Early Projections for Denver Broncos' Final 53-Man Roster
It's only May, so it's way too early to project the Denver Broncos' final roster, right? Well, we're going to take a crack at it anyway.
The Broncos will have some interesting decisions to make before the 2015 season gets underway, and the positions that will be the toughest to decide upon figure to be linebacker, wide receiver and several spots along the offensive line.
There will also be the matter of whether or not to keep a third quarterback on the roster.
These questions set up some intriguing storylines to watch in training camp and throughout the preseason schedule as the team works to find its best 53 players.
Here is an all-too-early look at how that final roster could end up.
Quarterback (2)
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Starter: Peyton Manning
Backup: Brock Osweiler
It would be a surprise to see the Broncos carry more than two quarterbacks on the active roster, and if they do, it could be a sign that the team is worried about Peyton Manning staying healthy through an entire season.
The battle to watch throughout the offseason will be between Zac Dysert and seventh-round pick Trevor Siemian. Right now, Dysert is a far better quarterback than Siemian, but the Broncos definitely like something about Siemian. They made him one of just seven quarterbacks drafted this year.
Dysert will be entering his third season in the league but has not played a single down in a regular-season game. He spent last season on the practice squad.
For Siemian, his only hope of sticking with the team will be to make the practice squad. Dysert will be the wild card. If he impresses in camp and preseason games, the Broncos may be compelled to keep three quarterbacks, looking to the future with Dysert as the backup to Osweiler.
Running Back (4)
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Starter: C.J. Anderson
Backups: Ronnie Hillman, Montee Ball and Juwan Thompson
This doesn't seem like a hard position to predict for the team, as C.J. Anderson, Ronnie Hillman, Montee Ball and Juwan Thompson will all make the squad. Where they will sit on the depth chart, however, remains to be seen.
The other two running backs on the roster, Kapri Bibbs and Jeremy Stewart, will likely be left off the final roster. Bibbs would be a strong candidate for the practice squad, where he spent the 2014 season.
Wide Receiver (5)
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Starters: Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Cody Latimer
Backups: Jordan Norwood, Isaiah Burse
Wes Welker is no longer on the team, which means it will be Cody Latimer's time to shine. Fans saw almost nothing out of the second-round pick from Indiana last season, but things will be much different in 2015.
He will need to come up big, mainly because there isn't much depth behind him.
Jordan Norwood is a player to keep an eye on. He was having a tremendous training camp last year before a knee injury ended his season, but he will be able to pick up right where he left off.
The last spot will come down to Isaiah Burse and Bennie Fowler, two undrafted rookies from a year ago. Burse will use his experience from last season, as well as his ability on special teams, to edge out Fowler.
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Tight End (4)
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Starter: Owen Daniels
Backups: Virgil Green, James Casey, Joe Don Duncan
The Broncos suffered a tremendous blow on Saturday when third-round pick Jeff Heuerman tore his ACL in practice. He is expected to miss the entire 2015 season, per the team website.
That will force the Broncos to change their plans at the tight end position and take a close look at the players they have. As a result, James Casey and Joe Don Duncan will both make the team. If Heuerman was healthy, only one of them would be retained.
Denver will use Virgil Green in several packages for his ability as a blocker, and the team will rely on Owen Daniels as the main pass-catching tight end on the roster.
Offensive Line (8)
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Starters: Ryan Clady, Shelley Smith, Gino Gradkowski, Louis Vasquez, Ty Sambrailo
Backups: Michael Schofield, Max Garcia, Ben Garland
With training camp still a couple of months away, we'll go with the safe starting lineup on the offensive line. However, the possibilities for who will end up starting this season are endless.
Ryan Clady and Louis Vasquez are the only two players who are assured a starting spot, but it won't be surprising to see either Michael Schofield or Max Garcia crack the starting lineup.
In the case of Garcia, he could be in a battle with Gino Gradkowski and Matt Paradis for the starting center position. But if the Broncos get an encouraging performance out of Paradis, they'd have the room to release Gradkowski.
Defensive End (4)
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Starters: Malik Jackson, Derek Wolfe
Backups: Antonio Smith, Vance Walker
Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe could both have career years in Wade Phillips' defense. Antonio Smith will be a great player to come in as a situational pass-rusher and spell Wolfe.
Vance Walker, whom the team signed as a free agent, has 10 career sacks with three different teams. He will be the fourth defensive end and should come in to help slow down the running game.
