Denver Broncos: Breaking Down Final Roster and Week 1 Starters
The Denver Broncos have made several additions and subtractions to find the best 53-man roster possible. Talented and big-name players have found their way onto—and off of—the roster. The Broncos went through training camp and the preseason examining the players on the team with a microscopic view.
General manager John Elway knows how difficult it is to release talented players.
“Obviously, this is always a tough time of year. Getting down to the 53 is always tough. We had to let go of a lot of good football players. We’re fortunate that we had great competition and we have had to let go of a lot of good football players.” Elway continued, “We feel like a lot of them will get some opportunities someplace else, too.”
With the 53-man roster set, it’s time to look forward to what this team will look like in the opening game against the Baltimore Ravens. The Broncos are still in a Super Bowl window, and getting off on the right start is imperative.
Here is a breakdown of the final roster and the Week 1 starters for the Broncos.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Starter: Peyton Manning
Backups: Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian
We’ll see Peyton Manning once again lead the way for the Broncos this season. However, this year Manning should be running a more balanced offense. Head coach Gary Kubiak has a more traditional offense that relies heavily on the ground game. This means Manning could be more of a game manager in 2015.
In order for the Broncos to win a championship, Manning must stay healthy and play effectively in the postseason. Leaning on the rushing attack could help Manning do both.
Brock Osweiler had a lot of pressure on his shoulders this preseason. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Osweiler had to prove himself as a potential starter so he could get a contract extension. Osweiler came through in a big way, and he looked good during the exhibition season. There’s no word about a possible extension, but Osweiler might eventually earn that based on his play.
In the seventh round of the 2015 NFL draft, the Broncos selected quarterback Trevor Siemian out of Northwestern. He didn’t have a strong college career, but Kubiak and Elway must’ve seen something they liked when working him out. Siemian had a strong training camp, and he followed that up with more good play in the preseason.
Kubiak is excited about Siemian’s upside.
“He worked really hard throughout the course of the summer off with the players. We came back and he was ready to go. He just continues to make progress. Every time he went on the field, he found a way to make plays. He’s a leader and a very confident young man.” Kubiak continued, “We feel very good about having the ability to get him late in the draft and have a player with that type of ability. He deserves the credit.”
The Broncos have a future Hall of Fame starter in Manning, a potential quarterback of the future in Osweiler and an intriguing developmental prospect in Siemian.
Running Back
2 of 10
Starter: C.J. Anderson
Backups: Ronnie Hillman, Juwan Thompson, James Casey (fullback)
The centerpiece of the Broncos offense is going to be the rushing attack and starter C.J. Anderson. He emerged last year for the Broncos and led the league in rushing over the final six games of the 2014 season.
Now, Anderson is out to prove he can produce over an entire season.
Anderson has the power to grind down opponents as the game goes on. He’s more elusive than some think, and Anderson doesn’t need to come off the field as he’s a fine receiver out of the backfield too.
The Broncos have made multiple changes on the offensive line this offseason. Pass protection may be a question mark for the young unit, but they can perform at a high level as run-blockers.
The young back likes the development of the offensive line.
“They’re working. They’re getting game reps, which is great, and they're going to play a lot of great players this year. More experience, like myself last year, I think is the best teacher.” Anderson concluded, “The more experience they get, the more reps they get and the better they'll get.”
Behind Anderson, Ronnie Hillman will get a few snaps here and there as a change-of-pace back. The team is not going to use a running back by committee. Instead, Anderson will get a breather once in a while with Hillman subbing in.
Juwan Thompson is a power back who loves to run over defenders. He can also play fullback if needed. Thompson is a great receiver and fine pass-protector as well.
James Casey is the first fullback to make the team since 2012. He’ll work in the backfield to help blast open holes for Anderson. Casey can also catch 30 passes this year as a receiver out of the backfield.
Wide Receiver
3 of 10
Starters: Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders
Backups: Cody Latimer, Andre Caldwell, Jordan Norwood, Bennie Fowler
The 2015 Broncos passing attack is going to have a much different look under Kubiak. They still have two incredible starters on the outside, but the team should pass less this season than Broncos fans are used to in the Manning era.
Demaryius Thomas patiently waited for—and received—his new long-term contract. He missed OTAs and minicamp during the time he didn’t have a contract, so Thomas has taken time to get up to speed in training camp. At the start of camp, Thomas didn’t look like himself, but as the month of August wore on his game started to come around.
