Denver Broncos Free Agency: Top 10 Free Agents to Target

Now that the NFL lockout has finally ended, it is time to look at possible free-agent signings.

It's obvious that the Denver Broncos will need both a new running back as well as a new defensive tackle. With that being said, there are also some other positions that could need an upgrade or more options.

A couple of these free-agent targets might surprise you, but we are certain that all of them could greatly contribute to make the Broncos a better team.

Comments are always appreciated.

10: Deon Grant, Strong Safety

Many people would consider Deon Grant a surprise target for the Denver Broncos. The team seems set at strong safety, and Grant wasn’t even a starter for the Giants last year.

If only life was that simple. Grant is a very good player in the NFL and can be utilized in a variety of ways.

Although he is listed as a strong safety, the Giants played him as a hybrid linebacker on running downs in 2010. It’s the versatility that makes Deon Grant so desirable.

Acquiring Grant would definitely allow the Broncos to do different things defensively. Also, it doesn’t hurt that he is great against the run when Darren McFadden comes spring down the field.

9: Darren Sproles, Tailback

“Tebow under center… Hands off to Darren Sproles, who jets towards the corner of the end zone… Touchdown Broncos! The Chargers are down six to nothing here at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego”.

Imagine watching that. Imagine watching Darren Sproles helping the Denver Broncos to overtake the San Diego Chargers in Week 5 of the 2011 NFL season.

The image we just put into your head might soon become reality. The Chargers are moving on, and Darren Sproles will be up for grabs in free agency this year.

The talented scat back still has several good years left in the league and would be a great addition to Denver’s backfield. It does not hurt his stock that he is a gifted return specialist either.

8: Matt Prater, Place Kicker

Interestingly enough, we consider Matt Prater to be one of the organization’s top targets this offseason.

Prater has always had a very strong leg, but he has also become more accurate as of lately. The fact of the matter is that if the Broncos do not re-sign Prater, the team would need a new kicker, and there are simply no better kickers available that Matt Prater.

The kicker is becoming more important this season than in previous years due to the kick off placement. It will surely be valuable to have a kicker that can put the ball past the end zone to ensure that the opposing team will have to start on the 20-yard line.

It is also expected that Prater will be interested in resigning with the Broncos.

7: Le'Ron McClain, Fullback

Naturally, there are a lot of reasons why Baltimore’s running game has been so effective over the last seasons. Le’Ron McClain is one of them.

Although many teams do not seem to fully appreciate the fullback in their schemes, it is common knowledge that John Fox is not one to underestimate that position.

Adding McClain to the roster would go a long way in trying to reestablish the running game in Denver. He is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to blocking, and he would love to take carries, too.

McClain has actually stated that he wants more carries at this point. More carries generally means more money, but does anybody miss Peyton Hillis?

It’s always nice to have a big guy that can carry the ball for you.

Considering that Knowshon Moreno has lost weight this offseason, McClain might come in handy in goal-line situations as well.

6: Stephen Tulloch, Middle Linebacker

Stephen Tulloch was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft. It’s safe to say that he is by far exceeding expectations with regards to where he was drafted.

Only Jerod Mayo racked up more tackles than Tulloch did in 2010, and the fact that the stud middle linebacker is entering the prime of his career doesn’t make him less desirable either.

Two years before Steven Tulloch was drafted by the Tennessee Titans, the Denver Broncos spent their first-round draft pick to acquire D.J. Williams.

Williams has been a top class player for the Broncos, and showed great versatility while starting at all the linebacker-positions in the 4-3-scheme as well as being successful as an inside linebacker in the 3-4-scheme.

However, Williams was arrested for DUI in November of 2010 and may face a suspension from the league. John Fox is not known for accepting such conduct, and the organization might be looking to trade him.

Stephen Tulloch would immediately fill the void left behind by Williams’ departure.

5: Barry Cofield, Defensive Tackle

Barry Cofield is just coming off of a very good season with the Giants, and he has also stated on several occasions during this offseason that he would prefer to re-sign with New York.

With that being said, the New York Giants do not seem to be willing to pay Cofield the kind of money that he feels he has earned through consistent quality play over the past seasons.

There are speculations that Cofield might follow Coach Steve Spagnuolo to St. Louis, but the Denver Broncos will undoubtedly also have a look at him.

Considering that the Broncos desperately need a quality defensive tackle, the organization appears to be one of the teams that would be willing to pay Cofield the kind of money that he is looking for.

Cofield is rumored to sign with the Redskins later this week, but the Broncos could look to steal the deal.

4: DeAngelo Williams, Tailback

Obviously, DeAngelo Williams has ties to head coach, John Fox, and joining him in Denver seems to make a lot of sense for both the team and the player.

Williams played in only six games in 2010 due to injury, but he surpassed the 1,000-yard season milestone in consecutive years before that.

He is undoubtedly a very talented running back, and it seems clear to us that he should be very interested in playing for Denver, now that the offensive line is getting back to zone blocking.

The Broncos also need a new running back. The organization recently acquired top undrafted free agent, Mario Fannin, but the team seems to have interest in teaming up with the Williams to share carries with Knowshon Moreno either way.

This is actually the free-agent signing that the Broncos are most likely to make apart from Matt Prater.

3: Vonta Leach, Fullback

It is never an accident when a running back comes out from absolutely nowhere to have a monster season. Football is a team sport, and if a tailback is going to have success, he will need good blockers in front of him.

Vonta Leach is one of those guys. As the only fullback in the league, Vonta Leach was the only one to be voted in on The Player’s Top 100 Players list earlier this offseason.

You can bet that beast tailback, Arian Foster, was one of the players to put Leach on that list.

As mentioned with regards to Le’Ron McClain, having a good fullback goes a long way in reestablishing the running game. It certainly doesn’t hurt if your fullback is the best in the league either.

We cannot even imagine John Fox not being interested in bringing Vonta Leach to Denver. Imagine having Vonta Leach leading DeAngelo Williams to the right of Orlando Franklin. What a running machine this team would be.

2: Johnathan Joseph, Cornerback

Apart from Nnamdi Asomugha, Johnathan Joseph is the very best cornerback availbable through free agency this year—and that’s not because there is a lack of cornerbacks around.

Joseph is a very good cornerback in the NFL, and there are not many cornerbacks in the league that give up fewer touchdowns than he does.

We generally don’t hear a whole lot about Joseph, but we should. He was named to USA Today’s annual “All Joe”-team for players that don’t get the recognition that they deserve.

The fact of the matter is that Champ Bailey is getting old, and there is no knowing what will happen to Perrish Cox. The Broncos need another cornerback nearly as much as the team needs a defensive tackle.

The Bengals’ owner announced yesterday that Carson Palmer will be retiring, because the organization will not grant his wish to be traded. This should unleash a protective instinct within Joseph. It says “get out while you still can.”

The gifted cornerback needs a new team and the Denver Broncos would be shooting itself in the leg if the team was to pass on a cornerback of that quality.

1: Brandon Mebane, Defensive Tackle

Brandon Mebane is the best free agent at his position in 2011, and he just might be one of the best free agents in the league.

He does not have the same numbers as Barry Cofield, but he has improved steadily over the course of his career.

The mammoth 315-pounder would be disruptive inside for the Denver Broncos, and there is little doubt that he would help to shore up that defense that gave up more yards per game than any other defense in the league in 2010.

Brandon Mebane needs a job. The Denver Broncos desperately needs a defensive tackle. Brandon Mebane is the best player available at his position. Let’s just make the deal right now.