Denver Broncos: 3 Best Options to Replace Julius Thomas This Offseason

With the Super Bowl and the lull that is February almost in the books, the NFL is gearing up to truly kick off its offseason. While this past weekend's NFL combine and some interesting roster moves have already taken place, the action will really start getting good in March. Monday, March 2, is the deadline for teams to designate franchise or transition tags for players, and on Tuesday, March 10, free agency officially begins. 

The biggest question mark in Denver is obviously if a certain quarterback (I think you know who I'm talking about) will return for another season or retire. This decision dramatically impacts the state of the squad for the 2015 season, yet there are other impact players with undetermined destinations that will also affect the team's success in 2015. 

One of these players is wide receiver Demaryius Thomas. He is one of two free-agent offensive studs on the Denver Broncos currently, and all signs point to Denver placing the franchise tag on him. This move is absolutely the correct move to make, and it will all but lock up Thomas in Denver for the remainder of his NFL career. 

The second big-name offensive player who is set to become a free agent is tight end Julius Thomas. Thomas, who just finished playing out his $2.4 million rookie contract, has been a wildly successful red-zone tight end over the past two seasons. He's scored 12 touchdowns each year and has proven to be one of the most athletic tight ends in the league. The former college basketball player is a one-dimensional tight end, however, and is an extremely weak blocker for a man of his size. He deserves to get paid for the versatility he provides teams in the red zone, yet Denver is not the team that should, or will, pay him. 

With Thomas likely packing his bags and leaving the Mile High City, the free-agent tight end market will certainly become a priority for the Broncos. I wouldn't be surprised to see them draft a tight end either, yet they will almost certainly want to bring in a veteran who can bring some experience to the offense. Given Thomas' shortcomings as a blocker, I would think that the team wants to bring in a versatile tight end who can not only score, but protect the quarterback as well. 

Who To Avoid

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

The biggest name on the tight end free-agent market is going to be Jordan Cameron. Cameron, while a slightly better blocker, is similar to Thomas. He's a freakish athlete who basically becomes a big receiver on the field and in scoring situations. His measurables are almost identical too at 6'5", 249 pounds. All this being said, the Broncos would be wise to avoid Cameron, for it seems that concussions will ultimately wind up defining his career. There's, of course, a chance that he never gets concussed again, yet head injuries are no joking matter, and they do tend to recur. With this in mind, (no pun intended) the Broncos will need to look elsewhere. 

Three Best Options

1. Owen Daniels

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Daniels may not be the sexiest name in the free-agent pool, yet I really like the well-rounded ability and veteran savvy that he brings to the table. Daniels has proven to be an average blocker, a smart player and good red-zone threat when given the opportunity. I also like the prospect of him reuniting with new Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak, who was, of course, his coach from his Houston days. He may not be flashy, but Daniels would be a rock and veteran presence on an offense that, outside of the aforementioned quarterback who shall not be named, is quite young. 

2. Jermaine Gresham

I like Gresham less than Daniels, but not by much. While his NFL career would largely be considered underwhelming thus far, that is only because expectations were very high for him when he came out of Oklahoma and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round. Gresham's numbers in five NFL seasons have been remarkably consistent. He's caught between 46 and 64 balls every year and scored between four and six touchdowns. He's got great size and athleticism but is a weak blocker overall. He can certainly be better utilized than he had been in Cincinnati, yet he's still not the best option for the Broncos.

3. Charles Clay

Like Gresham, I believe Clay has been poorly utilized in Miami, yet this is mainly due to the fact that he came into the league as a fullback and had to transition to tight end. Clay is a solid athlete with great hands and unique blocking ability for a tight end. His versatility is intriguing, as he can easily line up on the line, in the slot or in the backfield. Clay would probably be my No. 1 pick for Denver to pursue, yet all signs currently point to him and Miami inking a deal that would keep him in sunny southern Florida. Can you blame the guy for not wanting to leave? I certainly can't. 

Joe Rapolla Jr. is a Denver Broncos Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. 

All stats are courtesy of NFL.com.