This year in the Kubiak offense, Thomas can still be heavily involved. He may be able to eclipse 100 catches this season—a mark he’s only reached once before (2014) in his career. During his days under Kubiak with the Houston Texans, Andre Johnson caught 100 or more passes five times. Thomas is essentially playing the Johnson role in this offense, and he’ll be targeted early and often in 2015.
Emmanuel Sanders has missed the entire preseason due to a hamstring injury. He’s back to practicing now, and all signs indicate that Sanders will be on the field as a starter in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. In addition to his work as a receiver, Sanders is also likely to be the team’s primary punt returner in 2015.
Kubiak is confident in Sanders’ ability as a return man.
“We obviously think he can. I think [CB] Omar [Bolden] has done a good job. He’s missed some times with some nicks and stuff, but that’s been part of the plan all along. Emmanuel has been working with [special teams coordinator] Joe [DeCamillis]. Even with the time missed, he’s still been able to go out there and continue to catch.” Kubiak emphasized, “Any way we can get him touches, and this will definitely help.”
He caught over 100 passes last year, but Sanders may see his numbers dip this season. Second receivers in the Kubiak offense aren’t that heavily involved due to the run-heavy nature of the system. Sanders may only catch around 75 passes this year because of the offense’s philosophy.
Behind Thomas and Sanders, the Broncos have an intriguing prospect in Cody Latimer.
The second-year pro had a phenomenal camp. However, he didn’t translate practice success into preseason production.
Meanwhile, guys like Andre “Bubba” Caldwell, Jordan Norwood and Bennie Fowler made several plays to impress during the preseason. It’s a good problem for the Broncos to have, but the team could use a talent like Latimer to emerge as at least a red-zone threat in 2015.
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Tight End
4 of 10
Starters: Owen Daniels
Backups: Virgil Green, Mitchell Henry
In the Kubiak offense, the tight end position plays a huge role. That’s one of the reasons why the Broncos went out and added veteran Owen Daniels in free agency earlier this year. He’ll lead the way for the team, but he’s far from the only tight end to be involved.
There's rarely been a snap where Daniels hasn’t worked under Kubiak as his head coach or offensive coordinator. Daniels knows the offense like the back of his hand, and he’s set to be a consistent and reliable target for Manning. During the preseason, we saw the first-team offense (including Daniels and Manning) struggle to move the ball.
Daniels isn’t worried about the first-team offense stalling in the preseason.
“I don’t think there is a lot of concern. We’ve got to make good use of our time the next couple weeks. I think people are used to seeing a lot more points on this offense. But I don’t think there’s need to hit the panic button. We’re getting yards and we had a lot better day in third-down situations.” Daniels continued, “That’s an improvement from last week and we just have to get ready for Week 1.”
Behind Daniels, Virgil Green will serve as the second tight end in the offense. He’s an underrated receiver, but Green is such a good blocker that he’ll often be asked to blast open holes and protect the passer instead of running routes. With the concerns on the offensive line, having Green stay in to block makes the most sense for the Broncos. With his skill set, perhaps the team could use him more when they get near paydirt.
On Sunday, the Broncos were awarded Mitchell Henry via waivers. He’s a rookie from Western Kentucky University who competed with the Green Bay Packers during the preseason after being signed as a college free agent. Henry is a move tight end who makes for an interesting third option to watch.
Offensive Line
5 of 10
Starters: Ty Sambrailo (LT), Evan Mathis (LG), Matt Paradis (C), Louis Vasquez (RG), Ryan Harris (RT)
Backups: Michael Schofield (OT), Max Garcia (OG,C), Shelley Smith (OG), James Ferentz (OC)
The Broncos have undergone some massive changes up front on the offensive line. Four of the five starters on the line are different from the unit that ended the 2014 season.
When Ryan Clady went down with a season-ending knee injury this offseason, rookie Ty Sambrailo took over at left tackle. A second-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft, Sambrailo was initially thought to be a competitor for the open spot at right tackle. After Clady was lost, the plans were accelerated for Sambrailo. He has experience working in the zone-blocking system from his days at Colorado State, and Sambrailo has the athleticism to eventually develop into a quality starter.
Left guard has undergone multiple changes this offseason. Initially, Ben Garland (now released) was the starter at the position during minicamp and OTAs. After a few days of training camp, Garland was replaced by rookie Max Garcia. He did a good job, but the team felt they could upgrade with veteran free agent Evan Mathis. He didn’t play with the team in the preseason, but his experience should come in handy as he gets up to speed quickly.
Even though the five starting offensive linemen haven’t played together yet, Elway is not overly concerned.
