Early Predictions for Denver Broncos' 2015 Training-Camp Battles
The Denver Broncos are set at several positions as they move closer to the start of the 2015 regular season. They have worked diligently to assemble the best talent they possibly could within their salary-cap restraints. The Broncos have fewer question marks than many other teams around the league.
However, there are going to be some training-camp battles worth watching at Dove Valley.
In fact, some of these battles will be at important positions. Other battles have less importance, but these competitions will still help determine the direction of the franchise in 2015.
Here are some early predictions for the training-camp battles we’ll see with the Denver Broncos later this offseason.
5. Free Safety
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The Broncos are looking for a new starting free safety after letting Rahim Moore move on in free agency to the Houston Texans. In order to add more competition to the position, the Broncos went out in free agency and added former Baltimore Ravens free safety Darian Stewart.
Originally an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina in 2010, Stewart spent his first four years in the league with the St. Louis Rams. He struggled with injury and consistency during his time with the Rams but looked much better in 14 games for the Ravens last year.
Stewart is confident in his ability, and the key to his improved play last season is simple in his eyes.
“Just staying healthy. When I’m healthy I’m one of the best in the league, I feel like. As long as I’m healthy and staying on the field, my play is going to speak for itself.”
His main competition for the position might not be currently listed at safety on the roster. Second-year cornerback Bradley Roby could be in the mix. Head coach Gary Kubiak has talked more than once at press conferences this offseason about the idea of moving Roby to free safety in certain defensive packages.
Roby was fantastic as the team’s third corner last year, and he has the upside to be a fine starting cornerback in the league someday. The Broncos may want to use Roby in an effort to get the best possible defensive talent on the field at the same time.
Stewart has the confidence as an emerging player. His play during training camp and the preseason will likely prompt the Broncos in either direction. Roby is a more talented player, but he’s better used at cornerback.
Winner: Darian Stewart
4. Nose Tackle
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We’ll see a shift for the Broncos on the defensive side of the ball as they transition to a 3-4 defense under new coordinator Wade Phillips. This should be a much more aggressive defense in 2015, and they’ll likely blitz a lot more than they did under Jack Del Rio in 2014.
The fulcrum of the defense is the nose tackle position, and the Broncos need to establish which player best fits as the starter.
The front-runner for the starting nose tackle job might be Sylvester Williams. The 2013 first-round pick struggled to impress last year as a starter, but the team is hoping that new defensive line coach Bill Kollar can turn Williams around.
In college at North Carolina, Williams was known as a player who could consistently get push and win in one-on-one situations. We haven’t seen that version of him at the pro level yet. Instead, he looks sluggish after the snap and gets virtually no push against his man.
If Williams continues to struggle, the Broncos may be forced to turn to veteran Marvin Austin. You can make the argument that Austin is a better natural fit at nose tackle than Williams is. A second-round pick by the New York Giants in 2011, Austin failed to stay healthy and impress early in his career. He bounced to two other teams before finding a home with the Broncos last year.
Austin is strong at the point of the play. He can stand strong against larger offensive linemen and understands leverage when attempting to get push on the pocket. Austin does have a bit of burst to get to the ball-carrier or the quarterback when within striking distance. If he’s in for a larger role, though, he needs to improve his stamina.
We’re likely to see other players rotated in at nose tackle regardless of who wins the starting job. Antonio Smith should play at defensive end, but he could move inside to tackle on some passing downs. Rookie Darius Kilgo is a two-down run-stuffer and might rotate in on short-yardage or goal-line situations.
Winner: Sylvester Williams
3. Left Guard
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The Broncos offensive line has the most question marks of any other position on the team. They seem to have an answer at left guard in free-agent addition Shelley Smith, but the spot is not set in stone.
Smith was originally a sixth-round selection by the Houston Texans (and Gary Kubiak) in 2010, and he has a perfect skill set for the zone-blocking system. He’s an athletic player who can move well laterally after the snap. Smith does a good job of blocking his man on the move, and he can be relied on as a “sticky blocker” at the second level of the defense.
