Broncos 2015 Preview: Complete Denver Guide for Preseason, Season
The Denver Broncos are about a week into training camp at UC Health Training Center. With Peyton Manning under center, this team is still in a Super Bowl window—but that opportunity may be fading away after this season.
The team has made a ton of changes in coaching, personnel and philosophy this offseason. The Broncos have worked hard to assemble the best talent they possibly could, and now they’ll coach them up and make a run at the championship.
Gary Kubiak feels great coming back to Denver as the head coach, but he understands the team is a work in progress.
“There is a lot of work to do and there’s a lot of work to do to put this team together," Kubiak said. "There is going to be some really difficult decisions because this is an extremely talented team with some nice additions as far as young players. We have to sort all that out.”
Here’s a complete guide for the Broncos' preseason and regular season.
New Impact Players: Offense
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The Broncos have added more than a few players of note to the offensive side of the ball. The rookie class included some players like Ty Sambrailo and Max Garcia who could start on the offensive line this year. The free-agent class included offensive players too, and the player to highlight here is veteran tight end Owen Daniels.
A fourth-round pick of the Houston Texans in the 2006 NFL draft, Daniels has rarely played any snaps in his pro career where Kubiak wasn’t his coach or offensive coordinator. After Kubiak was fired by the Texans, Daniels followed him to the Baltimore Ravens, where Kubiak was their offensive coordinator. When Kubiak was hired as the new head coach for the Broncos earlier this year, it came as no surprise that Daniels was picked up in free agency.
Daniels obviously knows this system like the back of his hand. The offense is very tight end-friendly, and there is a lot of responsibility for guys like Daniels and Virgil Green this year.
“We’re involved a lot in everything that we do, whether it’s run the ball or in the pass game. I think that he sees mismatches there that we can create. There are a lot of two-tight end stuff where we can have two athletic guys on the field that can stretch the field and catch the ball or the defense is going to have to make a personnel decision on what they want to do.” Daniels emphasized, “Whether they want to put a nickel[back] out there or stay base, either way I think that we have an advantage on the pass.”
There will be some new impact players on offense, but perhaps none as impactful as Daniels.
New Impact Players: Defense
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We could see the Broncos forge a defensive identity in 2015. They didn’t have as much money to spend in free agency as they did in 2014, but the Broncos were still able to find impact players on the open market.
One player who could make his presence felt on defense is free safety Darian Stewart. He was a 14-game starter for the Ravens last year, and Stewart has displayed a good nose for the ball. He is a disruptive player who likes to be a thorn in the side of his opponent.
Stewart has impressed his new teammate, strong safety T.J. Ward.
“D-Stew—he's a smart player. He's very smart and he's calm back there. That's what I like about him," Ward explained. "You never really see him flustered or out of position too much and he can play both free [safety] and strong [safety]. So that's great for us, we'll get to interchange.”
With a fantastic secondary around him and a dangerous pass rush in front of him, Stewart could thrive as the center fielder of the Broncos defense in 2015.
Key Position Battles
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There is a lot of talent on this roster, and that will lead to key position battles to watch in training camp and the preseason. Perhaps no battle is more important than the one going on at left tackle between rookie Ty Sambrailo and, well, himself really.
During the first week of training camp, Sambrailo has predictably struggled. Making the jump in talent from the Mountain West to the NFL is a big leap for the young tackle. He’s going up against some of the best pass-rushers in the game during practice, and those guys are handing him his lunch on a regular basis.
Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison thinks it’s fair to evaluate Sambrailo against DeMarcus Ware in practice.
“We’re just evaluating. He is what we have out there. We have a number of tackles. We’re just throwing them all around and we’re trying to find the top five. The fact that he’s going against great competition is only better.” Dennison explained, “It helps to school him and hopefully it will train him faster if he’s one of our guys.”
Sambrailo must improve his play as training camp leads into the preseason. The team has options like Chris Clark (or perhaps free agent Jake Long) if Sambrailo shows that he’s not ready to be Manning's blindside protector just yet.
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Scheme Changes: Offense
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Things are going to look different for the Broncos on offense this year. Not only is Kubiak back with the team, but so is offensive coordinator Rick Dennison. That means we’ll see the Broncos use a balanced attack on offense.
The zone-blocking system will be used by the offensive line to help carve out rushing lanes and/or cutback lanes for the running backs. Dennison has been impressed by the running back corps.
