Breaking Down All the News Faces on the 2015 Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have a lot of new faces around Dove Valley. They are still in a Super Bowl window, so finding the right talent for this roster is critical in 2015.
Denver made some tough decisions in free agency. It let some of its own free agents go because of price/production concerns. Then, the team went out and found the best (and most affordable) veterans that it could in the free-agent pool.
The scouting department worked diligently this offseason to build the team’s draft board. The Broncos found what they hope are (eventually) multiple starters in this year’s draft class.
Denver was also aggressive when looking for players on the trade block. It left no stone unturned while scanning the league for talent.
In this article, we take a look at the all the new faces with the 2015 Denver Broncos.
Shane Ray
1 of 10
The Broncos defense is going to have a different look this season under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. One of the biggest differences will be the percentage of blitzes this year.
Rookie Shane Ray is going to be part of that aggressive scheme.
The Broncos moved up in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft so they could take Ray off the board. He’s an alpha male pass-rusher who plays like every snap is his last. Ray gets after the passer with a nonstop motor, and he plays like he hates quarterbacks.
This season, he should serve as a part-time pass-rusher at outside linebacker behind Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware. Ray’s presence should keep Ware fresh as the season goes on, and it will be a good way for the rookie to gain experience in a limited role.
As a rookie, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Ray snare five to seven sacks this season. He’ll be a part-time player this year, but he has the ability to eventually develop into a superstar in the NFL.
Owen Daniels
2 of 10
The offense is going to regularly feature the tight end position under new head coach Gary Kubiak. The team is going to run the ball to set up play-action passing, and many of those targets could go toward the tight ends.
It’s no surprise that Owen Daniels signed with the Broncos in free agency.
He has rarely played a snap in the NFL where Kubiak was not his head coach or offensive coordinator. He brings valuable experience to the Broncos and a reliable veteran presence in the passing game.
He’s working on establishing chemistry with quarterback Peyton Manning out at Dove Valley. It shouldn’t take long for Manning to build that bond with a reliable target like Daniels.
Daniels will be the lead tight end for this team and could end up with 50 or more receptions this year as an integral part of the passing game. He’ll work with Virgil Green—the primary blocking tight end—to give the Broncos plenty of strength when they use two-tight end sets.
Ty Sambrailo
3 of 10
Denver had to make a move at left tackle when Ryan Clady went down in minicamp with a season-ending knee injury. Losing Peyton Manning’s blindside protector is unsettling, but the Broncos have a plan.
That plan is inserting rookie Ty Sambrailo as the left tackle.
A second-round pick this year, he played mostly left tackle in a zone-blocking system at Colorado State. He knows the footwork required at the position, and this injury to Clady happened so soon that Sambrailo will have plenty of time to learn the pro game.
He was initially going to compete for the starting right tackle job this year, but that all changed when Clady went down. Sambrailo is quick after the snap and has the lateral agility to mirror rushers around the edge.
The rookie will have to prove that he can anticipate (and stunt) secondary moves from pass-rushers. He sets up well with a proper stance, but Sambrailo can struggle against interior moves. We’ll see if coaching and technique adjustments can help him thrive.
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Darian Stewart
4 of 10
With Rahim Moore moving on in free agency to the Houston Texans, the Broncos needed to find a replacement free safety. Without a lot of salary cap space, they had to find a veteran who didn’t come with a large price tag.
The team looked to former Baltimore Ravens safety Darian Stewart to fill the void.
He began his career in 2010 as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina. The St. Louis Rams picked him up, and he played there for four seasons. He struggled with staying healthy during his time with the Rams, so he went to the Ravens in 2014 for a fresh start.
He started 14 games for the Ravens last year, and Stewart did a good job of finding the ball in the air and making a play. He isn’t a big safety at 5'11", 214 pounds, but he has no issue playing close to the line of scrimmage to help with run defense.
On the Broncos defense, Stewart will be surrounded by talent in the secondary. Playing in a defensive backfield with stars like Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr. and T.J. Ward should help the looks that Stewart gets each week. As a center fielder for the defense, he should have his fair share of opportunities to make plays.
Max Garcia
5 of 10
The Broncos continue to build the offensive line with draft picks. There are several question marks across the line this offseason, with only Louis Vasquez as a starter carried over from last year.
Max Garcia, their fourth-round pick, has the versatility to play multiple spots on the offensive line.
During his college career at both Maryland and Florida, Garcia played all across the line. During his last season at Florida, he started every game at center, even though he hadn’t played the position prior to that.
With the Broncos, Garcia should see some time competing for a spot at left guard. He’s a power player who does a good job of controlling his man at the point of attack. He has a strong base, and he’s tough to move when he sets his feet in pass protection.
Garcia is athletic and capable of executing combo blocks—a must for linemen playing in a zone-blocking system.
He’s unlikely to win the starting job as a rookie. Either Ben Garland or Shelley Smith should start at left guard this year. However, Garcia gives the team a valuable developmental player who can be a quality reserve with future upside.