His main competition for the position will be former defensive lineman Ben Garland. The former Air Force standout moved over to the offensive side of the ball a few years ago, and he has worked hard to progress in his new role.
Garland welcomes the competition at his position.
“It’s great," he said. "Not only did we get some great draft picks, but we’ve got some great free agents in the offseason. It’s going to be a thick competition, and we’re going to have a great offensive line.”
Garland may not be as athletic as Smith, and he lacks the experience that Smith has at the pro level. However, Garland is a powerful player who can control his man at the point of the play. Smith can be penciled in as the starter at this time, but Garland could change that with a strong performance in training camp.
Winner: Shelley Smith
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2. Center
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There were two different starting centers for the Broncos last seasons, and now both of those players are gone. Will Montgomery was the most effective center for the Broncos in 2014, but he followed John Fox in free agency to the Chicago Bears.
Manny Ramirez began the 2014 season as the starting center, but the Broncos dealt him to the Detroit Lions as part of the deal to move up in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft for pass-rusher Shane Ray.
The starting center may not yet be on the roster (more on that later).
Earlier this year, the Broncos traded the Baltimore Ravens for center Gino Gradkowski. He started every game for the Ravens in 2013 but failed to impress and was replaced by Jeremy Zuttah in 2014. He barely played last year, but Gradkowski must have shown enough in practice to get the attention of Kubiak—the offensive coordinator for the Ravens in 2014.
Matt Paradis is going to be competing for the center job this season. He was a sixth-round pick by the Broncos last year but failed to make the final roster. Instead, he spent his rookie season on the practice squad. Paradis is athletic, smart and strong, but he obviously lacks experience in the pros.
This year in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL draft, the Broncos added Florida center Max Garcia. He’s more of a power player in the mold of Ramirez, but Garcia will get a chance to prove that he belongs as the starter in the middle of the line. Garcia has the versatility to play guard at the pro level as well.
If none of these players proves worthy of the starting job, the best answer for the Broncos could be free agent Chris Myers. A sixth-round pick in 2005 by the Broncos, Myers played with the Texans from 2008 to 2014. He has plenty of experience working under Kubiak, and Myers could step in and start from Day 1.
Winner: Gino Gradkowski (although Myers would be much better)
1. Right Tackle
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This may be the biggest question mark on the roster right now. Three jobs are up for grabs on the offensive line right now, but right tackle could be more important to the team than left guard or center. Two draft picks will be the main competition for this spot, but Denver also has a veteran who is working to prove himself after a disappointing 2014.
In the second round of the 2015 NFL draft, the Broncos selected Ty Sambrailo out of Colorado State. He’s an athletic player who mostly played left tackle for the Rams. Sambrailo is used to the zone-blocking system since that’s what he played in during his college days. On the right side, he’ll have to flip the footwork, but Sambrailo is more than capable of starting from Day 1.
In addition to athleticism, he plays with a nasty attitude. He plays to the echo of the whistle and can dominate his man as a run-blocker.
In the third round of the 2014 NFL draft, the Broncos added Michigan’s Michael Schofield. As a rookie, he made the final roster but wasn’t active for a single game in 2014. He struggled with weight problems and pass-protection issues that kept him off the field. This offseason, Schofield has added strength and muscle to his upper body as he looks to win the starting job.
Veteran Chris Clark might be the dark horse to win this job. He began last season as the starting right tackle but did not hang onto the job for long. Instead, the Broncos rotated in multiple players at the spot, and Clark was relegated to the inactive list for three games. He has the edge in experience, and the zone-blocking system is a better fit for his natural skill set.
Winner: Ty Sambrailo
All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted.
Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac. Transaction history provided by Pro Sports Transactions. Draft grades provided by NFLDraftScout.com.
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