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Shopping Spree on the Horizon for Broncos?
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The first few weeks of the Josh McDaniels have been busy, to say the least. The Broncos new head coach has spent his initial six weeks at Dove Valley cleaning house, ridding the team of veteran players who don't fit into his plan, coaches who were a vestige to the past and two-thirds of the franchise's three-headed general manager monster. That's some serious chopping.
Beginning Thursday, however, the mindset will change. When the NFL's free agency period begins, McDaniels will switch from a cutting mode to a building one. At least that's the hope of Broncos fans.
Most find little fault with the coach's decisions to part ways with veterans such as Dre Bly, Dewayne Robertson and John Engleberger, so long as the cap space freed up in these moves means that Broncos will be active in free agency. Therein lies the grand question: Were these cuts made to create room to move or as a means of slashing costs?
Assuming the Broncos will be in the mood to participate in free agency, they certainly have plenty of holes to fill. And there are some decent options on the market for addressing these concerns.
To set the table for Denver's offseason, here's a look at the five areas the Broncos need to most address, as well as some of the players available to them on the open market beginning Thursday:
DEFENSIVE LINE - Even if you assume the Broncos trio of third-year players (Jarvis Moss, Marcus Thomas and Tim Croweder) are going to develop into legit players, Denver still is woefully thin up front. Other than Elvis Dumervil, they have no proven pass rusher. And with a possible switch to a 3-4 defense, they have no viable options at nose tackle or on the ends. Put bluntly, the Broncos need to overhaul this position. Tennessee's Albert Haynesworth is the best player on the market, but he's seeking outlandish money, especially since he has a reputation for taking plays off. San Diego's Igor Olshansky could flex his muscles in the Mile High City. Otherwise, the pickings are fairly slim at the league's most-coveted and protected position.
SAFETY - The Broncos revolving door at this position in 2008 showed McDaniels that none of the players Mike Shanahan trotted out last season could play a lick. For all intents and purposes, Denver is rebuilding here as well. Other than being littered with former Broncos, the list of free agents at both strong and free safety is lacking in recognizable names. McDaniels is going to have to sign somebody, simply because the Broncos need warm bodies, just don't expect the name(s) to get fans excited out of the gate.
QUARTERBACK - Before hitting the panic button, there's nothing wrong with Jay Cutler. At least not yet. But if he does get banged up, the Broncos options are bleak. Patrick Ramsey is on the open market, meaning Darrell Hackney is the only signed backup. That's not going to cut it. Since someone the likes of Kurt Warner isn't going to sign in Denver, this year's batch of free agents is highlighted by journeymen like Charlie Frye and Dan Orlovsky.
CORNERBACK - Getting rid of Dre Bly is all well and good, but the Broncos need to find a replacement in a hurry. In the past, Denver has been deep at this position. But with the trade of Domonique Foxworth a year ago and the fact that Karl Paymah wasn't re-signed, the Broncos are suddenly very thin. Ironically, both are on this year's list of free agents, but neither figures to return to Denver. Instead, a couple of veterans like DeAngelo Hall and Phillip Buchanon are more likely.
KICKER - Did anyone notice how Matt Prater finished the season? Surely, McDaniels did, meaning he'll be actively looking for a more reliable option on field goals and extra points (that lowlight in San Diego still stings). John Carney and John Kasay are veterans highlights in this year's crop of free agents, as is former Jet Mike Nugent.
Anyway you slice it, McDaniels had better get busy on Thursday. He has a lot of holes to fill.
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