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Free agency and the draft seem to have meager pickings in the area of OL which many teams are trying to improve. Do you see any sleepers on our roster that might surprise next year e.g. Connor McGovern, Max Garcia etc.**
-- Eric Oakley
Those are two good possibilities, although I wouldn't call Garcia a "sleeper," since he started all 16 games last year. Both Garcia and McGovern could benefit from a shift to an offensive-line scheme that incorporates more power concepts into its work, while retaining some zone elements.
Depending on what happens with Todd Davis as a restricted free agent, I could see Zaire Anderson pushing for some more playing time at inside linebacker, and I expect we'll see plenty of Justin Simmons and Will Parks, although neither of them are in line to be starters because of the presence of T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart. Kalif Raymond could also be in the mix for some slot-team repetitions, but the key for him will be proving his value on kickoff and punt returns, building off his performance late last season when he showed an explosiveness that the Broncos' special teams lacked for most of the year.
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Who are Andrew Mason's top free-agent targets of 2017, excluding Broncos players? (photos by AP Images)
At 30, the Denver South High School graduate continues to perform at a high level. Last year he finished with 32 quarterback hurries and 34 total stops (plays that resulted in an offensive failure), per ProFootballFocus.com's calculations, making him one of just seven interior defensive players with at least 30 of each. Arizona's defense flows from the disruption Campbell causes, and if the Cardinals can't retain him, it would be a crushing blow to their hopes of keeping their defense among the game's elite.
Including the postseason, Short has 19 sacks in his last 35 games and is a complete, three-down defender. He rarely cedes ground against the run, and his presence is a big part of the success of Carolina's linebackers, allowing them to roam free. Panthers coach Ron Rivera told ESPN on Feb. 2 that they "probably will have to tag" Short, but then the question becomes whether he signs it. Given the Panthers' emphasis on inside-out building of their defense, it seems highly unlikely the situation would end as it did with Josh Norman last year.
The 335-pound Williams is one of the league's toughest players to dislodge on the inside, frequently drawing double teams. Although he can generate some occasional pressure on his own, his strength is in stopping the run and taking up space and blockers to create one-on-ones in the pass rush.
For his five-year career, Poe has been the rare 3-4 nose tackle who is a legitimate three-down player, because of quickness in the pass rush that belies his 346-pound frame. But Poe slipped last year, particularly against the run, and while he remains disruptive, he may no longer be able to play over 70 percent of the snaps if he is to have a long career, and that could affect his market value.
As a restricted free agent, Easley appears likely to return to the Rams, who signed him after he passed through waivers when the Patriots parted ways with him. Easley had the best season of his career with Los Angeles. Some of that was a result of working alongside Aaron Donald, but he showed the ability to capitalize off the focus given to the All-Pro tackle, which makes Easley valuable in his current situation.
The former Bronco took a while to develop, but the last two years he's played more snaps than at any previous point in his career, and the 329-pounder didn't miss a beat. Although Baker has always been a stout presence against the run, his improved presence in the pass rush means that he can be a three-down player.
As a pure run defender, Branch is one of the best on the inside, and delivered some of the best work of his career in his 10th season. His age (32) will hold down his value, and he's not a three-down player, but for teams seeking a stout, seasoned presence in the run, he'll be a significant upgrade.
New Orleans' overall defensive struggles continued despite Fairley's arrival last year, but he provided an upgrade to their interior rush, playing more snaps than he ever did in any of his Detroit seasons. A return to the Saints seems logical for both player and team, but are they willing to give him a longer-term deal than the "prove-it" contract he had last year?
The Giants' investment in Damon Harrison and Olivier Vernon could leave little room left over to retain Hankins, who displayed steady improvement in his first three seasons, but got lost in the shuffle at times on the Giants' rebuilt defensive line. Hankins is a strong enough pass rusher to be a three-down player and should command a sizable contract.
Things didn't click for Odrick in Jacksonville, who played just six games last season due to injuries and finished with just one sack after posting 5.5 sacks in his first season there. He was a solid contributor in Miami and a return after two years away might provide him the best situation.
A high-effort, persistent player against the run, Mitchell bounced back late in the season after spending the first two months of the year on injured reserve. Mitchell played for Vance Joseph in Miami and Defensive Line Coach Bill Kollar in Houston, so he would likely be a good fit for the Broncos.
Klug was an effective pass-rushing complement to Jurrell Casey in Tennessee, but he is currently rehabilitating from a torn Achilles tendon, and could linger on the market for a while as teams ascertain the level of his recovery.
He did well adapting to a rotational role with the Patriots, posting four sacks and a career high three passes defensed while providing leadership and steadiness. He'll be 32 next month, but his Patriots use provides a template that can extend his career and give him long-term value.
Guy is primarily a run-stuffing two-down lineman who will play fewer than 50 percent of the snaps, but he does that so well that he will have his share of suitors.