Vance Walker
6 of 10
With a new defensive scheme in place, the Broncos looked for defensive line talent in free agency. They wanted to find versatile players who can excel in pass and run defense.
That’s what they found in veteran Vance Walker.
He comes over from the Kansas City Chiefs with the ability to start for the Broncos this season. He’s listed as a defensive end and should start opposite Derek Wolfe this year. If needed, the team could move him inside to play some defensive tackle on passing downs.
He has a squatty build at 6’2” 305 pounds, and this helps him as a run defender. Walker is tough to move, and he does a good job of keeping containment to force plays back to his inside.
Walker is a big man, but he’s quick off the snap, which helps him as a pass-rusher. He’ll get some pressure from the edge, and he has multiple moves to get after the quarterback.
His skill set is going to be a welcome addition to this defense. It will especially help when this team is in the postseason going against quarterbacks like Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers and Tom Brady.
Gino Gradkowski
7 of 10
The Broncos felt that trading for a starting center was their best bet this offseason. They needed to find a center after last year’s (most effective) starter Will Montgomery followed former head coach John Fox to play for the Chicago Bears.
Gary Kubiak decided that former Baltimore Ravens starter Gino Gradkowski was worth taking a chance on.
Gradkowski started every game for the Ravens in 2013. A fourth-round pick in 2012, he was thought to be the heir apparent after All-Pro Matt Birk retired. Instead, Jeremy Zuttah replaced Gradkowski as the starting center in Baltimore in 2014.
Although Gradkowski struggled with his starting role, he did seem to improve as the 2013 season wore on. Last year as offensive coordinator for the Ravens, Kubiak must have been impressed with what he saw from him in practice.
Now, Gradkowski will get the first crack at the starting job. He’s competing with second-year pro Matt Paradis for the position. Gradkowski has the experience edge, as Paradis didn’t make the final roster last year but did stick around on the practice squad.
With another starting opportunity this season, we’ll see if Kubiak’s faith in Gradkowski pays off.
James Casey
8 of 10
The Denver offense is going to feature a fullback in certain packages this year. The team hadn’t carried a fullback on the roster since Chris Gronkowski in 2012.
James Casey now gets to prove himself at that spot for the Broncos.
A fifth-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2009, Casey is reunited with Gary Kubiak in Denver. Drafted as a tight end, he was converted to fullback with the Texans back in 2011. He moved back to tight end when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013-2014, and he can play either position effectively.
Casey is an exceptional athlete who spent three years in the minor league system of the Chicago White Sox after they selected him in the seventh round of the 2003 MLB draft. He’s a versatile player who played seven different positions in college at Rice.
He may not be the most devastating blocker, but Casey can get his man out of the way. He understands leverage and does a good job of driving his legs after contact.
Casey shines as a receiver out of the backfield. His athleticism and route-running ability make him a mismatch for linebackers who are charged with covering him in the open field.
We might see the Broncos target Casey as a regular receiver, in addition to having him blast open holes for the ground game.
Shelley Smith
9 of 10
With Orlando Franklin moving on in free agency to the San Diego Chargers, the Broncos looked to fill the void in free agency. Gary Kubiak found a familiar player to pick up and compete for the left guard spot.
The Broncos added Shelley Smith earlier this year with the idea that he could likely win the starting job.
A sixth-round pick by the Kubiak-led Texans in 2010, Smith knows the zone-blocking system like the back of his hand. He’s a laterally agile player with plenty of starting experience and high football intelligence.
Smith knows how to get to the second level of the defense and be a sticky blocker on opposing linebackers. He’s an athletic player who has a mean streak that helps him blast open holes for the ground game.
Right now, the Broncos have Ben Garland as their starting left guard. This is a bit of a surprise considering the experience and knowledge advantage that Smith has over Garland. When the pads come on in training camp, we’ll see if Smith can be more impressive and overtake Garland for the starting job.
Karl Schmitz
10 of 10
The Broncos have a history of finding football talent in unusual places. Whether it’s basketball players they convert into tight ends or punters from Bermuda, the Broncos leave no stone unturned when searching for football players.
Karl Schmitz hasn’t played an organized football game in eight years, but that didn’t stop the Broncos from signing him to a contract earlier this year.
Watching Schmitz boot punts and kicks out at Dove Valley is simply amazing. He has a booming leg and can get plenty of hang time on his punts. In addition to impressing as a punter, Schmitz can also boot 70-yard field goals in practice.
The Broncos had to carry three kickers last year. Britton Colquitt is the highest-paid punter in the league, but his stats last year were among the worst in the NFL at his position. Brandon McManus is a kickoff specialist the team couldn’t trust as a field-goal kicker. Connor Barth is a veteran who is solid at kicking field goals, but he’s not going to get you a touchback—even at altitude—on a kickoff.
Schmitz may just be a camp leg. However, he could take up the role of two of the specialists (Colquitt and McManus) if he continues to impress in training camp.
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.
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