“No, [G] Evan [Mathis] has a lot experience and we think that he’ll be fine. We brought him in because of not only his physical ability, but also what he can do with his experience. [C/G] Max [Garcia] will be right in the middle of it, too. I think that it’s been a good preseason, especially with the youth that we have there and the first time that really a lot of them have worked together.” Elway emphasized, “They’ve adjusted very well and I think we’ll hit the ground running that first week.”
At center we see second-year pro Matt Paradis. A sixth-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Paradis is country strong and has the athleticism to work well in the zone-blocking system.
Right guard is the only spot that remains the same as Louis Vasquez moves back inside, where he can be an All-Pro selection. Vasquez began last year at right guard, but injuries and inconsistencies at right tackle forced the team to move him outside to that position. He was decent at right tackle, but he’s excellent at right guard.
Right tackle is now manned by Ryan Harris. Chris Clark (now traded) and Michael Schofield competed for the spot as well, but the Broncos made the move to add Harris (his third stint with the Broncos) earlier this year. He’s a quality starter with plenty of experience.
This group needs to jell quickly as the Broncos want to get off to a hot start to begin the 2015 season.
Defensive Line
6 of 10
Starters: Malik Jackson (DE), Sylvester Williams (NT), Vance Walker (DE)
Backups: Derek Wolfe (DE, suspended), Darius Kilgo (NT), Antonio Smith (DT/DE), Kenny Anunike (DE)
We should see an incredibly ferocious defense under new coordinator Wade Phillips. The strength of the defense is at the linebacker level, but those guys will be able to go wild because of the players up front on the defensive line.
Derek Wolfe has been suspended the first four games of the regular season, so he obviously won’t be starting in Week 1. In his place, we should see veteran Vance Walker. If he struggles, then veteran Antonio Smith could start and the team wouldn’t miss a beat.
Inside at nose tackle is 2013 first-round pick Sylvester Williams. He’s the fulcrum of the defense, and Williams seems to be more comfortable in this new system. Williams is in a make-or-break season, and so far signs indicate that he’ll stand out at his new position.
Williams is happy to be in the Phillips system.
“I think the biggest thing is being able to go every day, but the biggest thing is the one-gap defense," Williams explained. "I like it a lot better than the two-gap defense.”
On the other side of Williams is defensive end Malik Jackson. Jackson is playing the “J.J. Watt” role for the Broncos defense, and he could post career-best numbers in 2015. Jackson could be in line for double-digit sacks this season, and he’s one of the most disruptive players on the defensive side of the ball.
Darius Kilgo is the rookie defensive tackle from Maryland. He’s a mountain of a man, and Kilgo is basically immovable on the inside. Kenny Anunike has battled injury this preseason, but he has the length and burst to get to the passer when healthy.
Linebacker
7 of 10
Starters: Von Miller (OLB), Brandon Marshall (ILB), Danny Trevathan (ILB), DeMarcus Ware (OLB)
Backups: Shane Ray (OLB), Todd Davis (ILB), Corey Nelson (ILB), Shaquil Barrett (OLB), Lerentee McCray (OLB)
The Broncos pass-rushers should be able to go wild in the Phillips system. This team should have a swarming defense in 2015, and it will be led by two elite-level pass-rushers.
Von Miller has looked unstoppable in training camp and the preseason.
DeMarcus Ware should be able to post double-digit sacks again this year. He wore down as the year went only last season and only had two sacks over the final eight games. This season, the Broncos should be able to rotate him in and out of the lineup in order to keep the veteran fresh.
Shane Ray will be the player who gives Ware a breather. The Broncos moved up in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft to select Ray, and he’s flashed big-time ability in the preseason. As a part-time player, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Ray snare 7-10 sacks in 2015.
Shaquil Barrett had a standout preseason as well. He’s a forced-fumble specialist with the bend and speed to get around the edge. Lerentee McCray has the talent to be a pass-rusher on the outside, but several injuries have held him back as a pro.
The Broncos have a ton of talent on the inside as well.
Elway had no problem carrying four inside linebackers.
“We went with four inside backers, but we really tried to pick the best 53 players that we could pick," Elway said. "However that worked out as far as the numbers at each different position, we tried to pick the best 53 guys that would help us win. With that mindset, we ended up with four on the inside.”
Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan are two of the best inside linebackers in the game today.
In the 3-4 defense, there’s a lot of action that should be funneled Marshall’s way. He arrives at the ball-carrier with natural violence, and Marshall is an intimidator in the middle of the field. In addition to run defense, Marshall is quite capable in coverage, making him a full-time inside linebacker.
