6 Moves Denver Broncos Should Have Made This Offseason

The Denver Broncos were a team that was hit hard in free agency this offseason, as Orlando Franklin, Julius Thomas, Rahim Moore and Terrance Knighton all were given contracts with other teams.

All four players were starters for Denver last season and it will be up to the Broncos to adequately replace them. 

The team was able to re-sign tight end Virgil Green and draft explosive pass-rusher Shane Ray in the first round. Ty Sambrailo and Max Garcia, two other draft picks, look like players who can be productive on the offensive line for many years to come.

This was all in addition to replacing the entire coaching staff.

Did the team do enough this offseason? Are the Broncos a better team than in 2014? Those questions are left to be answered, but with Peyton Manning being 39 years old, the window to a Super Bowl is gradually closing.

Here, we will play devil's advocate and look into whether the Broncos could have done more. What moves could have been made to strengthen the team not just in 2015, but beyond?

Read on for six moves the team should have made—and still could make—this offseason.

Address Free Safety Earlier in the Draft

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Many of the teams around the league chose not to take the bait on some of the free safeties available in the 2015 NFL draft.

Gerod Holliman, who led the nation in interceptions last season, wasn't selected until the seventh round. Durell Eskridge wasn't picked in the draft at all.

Still it was a position of weakness for the Broncos going into the draft, and selections such as cornerback Lorenzo Doss in the fifth round and defensive tackle Darius Kilgo in the sixth round were a little strange.

The Broncos did select versatile defensive back Josh Furman in the seventh round, but he may not even play free safety unless the team is forced to put him there.

That puts a lot of pressure on free-agent signing Darian Stewart who came over from the Baltimore Ravens. In Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense, Stewart will often be responsible for diagnosing offensive play calls and covering the deep ball.

If he struggles, the Broncos don't have many places to turn.

For the 2014 season, Pro Football Focus had Stewart ranked as its No. 54 safety in terms of coverage. He will have to be better in Denver.

Perhaps the player the Broncos liked in the draft was snagged before it was their turn to make a selection, but it would have been nice to see the team make more of an effort to bring in a young safety to develop behind Stewart.

Unless of course, Furman is that guy.

Re-Sign Quinton Carter

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As mentioned, the Broncos don't have great depth at the safety position.

The team chose not to re-sign Quinton Carter following the 2014 season, and he remains a free agent. That isn't surprising given Carter's injury history.

Prior to having trouble staying on the field due to knee issues, Carter was a promising young player for the Broncos. As a rookie, he beat out Moore for the starting job at safety and went on to have two interceptions during the team's playoff run following the 2011 season.

The Broncos could still bring in Carter for depth heading into training camp, paying him the league minimum to show what he still has, if anything. What could it hurt? If the move didn't pan out, the Broncos could cut him at the end of training camp. No harm, no foul.

After sitting out nearly all of the 2012 season and then the entire 2013 season, Carter made 21 tackles with one sack and one forced fumble for the Broncos last season. He will be 27 years old when the season starts, and he could still have plenty to offer to an NFL team.

It might be worth it to find out.

Sign Chris Myers

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When Gary Kubiak came in as the Broncos' new head coach, it seemed a good bet that Chris Myers would soon be signed to be the team's new center.

Myers spent several years in Kubiak's system with the Houston Texans, and he is a former member of the Broncos. In Houston, Myers helped Arian Foster become one of the league's best running backs.

Following the season, the Texans chose to release the veteran center. That opened the door for the Broncos to bring him in. But that transaction never happened.

Instead the Broncos chose to trade for Baltimore center Gino Gradkowski. Though Myers was available, the Broncos chose to give up a 2016 fourth-round pick in exchange for Gradkowski and Baltimore's 2016 fifth-round pick.

Gradkowski is seven years younger than Myers, but is he a better fit in the zone-blocking system?

Release Britton Colquitt

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The fact that the Broncos have shown loyalty to punter Britton Colquitt by not releasing him yet is admirable, but it doesn't make a lot of sense.

Colquitt struggled in 2014. His average of 44.2 yards per punt was the lowest number of his career, and his net average of 37.6 yards was the second-lowest of his career. In addition, Pro Football Focus ranked him as its No. 23 punter for the season.

That doesn't equal a $3 million price tag, which Colquitt is scheduled to make in 2015.

It's understandable that the Broncos want to see if Karl Schmitz has what it takes to earn the job over Colquitt, but the Broncos could find a punter off the street to come in and post the numbers that Colquitt did last season for a lot less than $3 million.

Sign Reggie Wayne

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Yes this may be stretching things a little bit, but at the same time, why not? It's not like the Broncos are loaded at wide receiver as they have been in years past.

Reggie Wayne has clearly lost a step or two, but his veteran leadership combined with the connection he has with Peyton Manning is undeniable.

The Broncos have Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, a great combination to be sure, but behind them is second-year wide receiver Cody Latimer and a bunch of players hopeful of landing a roster spot.

Latimer is a real question mark due to the fact he was all but invisible as a rookie. Still the Broncos likely have a lot of confidence in his development, and he'll get his chance to be the team's No. 3 receiver.

Kubiak's offense relies heavily on tight ends, and Manning will have plenty of options at that spot as well. But the team could still use production from a fourth wide receiver.

The wide receiver position was a crowded one when Wayne played for the Indianapolis Colts in 2014, but he still managed to catch 64 passes for 779 yards and two touchdowns.

Signing Wayne may seem unlikely at this point, but just like the case with Carter, the Broncos could cut him if it didn't work out. If he and Manning could rekindle even a touch of what they had in Indianapolis, it could be a worthwhile move.

Extend Brock Osweiler's Contract

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Brock Osweiler's rookie contract will expire following the season. Could he really leave Denver without playing a meaningful down for the team?

If an agreement on a contract extension isn't reached, that is a distinct possibility.

Osweiler has thrown for just 159 yards and one touchdown during his three years in the league, but much of that is due to the guy he sits behind—Manning.

As long as Manning is the quarterback of the Broncos, Osweiler's chances of playing are pretty slim unless it's in trash time. But Manning's days in the league are winding down.

The Broncos know that, so why not get a deal done soon? The team thought enough of Osweiler to draft him in the second round. A quarterback taken then is usually brought in to be a team's quarterback of the future.

Though the Broncos don't truly know what Osweiler can do on the field in every situation due to his limited experience, that is the position the team has chosen. If a deal is not reached before season's end, a bidding war for Osweiler's services could begin.

Though other teams around the league would be taking a risk on the inexperienced quarterback, he may like the idea of leaving for a chance at a fresh start with a team that may actually put him on the field.

The Broncos don't seem to have a long-term answer at the quarterback position behind Osweiler, and the team could be scrambling for years if he were to go elsewhere.

That can't happen. Though it hasn't been done to this point, a deal must be reached before the end of the season.