Setting Realistic Expectations for Each Denver Broncos Rookie
The Denver Broncos added nine new players to the roster through the 2015 NFL draft. Among those selections were one of the best pass-rushers in the entire draft, two offensive linemen and a quarterback.
How will their rookie seasons go? How many of these players will even make the team?
The Broncos have held several minicamp practices and training camp opens in just about one month. For the full training camp schedule, you can visit the team's official website here.
How the Broncos intend to use each of these rookies will become more clear once camp opens and preseason games are played. But here, we are going to project how the season will go for each player.
While it's certainly possible that any of these players will perform much better—or in some cases, much worse—than these predictions, we will attempt to find a middle ground between the ceiling and the cellar for each of these rookies.
Do these projections fit in with your line of thinking? Feel free to use the comments section to tell us how much you agree or disagree.
Shane Ray, Defensive End, Missouri
1 of 9
If Shane Ray is able to play up to the level he displayed in college while at Missouri, then the Broncos got a steal with the No. 23 overall pick in the draft.
After being cited for possession of marijuana shortly before the draft took place, Ray began to fall down the board in the first round. One of the big questions of the night centered around which team would take a chance on him.
The Broncos ended up jumping five spots from No. 28 in a trade with the Detroit Lions that also sent offensive lineman Manny Ramirez to Detroit. The Broncos didn't make that move without a solid plan of attack in mind.
With Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware already on the roster, the Broncos realized that they could instantly create perhaps the league's most feared pass rush. Ray is a player that defensive coordinator Wade Phillips will have a lot of fun with.
Unless Ray has a behavioral setback, he can be counted on to be a regular contributor for the team from the very first game. Though the Broncos would be thrilled to see Ray reach double digits in sacks, he'll probably have a more average season statistically, but it will be the plays he makes in key situations that will make him a vital player on the team.
Ty Sambrailo, Offensive Lineman, Colorado State
2 of 9
No rookie on the team will need to be ready quicker during his first year than Ty Sambrailo. Due to the season-ending injury suffered by Ryan Clady, the Broncos will likely be counting on Sambrailo to take over duties at the left tackle spot.
That will be heavy pressure for a rookie.
If he's not ready, it could mean that Ryan Harris is left to start at the left tackle spot. Though Harris has experience, Peyton Manning probably wouldn't feel too comfortable with the protection on that side of the line, and protection is critical with Manning.
Sambrailo will not only have to demonstrate that he is the best option for that position in camp, he will also have to prove he can handle the zone-blocking scheme that the Broncos will be converting to.
The Broncos drafted Sambrailo in the second round, so they clearly saw something they liked. The team would probably just feel more comfortable if it could have placed him on the right side of the line to start his career.
That option may no longer be available with Clady done for the year. Fans should expect Sambrailo to begin the year at the left tackle spot, but that will likely come with some struggles.
Jeff Heuerman, Tight End, Ohio State
3 of 9
Jeff Heuerman's pro career got off to a very unfortunate start when he tore his ACL during the team's rookie minicamp and will miss the entire season as a result.
That makes his expectations for the coming season easy to project, since he'll be watching it all from the sidelines.
"#Broncos' Jeff Heuerman has signed his contract. He's out for the season, but team still believes has bright future. All picks now signed.
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) June 4, 2015"
Still, Heuerman is a name Broncos fans shouldn't forget, as he will be part of the team's plans at the tight end position going forward. Hopefully he is able to learn as much as possible during the season without being on the field and come back fresh and ready to go in 2016.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Max Garcia, Offensive Lineman, Florida
4 of 9
As far as value goes, the Broncos got a tremendous player in the fourth round when they selected Max Garcia out of Florida.
Garcia will come into Denver as a versatile offensive lineman who can line up at guard or center. He could be an excellent fit in the zone-blocking system .
Like Sambrailo, Garcia fits the mold as a tough player that John Elway seemed to be looking for in the draft among offensive linemen. He has a strong upper body and is proficient in the running game.
Garcia could challenge for a position in the starting lineup right away and could be inserted at one of the guard positions as early as the season opener. The team likely wants to see him develop behind someone like Shelley Smith, but it will be tough for Smith to win that battle.
Because the Broncos probably don't want to have two rookies starting on the offensive line, Garcia will likely begin the season as a reserve. But his future is bright, and he won't be a reserve for long. If he isn't starting by the end of 2015, he will be in 2016 without much doubt.