“I think that they have done a great job. I really felt the urgency of their foot in the ground and going downhill. I thought that their suddenness on the cuts is when they’re made to turn the corner and they’re going to keep getting better at that.” Dennison explained, “They’re feeling the soft spot, understanding what we want done and I feel the surge into the line of scrimmage.”
The Broncos should use the rushing attack to set up play-action passing. Guys like Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders should enjoy the lapses in coverage they see as defenders bite on the run.
Kubiak has enjoyed Sanders' play during practice. “I’m very impressed with him," the head coach said. "He loves to play and has a lot of fun out here. He has a lot of confidence, which good players do.”
Throw in a bunch of targets to the tight ends and some three-wide receiver sets with Cody Latimer, and this offense will look quite a bit different from the unit they had last season.
Scheme Changes: Defense
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We should see a more aggressive defense in Denver this season. Wade Phillips is running the unit now, and he’s bringing a ferocious 3-4 scheme with him.
The defensive line needs to be strong and help redirect traffic. Inside linebackers Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall are going to see a lot of action this year as the ball-carriers are funneled to them. Phillips believes in their ability to get the job done.
“They’re guys that are good at not only their communication. With Trevanthan and Marshall, it is their ability." Phillips continued, "Both guys have led the team in tackles when they played. To get them back certainly will help us, although our backup group is probably the best that I’ve ever had.”
The secondary is arguably one of the best in the league as well, and Phillips knows why the players at cornerback and safety excel.
“They are really smart and they’re really competitive," Phillips noted. "I think that those two things, besides the ability that they have, has made them as good as they are.”
The entire defense is going to benefit from the pressure that Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware and rookie Shane Ray should be able to build at outside linebacker. The team is going to get after the quarterback, and there may be more than one game where the defense carries the day.
What to Watch for in Preseason
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During the preseason, we’re going to get some answers at various positions. Up front on the defensive side of the ball, the Broncos need to play with strength against the run. There is a lot of pressure on 2013 first-round pick Sylvester Williams to play well as the team’s nose tackle—essentially the fulcrum of the 3-4 defense.
Williams likes the new scheme: “It has kind of helped me a lot. Obviously being able to play your own gap allows you to make more plays than two-gap [defense].”
The team can’t be weak in the middle of the defense or else opponents will be able to run the ball on them all day.
Williams knows there is a lot expected of him this year, but he’s not letting the pressure get to him.
“They don't single me out at all," he said. "They talk to the whole defensive line and really the front seven. In general, we just talk about that in general. [Washington Redskins NT] Terrance [Knighton] is a great player and a guy that we're really going to miss, but we are all going to step up and fill the holes that we need to fill.”
We should have a good idea about Williams—especially in the dress rehearsal for the regular season (Week 3 of the preseason)—by the time the opening game rolls around.
AFC West Contenders
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The Broncos will be challenged for the division title this season. They have won the AFC West four years in a row, but this season they could face the toughest competition they have seen during the Manning era. While Kansas City continues to kid themselves with Alex Smith at quarterback, the San Diego Chargers have put better weapons around All-Pro Philip Rivers.
In the first round of the 2015 NFL draft, the Chargers added running back Melvin Gordon out of Wisconsin. A speed back, Gordon is a threat to score any time he touches the ball. He’s dangerous in space, and Gordon can accelerate past unsuspecting defenders with surprising ease. The rookie should lead the way on the ground, and his play will help open things up for Rivers and the passing game.
Earlier this year, the Chargers added veteran receiver Stevie Johnson to the mix in free agency. Having struggled in San Francisco last season, Johnson gets to play with the best quarterback of his career in San Diego. His presence should help take some of the pressure off other quality targets like wide receiver Keenan Allen or tight end Antonio Gates (when he’s back from his four-game suspension).
The defense in San Diego should be better this year, but it’s the offensive side of the ball that should carry the load for this team. With Rivers at the helm, the Chargers could be more dangerous than ever in 2015.
Full Schedule with Projected Results
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The Broncos face a tough schedule this year. At the end of the season, they should finish with at least 10 wins. Anything from 10-6 to 13-3 sounds reasonable when looking over the upcoming slate of games.
