Denver Broncos: 11 Potential Replacements for Champ Bailey in Denver

Champ Bailey has signed his last NFL contract. 

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Champ will conclude his Hall of Fame career with the Broncos in 2014 when his most recent contract expires. 

Even though the situation is not imminent, there is some intrigue as to who might be the heir apparent to arguably the best cornerback to wear a Broncos jersey. Is the savior currently in the NFL? Or is this player waiting to sign their first NFL contract?

Is it possible that this player will be taking final exams as part of their current football season?

All of these are distinct possibilities, but the shoes can not be easily filled. Champ Bailey has established himself as one of the best shut-down corners that the NFL has ever seen.

The first instinct would be to say that Champ's successor is currently shutting down WRs in the NFL as we speak. However, not only do they need to be successful as a cornerback but they also need to be potentially available to fit the bill.

Luckily, there is one accomplished cornerback whose contract will expire in 2014, just like Champ. Deangelo Hall will be hitting the market and could be a nice veteran addition to the Broncos and help bridge the gap for at least another four seasons.

If the Broncos want to anticipate the departure and make sure that they have the service of a shut-down corner secured before Bailey leaves, then perhaps some names like Revis or Samuel would be appetizing?

Asante Samuel signed a six-year contract in 2008 with Philadelphia, and if he makes it all the way to free agency in 2013 he could be an attractive option for the Broncos as well. He could have four to five years of productive football left in him which hopefully gives the Broncos ample time to train a replacement.

The most appealing option in terms of current NFL players has to be Darrelle Revis. Revis is the player most often compared to Bailey in terms of play, so it would be poetic that he might someday occupy the same turf as Bailey.

The contract extension for Revis in New York was clearly contentious, and the difficulty that arose from trying to secure an extension could come into play when Revis looks to hit the market as a free agent. Revis and his agent will be looking for a team to reward him generously for his talents, and they may use the opportunity to spurn New York in a belated retaliation for their mis-dealings in 2010. The Broncos could be just the team to swoop in and woo the still jilted cornerback.

If these options are too old for you, maybe you are one of the many fans who wished the Broncos would have taken a cornerback in this year's draft?

Assuming the players taken in the first round of the 2011 draft sign their standard five-year rookie contracts, there might be potential for some of them to wind up in Denver in 2015. 

The first name is one that Broncos fans should be familiar with, Patrick Peterson. A player who was widely considered a legitimate possibility for the Broncos with the second pick. He could still wind up a Bronco...albeit almost four years later. 

Two other names who could fall into this category are 2011 first-round cornerbacks Prince Amukamara of the New York Giants and Jimmy Smith of the Baltimore Ravens. 

The scenario for all three of these players is similar in terms of winding up in Denver after Champ Bailey departs. Going into the 2014 draft it could be clear to any, or all three, of these teams that these players have outplayed their rookie contracts and will be fetching a much larger contract going forward.

If it does happen to get to that point, and these players are pressing for a renegotiation, their current teams might be looking to part ways with them for draft picks prior to April of 2014. Their outstanding play could certainly be to the Broncos advantage in terms of finding a replacement for Champ.

Still not convinced? Want to go the homegrown route and draft a replacement?

College football will be welcoming a freshman class in 2011 with a few players who could be the kind of blue chip talent required to become the next Champ Bailey.

If you believe that one good Georgia Bulldog deserves another, than super frosh Malcolm Mitchell might be the Broncos guy in the 2014 NFL draft. He is the top overall cornerback entering the NCAA this year and could be the answer for the Broncos after Bailey leaves.

Still, maybe this becomes Tim Tebow's squad and he starts to try and populate the locker room with as many former Florida Gators as possible. The Broncos might be lucky to land second-ranked cornerback Marcus Roberson in the same draft if they do not go with Mitchell.

Finally, there will be some who are pessimistic and don't believe that the top talent will even stay in college long enough to be seniors who are eligible for the 2014 draft. For those, I say take a look at these high school seniors who could be early entrants into the NFL draft and fill the void that was left by Champ.

Ronald Darby, Tee Shepherd and Brian Poole are the tops of the senior class and are projected to be impact college players who might have big NFL careers as well. 

Obviously, these ideas are speculative and a lot of different things need to happen for each one these players to continue to be an option for the Broncos. Still, they offer a mix of proven performance and projected potential that could be the key ingredients to trying to deal with life after Champ.

In the end, nobody will ever truly replace Champ. Just like nobody has replaced Louis Wright, Billy Thompson or other greats who have roamed the Denver Broncos defensive backfield.

Fans are just wondering who the next great warrior to guard the perimeters of Denver will be?