With the way things sit on the roster, there shouldn't be too much competition at the defensive end position.
Defensive Tackle (3)
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Starters: Sylvester Williams
Backups: Marvin Austin, Darius Kilgo
Sylvester Williams needs to have a strong training camp, perhaps more than any player on the roster. The former first-round pick has not lived up to his high draft status in two seasons, and if he fails to make an impact this season, the team should not hesitate to turn to Marvin Austin.
Austin had an excellent camp in 2014 but had just 12 tackles during the season. He has just 22 tackles in his four-year career and has been an even bigger disappointment than Williams.
The Broncos need them to both rebound in a major way this season.
Sixth-round pick Darius Kilgo will end up making the final roster due to the lack of depth at the position. He can come in and help clog up the middle to defend against the run, but he has severe limitations on passing downs.
The Broncos could also decide to use Vance Walker at the defensive tackle spot to help shore up the position.
Linebacker (11)
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Starters: Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, Danny Trevathan, Brandon Marshall
Reserves: Shane Ray, Lerentee McCray, Kenny Anunike, Reggie Walker, Lamin Barrow, Steven Johnson, Corey Nelson
Linebacker will definitely be the most interesting position battle to watch as the 2015 regular season approaches.
The starting positions are definitely Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall's to lose. But the backup linebacker positions are going to be among the most important on the entire team due to the injury issues the team experienced last season.
Expect a heated battle throughout camp and preseason games. Players such as Todd Davis and Danny Mason are definitely good enough to make the final roster, but can they beat out guys like Nelson, Barrow or Johnson?
Cornerback (6)
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Starters: Aqib Talib, Chris Harris, Bradley Roby
Backups: Kayvon Webster, Lorenzo Doss, Tony Carter
Aqib Talib and Chris Harris make up one of the most formidable cornerback duos in the entire league. When the Broncos add second-year defensive back Bradley Roby to the mix, the secondary is strong.
Kayvon Webster continues to grow, and the idea of moving him to free safety is a viable option for the team.
In the fifth round of the draft, the Broncos may have found a steal in Lorenzo Doss out of Tulane. He has exceptional ball skills, and the 15 interceptions he came up with in college are proof of that. He could be a great weapon for Phillips to utilize in nickel packages.
Tony Carter will earn one of the final roster spots after being on the bubble for much of the preseason, but defensive backs, particularly those with veteran experience, are always good to have around.
Safety (4)
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Starters: T.J. Ward, Darian Stewart
Backups: David Bruton, Omar Bolden
Safety is one of the thinnest positions for the Broncos going into the season, so they won't be able to afford any injuries.
T.J. Ward and free-agent signing Darian Stewart are the clear starters at this point, but the team will need to explore every option, including moving either Roby or Webster over to the position.
David Bruton and Omar Bolden both make this roster based more on their ability to help out on special teams than the safety position.
One player to keep an eye on is seventh-round draft choice Josh Furman. While placing him on the practice squad in order to develop makes the most sense, a strong camp could lead him to overtake Bolden for a spot on the team.
Special Teams (2)
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Kicker: Connor Barth
Punter: Karl Schmitz
The Broncos used an extra roster spot for a kickoff specialist last season, retaining Brandon McManus after signing Connor Barth in order to utilize both of their strengths. The team never found a good answer after parting ways with Matt Prater.
They also have a punter on the roster, Britton Colquitt, who is due $3 million in 2015. This season, the Broncos have an answer to both of those problems.
His name is Karl Schmitz.
Schmitz has incredible kicking power, and though he doesn't have the NFL experience that Colquitt does, he is a much more economic option. He would also be able to take over kickoff duties and gives the Broncos an option as a long field-goal kicker as well.
Schmitz can do a little bit of everything and could make both Colquitt and McManus expendable.
Practice Squad
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Most NFL teams like to utilize the spots on their practice squad for undrafted rookies or late-round draft picks. This gives them time to develop in the system and hone their craft without counting against the roster.
Although this is an early look, here is how the practice squad could play out for the Broncos based on the 53-man roster we just chose.
- WR: Bennie Fowler
- WR: Matt Miller
- WR: Jordan Taylor
- RB: Kapri Bibbs
- QB: Trevor Siemian
- OL: Matt Paradis
- OL: Connor Rains
- OL: Kyle Roberts
- S: Josh Furman
- CB: Taurean Nixon
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