Trevathan plays in coverage like a safety. He can bait opposing quarterbacks into bad throws and make a play on the ball. Trevathan can play sideline-to-sideline, and he’s not afraid to mix things up inside in run defense.
Behind those two starters, the Broncos have quality depth in Todd Davis and Corey Nelson.
Cornerback
8 of 10
Starters: Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr.
Backups: Bradley Roby, Kayvon Webster, Lorenzo Doss, Curtis Marsh
The best cornerback duo in the NFL could reside in the Mile High City. The Broncos defense should give opponents nightmares, and a big “fright factor” resides in the secondary.
Aqib Talib has the size to jam big receivers at the line of scrimmage, plus he has the speed to turn and cover downfield. He can use his aggressive playing style to frustrate move tight ends as well. As we saw in the preseason, Talib has no issue playing the run and can be an intimidator in that role.
Chris Harris Jr. can play anywhere in the secondary. He has the speed and nose for the football to play on the outside, he’s incredibly smart and quickly identifies plays as they unfold on the field. Harris can also be used to cover quicker slot receivers if need be.
Bradley Roby is a future starter on the outside, and he’ll gain more valuable experience this year as the nickel corner. There’s a chance that he could see some time at free safety in certain packages.
Kayvon Webster has a good size-strength combination for the position. Rookie Lorenzo Doss struggled a bit in the preseason, but he showed enough to earn a spot on the roster.
Elway explained why the team went with Curtis Marsh instead of longtime backup cornerback Tony Carter.
“I think if you look with Marsh and his special teams ability, we thought that he’d be that sixth guy that could help us on the special teams," Elway said. "So, that’s why we decided to go that way.”
Talib and Harris are going to lock down opposing receivers. They are likely to take advantage in coverage because of the world-class pass-rushers lined up in front of them. Opposing quarterbacks are going to be under duress early and often against the Broncos, and these cornerbacks can make field-flipping plays.
Safety
9 of 10
Starters: Darian Stewart (FS), David Bruton (SS/FS)
Backups: T.J. Ward (SS, suspended), Omar Bolden (S), Josh Bush (S)
Things will look different at the safety position in Week 1. The NFL announced last week that starting strong safety T.J. Ward would be suspended for the first game of the year. A starter has yet to be announced in place of Ward, but it wouldn’t surprise to see veteran David Bruton in that spot.
Bruton is a special teams ace, but he also has plenty of starting experience at both strong safety and free safety. He has the speed to cover downfield, and Bruton is known as a sound tackler.
The Broncos' new free safety, Darian Stewart, might be one of the most underrated players on the team. Stewart has shown a great ability to find the ball in the air, and he does a good job of getting into position to make a play on long passes. Stewart is more physical than former free safety Rahim Moore, and he has no fear when supporting the run.
Elway discussed the timeline of the NFL’s decision on Ward.
“My understanding was that the league started looking back at it in March, eventually got to it, suspended him in July and went through the appeal process and so we’ll lose T.J. for the first game.” Elway revealed, “We’re disappointed, but it is what it is, so we’ll deal with that and move on.”
Without Ward, the Broncos will be missing a run-stuffing presence near the line of scrimmage. This suspension will also take a bit off their pass rush as well. It’s only one game, and the Broncos will get their playmaker back for an important early-season divisional contest against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2.
Special Teams
10 of 10
Starters: Brandon McManus (K), Britton Colquitt (P), Aaron Brewer (LS)
The Broncos looked at many different combinations on special teams. After bringing in guys like punter Karl Schmitz, tight end/long snapper Joe Don Duncan and kicker Spencer Lanning, the Broncos decided on the trio you see above.
Brandon McManus has an incredibly strong leg, but there are accuracy concerns with the young kicker. He made the team with improved accuracy in training camp and the preseason, plus McManus sees most of his kickoffs go out of the back of the end zone. Playing field position will be a critical piece of what the Broncos do this season.
Britton Colquitt took a pay cut earlier this year, and that helped him cement a spot on the final roster. His numbers have been down in recent years, but Colquitt still has the upside to be one of the best punters in the game.
Aaron Brewer is the nondescript long snapper—just like a long snapper should be.
Elway talked about his roster-building philosophy.
“I think that our philosophy is that we’re going to try to put the best football team that we can on the field, and if that includes some free agents each year, the right free agents, then we’d do that and with the right amount of guys that we’ve drafted or brought in here," Elway noted. "I think that it’s a combination of both, but each year is different.”
Elway continued, “Going into this year with what we did this past offseason, we think that we’ve added in the right areas with the guys that have come in as free agents and also the draft picks that are coming. They’ll help us this year, too.”
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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