Week 1 vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Broncos get a tough opponent to start the year, and one that knows Kubiak well. The Ravens are not as strong defensively as some might think, so the Broncos should have a nice debut to kick off the 2015 season. Broncos Record: 1-0
Week 2 at Kansas City Chiefs
It’s a short week for the Broncos as they face the Chiefs on Thursday Night Football in Week 2. The Chiefs have a fantastic defense, but defensive tackle Dontari Poe (back) won’t be back for this game. C.J. Anderson could lead the way to a Broncos victory. Broncos Record: 2-0
Week 3 at Detroit Lions
The Broncos are back on the road for a night game at home against the Lions. The long break from the Week 2 game should help the Broncos perform better. The secondary is certainly going to be tested by superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson and quarterback Matthew Stafford, but the Broncos should be able to win this game. Broncos Record: 3-0
Week 4 vs. Minnesota Vikings
The defense should be tested in Week 4 against a Vikings team that will feature superstar running back Adrian Peterson. The team needs to be strong up the middle, and Peterson will punish them all day. While second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looks like a star on the rise, the Vikings simply don’t have enough on both sides of the ball to hang with Denver. Broncos Record: 4-0
Week 5 at Oakland Raiders
The road trip to play in the “Black Hole” almost always yields interesting results. At the end of the day, the Raiders may have home-field advantage, but they simply aren’t as good as Denver. Broncos Record: 5-0
Week 6 at Cleveland Browns
While Browns fans may still hate the Broncos because John Elway dominated them throughout his career, this isn’t a team capable of hanging with a high-powered team like Denver. Broncos Record: 6-0
Week 7 Bye Week
It will good for the Broncos to get some rest before the toughest part of their schedule begins. They’re undefeated at this point, but that’s certainly going to be tested over the next few games.
Week 8 vs. Green Bay Packers
This game is going to feature two of the premier teams in the league. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers can make plays when things break down, so he’ll be able to handle the Broncos' pressure better than most. In what could be a Super Bowl preview, the Packers come out on top. Broncos Record: 6-1
Week 9 at Indianapolis Colts
The Broncos will have revenge on their mind in this game, as the Colts are the team that bounced them from last year's postseason. Back in the building that Manning built, emotions should be running high. The Colts have the offense to go toe-to-toe with Denver, but their defense can be softened up by the rushing attack. Broncos Record: 7-1
Week 10 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
While the Chiefs may not be pushing for a playoff berth, they could still provide stiff competition for the Broncos. They need to corral running back Jamaal Charles, as the secondary should be able to handle guys like wide receiver Jeremy Maclin or tight end Travis Kelce. Broncos Record: 7-2
Week 11 at Chicago Bears
The Broncos get to take on their former head coach (John Fox), former offensive coordinator (Adam Gase) and former quarterback (Jay Cutler) all in one game. The Bears would like to win this game, but Cutler throws a pick or two and his team loses. Broncos Record: 8-2
Week 12 vs. New England Patriots
This game should have the feel of a playoff preview. Tom Brady versus Manning is always one of the best games of the year. This time the Broncos get the Patriots at home, and that helps seal a close victory. Broncos Record: 9-2
Week 13 at San Diego Chargers
The AFC West may come down to the contests against the Chargers. The home crowd is fired up, and the Chargers come out swinging. Denver is dealt their third loss of the year. Broncos Record: 9-3
Week 14 vs. Oakland Raiders
The Raiders aren’t the laughingstock they used to be, but they aren’t quite on Denver’s level yet. We could see plenty of Brock Osweiler in an easy Broncos win. Broncos Record: 10-3
Week 15 at Pittsburgh Steelers
These two teams should be among the group that makes it into the postseason on the AFC side. With San Diego on Denver’s heels (and Baltimore likely on Pittsburgh’s), this game means a lot for both sides. Broncos Record: 10-4
Week 16 vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Broncos are at home for a Monday Night Football game against the Bengals. Andy Dalton has struggled while under duress during his pro career. The Broncos defense is all about creating pressure, and they rattle Dalton all night long. Broncos Record: 11-4
Week 17 vs. San Diego Chargers
This game could be meaningless if the Broncos have the division wrapped up. It also could mean going to the playoffs or going home. Denver pulls it off, wins the division and heads to the postseason with a first-round bye. Broncos Record: 12-4
All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted. Advanced stats via ESPN's employees-only database.
Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac. Transaction history provided by Pro Sports Transactions.
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