Lorenzo Doss, Cornerback, Tulane
5 of 9
Looking to build the secondary for years to come, the Broncos added Lorenzo Doss out of Tulane in the fifth round. This was a tremendous pick.
Doss has good balls skills, coming up with 15 interceptions during the course of his college career. He has a knack for being around the ball as a defensive back and when he gets it in his hands, he is capable of big plays.
In Denver, he will be able to develop his skills in coverage behind the likes of Aqib Talib and Chris Harris. Learning on the same field as those players is going to make Doss a better player and a key piece to the future of the defense.
As a rookie, Doss will probably be used sparingly in sub-packages. But that doesn't bode well for a veteran like Tony Carter, who could be looking for a job elsewhere as a result.
Darius Kilgo, Defensive Tackle, Maryland
6 of 9
In the sixth round of the draft, the Broncos added depth to the defensive line by selecting Darius Kilgo out of Maryland.
Kilgo will be able to provide support in the running game, but he needs serious development to stay on the field on passing downs. His snaps will be limited as a rookie due to that fact.
Fortunately for Kilgo, there aren't many defensive tackles on the roster. Sylvester Williams and Marvin Austin are the only defensive tackles on the depth chart, though both Malik Jackson and Derek Wolfe could see snaps at that spot over the course of the season.
Kilgo's rookie season will be spent learning the nuances of the pro game and Denver's defense in general, but he projects as a player who could become a contributor as a run-stopper in the near future.
Trevor Siemian, Quarterback, Northwestern
7 of 9
The selection of quarterback Trevor Siemian was a bit of a surprise. The Broncos already had three quarterbacks on the roster, so it wasn't seen as a need. What makes it even more of a surprise pick is the fact that only seven quarterbacks were selected in the draft and he was one of them.
Siemian had a lackluster college career. In 44 games, he threw just 27 touchdowns to go along with 24 interceptions. On top of that, he will be coming off a serious knee injury.
Taking all of that into consideration, the Broncos still drafted him. That shows that there is something about the kid that enamored the organization.
Siemian is mobile and can throw on the run. His ability to do that while evading pressure could allow him to stick around. But he'll need a lot of work to ever become a long-term quarterback in the NFL.
With Brock Osweiler entering the final year of his contract, Siemian will likely be locked in a battle with Zac Dysert to be the No. 3 quarterback on the roster. The Broncos would also have the option to place Siemian on the practice squad or even season-ending injured reserve due to the knee injury.
Fans should expect one of the latter two options in 2015 as Dysert remains with the team as the third-string quarterback.
Taurean Nixon, Cornerback, Tulane
8 of 9
The Broncos must have liked what they saw out of the Tulane secondary in 2014. Taurean Nixon was the second cornerback drafted by the Broncos out of the school when they took him in the seventh round.
In many instances, teams are grabbing for straws in the seventh round, and that's what it appears the Broncos were doing with each of their seventh-round picks.
Cornerback wasn't a need, but Nixon is a speedy defensive back. He also spent time competing for the track team while at Tulane.
With a good stash of defensive backs on the roster, Nixon will find it hard to make the team. He will have to show he can contribute on special teams in order to make it through roster cuts.
At the end of camp, Nixon will be cut, but look for the Broncos to add him to the practice squad.
Josh Furman, Defensive Back, Oklahoma State
9 of 9
Josh Furman originally attended Michigan in college but transferred to Oklahoma State for the 2014 season.
That ended up being a good decision as Furman racked up 64 tackles, seven sacks and one interception. All of those numbers were better than the combined statistics he put up in three years at Michigan.
Though he was one of the last picks of the draft, Furman will have a chance to catch on with the Broncos due to his ability to play the safety position. Free safety seems to be a weak spot for the Broncos heading into the season, and Furman can play that position.
Depending on how much time the team chooses to use Bradley Roby or Kayvon Webster at free safety, if at all, could determine Furman's status. He would fill in as a good rotational player in sub-packages.
"RT @johnelway: Our final pick, Josh Furman, is a big, physical safety from #OKstate. He likes to run & hit, and he'll come in here & compete
— Kyle Fredrickson (@kylefredrickson) May 2, 2015"
Furman will likely be placed on the practice squad as well, but he does have an outside chance of making the final 53-man roster. If the coaching staff isn't completely comfortable with Darian Stewart, Furman could land a roster spot for added depth.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
