5 Keys to Potent Denver Broncos Ground Game in 2015

The Denver Broncos offense is going to look different in 2015. That will be evident from the very first snap. But it will only look different if you compare it to what the team has done in the last few years. If you go back and look at the teams that won back-to-back Super Bowls, the offense will look quite familiar.

That all starts with the running game.

New head coach Gary Kubiak will be implementing a zone-blocking scheme. In theory, this will make the Broncos a more run-based offense and lighten the load for 39-year-old quarterback Peyton Manning.

That won't happen overnight, however. The Broncos will have to put in the work during the offseason to install and perfect the offense prior to the start of the regular season.

For the Broncos to establish a dominant rushing attack, several key factors must fall into place. Here, those factors have been identified.

If the Broncos are able to rely on each of them, the rushing attack could find the same kind of success that it did during Kubiak's run as offensive coordinator.

Virgil Green

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There is a reason the Broncos made sure to retain Virgil Green this offseason and didn't make as much of an effort with Julius Thomas in free agency.

The reason for that decision is how Green fits into Kubiak's new offense, mainly due to his ability as a blocker. As shown last season, Green can be a dominant blocker. He was able to help an ailing offensive line in 2014 and was perhaps the best run-blocker on the entire team.

In 2015, the Broncos will line up with two tight ends very often, allowing Green to see more snaps than he has through the first four years of his career. During his college career at Nevada, Green played in similar offensive formations to what he will see in Denver.

If the offensive line does what it is supposed to on running plays in the zone-blocking scheme, the Broncos will already be tough to slow down. Green's blocking will just be an added bonus.

Continuity Along Offensive Line

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In recent years, the Broncos have tried several different combinations along the offensive line. The team has also had to deal with many injuries within the unit. Left tackle Ryan Clady has already been lost for the coming season with a torn ACL.

As a result, there hasn't been much cohesiveness on the line.

The Broncos can't afford to have any more injuries, especially after losing guard Orlando Franklin to free agency in the offseason. The team needs to choose a starting offensive line and be able to stick with it.

Last season, the Broncos moved Franklin from tackle to guard and Louis Vasquez from guard to tackle. They tried Will Montgomery at center and Paul Cornick at tackle. Nothing they did seemed to work, and that is why the offensive line struggled last year.

This season, the line will be asked to do different things with Kubiak running the show, but staying healthy and not having to shuffle positions will be very important.

Interchangeable Running Backs

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Back when Kubiak was the offensive coordinator and Alex Gibbs coached the offensive line, there was little doubt that the Broncos were the best running team in the league.

Not only did Terrell Davis excel in that offense, but so did all the guys behind him. The coaching staff really felt as though it could plug any player in at the running back position and have success.

There's plenty of evidence to back that up, too.

If you don't believe that statement, go check the career stats of guys like Olandis Gary and Mike Anderson once they left Denver and joined other teams.

Kubiak and his staff will likely take this approach again, wanting a bevy of backs who can come in and produce. Guys like C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson seem like natural fits for the offense, and Montee Ball could certainly adapt to it.

One player to keep an eye on is Kapri Bibbs. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him beat out Ronnie Hillman for a roster spot.

Rookies Need to Be Ready

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The Broncos made a concerted effort to address the offensive line in the NFL draft, selecting linemen in two of the first four rounds. Both of those players will need to be ready to go early in their careers.

With Clady out for the season, there is a very good chance that second-round pick Ty Sambrailo will begin the year as the starting left tackle. That could be concerning to some fans, but let's be honest: He wasn't drafted to sit on the bench.

In the fourth round, the team found Max Garcia out of Florida, a player who can line up at guard or center. He seems to be a very good fit for the zone-blocking scheme, and while he may not begin the season as a starter, he will certainly be on the field in certain packages.

Without Clady, guys like Vasquez and perhaps Gino Gradkowski will be leaned on for their veteran experience.

Still, the team will need consistent play out of its young rookies almost immediately.

Downfield Blocking by Wide Receivers

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This is an area that probably hasn't had a huge emphasis on it in recent years with Adam Gase as offensive coordinator, but it will with Kubiak and Rick Dennison running things.

In the zone-blocking scheme, the running back will look for an opening while the line stretches the defense laterally. A key block downfield by a wide receiver against a man in his zone will absolutely spring a play for big yardage.

This is something the coaching staff will likely work extensively on with the wide receivers during training camp. A guy like Cody Latimer could really set himself apart, as blocking downfield was one of his strengths in college at Indiana.

Demaryius Thomas has the size (6'3", 229 lbs) to be an effective blocker—he'll just need some work to sharpen his skills in that area.

In the offense the Broncos are going to run this year, the wide receivers will have to be skilled in this area.

Last season, Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders put up huge numbers catching the ball. This year, they could see a drop in those numbers, but that doesn't mean they'll be any less important to the team if it is a result of them being asked to block more on running plays.

This will be a run-first team in 2015. Every player will need to buy into that concept.