There’s a chance that offensive coordinator Adam Gase is hired as the head coach, but he could also move on to another team for an opportunity to be a head coach elsewhere. The coaching hire (and offensive coordinator change) will greatly impact what kind of quarterback the Broncos want.

The free-agent class isn’t very strong, but there are a couple of players who could be worth considering if the Broncos are in scramble mode.

Mark Sanchez: The former first-round pick is arguably the top free-agent quarterback. He did an admirable job filling in as a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles last year, but he’s likely to be back on the market looking for a job. If added, Sanchez would compete with Osweiler to be the Broncos starter.

T.J. Yates: If the Broncos need to add a quarterback, Yates would be a more affordable option than Sanchez. He has a decent arm, plus Yates is fairly mobile when the play breaks down. If added, Yates could compete with Zac Dysert to be the primary backup behind Osweiler.

Wide Receiver

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

Looking over the 2015 free agents for the Broncos, something that immediately stands out is the current contract situation of superstar receiver Demaryius Thomas. In addition to Thomas, veteran Wes Welker is also set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2015.

At this time, multiple things are up in the air for the Broncos. For the sake of this article, let’s just go ahead and assume the Broncos will either franchise tag or work out a long-term deal with Thomas. If that happens, they’ll still need help at the wide receiver position as Welker is likely to move on.

Thomas is a superstar and the dream pick in this scenario. Here are two more realistic options Denver could look at.

Nate Washington: The seasoned veteran has a skill set the Broncos could use. He’s a reliable target who uses savvy to get open on different routes. Washington could be added to give the Broncos more veteran depth at the position, and he could compete with Cody Latimer for targets behind Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.

Cecil Shorts: If the Broncos wanted a receiver who could fill the Welker role, then Shorts might be that answer. He battled through injuries in 2014, but so long as he is healthy Shorts can make plays on underneath routes. His speed and quickness could be valuable when the team wants to move the ball through the air quickly.

Tight End

Mark Tenally/Associated Press

The Broncos may lose Julius Thomas in free agency. Fellow 2011 draft pick Virgil Green is also scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2015.

Thomas is a star player and athletic move tight end when healthy. He’s struggled with injuries during his pro career, and that may be why the Broncos allow him to test the open market.

Green is a fantastic blocker, and he may be the most underrated player on the team. He was known as a great receiver in college at Nevada, but the Broncos have asked him to block more than catch. If re-signed, they may ask him to be more involved as a receiver.

Niles Paul: It took some time, but Paul was able to finally flash some playmaking ability with Washington in 2014. He’s a former college receiver who can make plays after the catch. Paul has worked diligently to become a better blocker as well.

Bear Pascoe: If the Broncos want a mauler at the tight end position, then Pascoe could be an option. The former rodeo champion is country strong and can dominate opponents as a blocker at the line of scrimmage. He’s not a receiving threat, but Pascoe can help greatly as a run-blocker.

Defensive Tackle

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

The Broncos need to keep the inside of their defensive line strong. Veteran Terrance Knighton is a free agent, and the Broncos may not be able to bring him back for a good price. It would hurt to see Pot Roast leave the Broncos, but that’s the nature of the business.

If Knighton moves on, the Broncos will be left with disappointing 2013 first-round pick Sylvester Williams as their primary tackle inside. Frankly, they need to upgrade the spot next to him in order to keep the defense strong up front.

Ndamukong Suh: This signing is a pipe dream, but he fits the dream scenario. Suh is a disruptive player who is tough to slow down. The Broncos would probably not pay the price it’s going to take to get Suh under contract. He could sign the richest deal for a defensive tackle in NFL history this offseason.

Terrence Cody: Once a highly thought of draft pick out of Alabama, Mount Cody has failed to impress as a pro during his time with the Ravens. A hip injury cost him most of the 2014 season, and Cody did not record any stats last year. He needs a fresh start, and landing in Denver could be an option. He’s huge and a mountain of a man who naturally eats up space inside.

Inside Linebacker

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We’ll see if the Broncos can find a new inside linebacker in free agency (or the draft) this year. The position has been a sore spot for the Broncos ever since Smoke Dog Al Wilson was forced to retire years ago. Yes, the middle linebacker only played about 35 percent of the snaps for the Broncos defense in 2014, but it would be nice to find a player who could lock down the position for years to come.

Nate Irving was supposed to be that guy when the Broncos drafted him with a third-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft. He struggled to impress at the position, but Irving did find a home on the roster as a reserve strong-side linebacker. Entering 2014, Irving had done enough to win the starting middle linebacker job, and it looked like he could finally start playing up to his potential. A knee injury prematurely ended his season, and now the Broncos begin the search again.

Mason Foster: The Broncos should have selected Foster when he came out of Washington and was a third-round pick in 2011. He has been a tackling machine for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since that time, but Foster is entering free agency this offseason nursing an Achilles injury. This could keep his price down, and the Broncos could be able to sign him at a discount.

Jasper Brinkley: He’s not the greatest player in coverage, but Brinkley is a two-down thumper who can intimidate opponents. Brinkley does a good job of scraping and flowing to the play, and he arrives at the ball-carrier with natural violence.

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. All information on free agents courtesy of Spotrac.com.