A huge part of the reason why Dallas led the league in rushing yardage allowed last year, McClain showed that he was all the way back after missing 14 games because of a toe injury in 2014. After bouncing through Dallas and Houston, McClain found his groove in Dallas.
Logan isn't a consistent pass rusher, which hinders his three-down effectiveness, but he is a stout run-defender and a high-character player who provides as good a presence in meeting rooms as on the field.
Paea has the versatility to work on the nose and as a 3-technique end, although the latter is the best spot for the 309-pounder, who does a good job occupying defenders on the inside.
Seattle's desire to visit with Earl Mitchell could mean that McDaniel is moving on after a single season there. He's mostly a run stuffer, but his length (he's 6-foot-7) helped him deflect three passes at the line of scrimmage last season.
The ex-Chiefs defender turns 33 during training camp this year and remains a solid rotational presence.
At 345 pounds, Soliai can take up space on the inside, but at 33 years old, he's at the year-to-year point of his career and his full-time starting days are likely in the past.
I do agree with you both sides of the line need help, For the record: Where do we stand as far as cap space is concerned, Do we have some wiggle room this time around?**
-- Kaseem Brown
We won't have an exact salary-cap figure until the 2017 salary cap is announced in the next few days -- estimates vary from $166 to $170 million -- but the Broncos should have somewhere in the neighborhood of $42-$46 million of cap space. They will have to account for their rookie draft pool (which should be in the vicinity of $8 million) and the re-signings of restricted and exclusive-rights free agents in their planning, but that should leave them a fair amount of space to pursue some upgrades. The fact that only the top 51 contracts count toward the salary cap in the offseason (starting on March 9, when the new league year begins) also provides a little bit of extra room in the short term.
Why is game day limited to a 46-man roster?
-- John Bunch
Because further expansion of the game-day roster would lead to more specialization, which is something that some on the Competition Committee historically have not favored.
Furthermore, the overall roster size is not likely to expand because of the cost involved and the potential for teams to hoard prospects, which would then dilute the available players on the waiver wire, which can be key for weaker clubs to build the depth on their roster because of a the higher waiver-claim priority that you get with a worse record.
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Why do you think so many analysts and pundits are so convinced that Tony Romo will be heading to Denver, when as you have pointed out numerous times, the cap would be better used filling other holes and building around two promising young quarterbacks on cost-controlled contracts, rather than going after an aging veteran with three major injuries in the last two seasons?**
-- Alex Visser
I think that when looking at the Broncos' situation from a distance, as national pundits and analysts do, they see up-and-down production from the team's quarterback position in 2016, a new head coach and partially new offensive coaching staff and a team with plenty of veterans with Super Bowl experience and a still-elite defense and figure that one player at the most important position on the field can push the team back over the top.
They also look back to 2012, when Elway landed Peyton Manning, and see how one veteran quarterback with concerns came in and changed the trajectory of the franchise.
And beyond Manning, they look back at how bold the Broncos have been in player acquisition during Elway's stewardship, with high-profile signings of players like Wes Welker, DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward, among others. Some of those were thunderbolts that seemed to come out of nowhere. The ability of this franchise to surprise and make stunning moves helps fuel any speculation. Further, that speculation is somewhat of a compliment about the Broncos' reputation for big strikes at the start of the league year -- strikes that have typically paid off.
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Who will be the offensive tackles on the market during the 2017 NFL free-agency period? Andrew Mason gives you his overview. (AP Images)
Durable and technically sound, the 35-year-old Whitworth has missed just two games in the past eight seasons while protecting the blind side of Bengals quarterbacks. He isn't going to be a long-term answer, but for a team in win-now mode, he could be an ideal final piece of the puzzle.
The three-year starter became one of the league's best right tackles last season, building off what Ravens head coach John Harbaugh called "a lot of really high-effort practices" that he was able to translate into solid game-day work. In 2016, he was called for just three penalties and allowed only three sacks, according to ProFootballFocus.com. Baltimore would like to bring back Wagner, but just four teams have less projected 2017 salary-cap space, according to OvertheCap.com.
After working at left tackle, Reiff moved to right tackle last season, but he could still project as a guard depending on where he lands in free agency. Although Reiff has been a capable run blocker throughout his career, he's occasionally struggled against fast edge rushers, which helped lead to his move away from left tackle last year.
After bouncing from Minnesota to Jacksonville, Pasztor finally settled in with the Browns after joining the team in 2015, replacing Mitchell Schwartz at right tackle and responding with a solid year after a rough opening three weeks. Pasztor needs to improve against edge rushers; according to ProFootballFocus.com, he allowed 39 quarterback hurries last year.
One year after trading for the long-time Bronco and former All-Pro selection, the Jets opted to not exercise the option on the 30-year-old Clady's contract. Shoulder, lisfranc and knee injuries took their toll on Clady the last four seasons and likely limit his potential on the market.
Another projected free agent who has lengthy injury concerns, Vollmer missed the 2016 campaign with hip and shoulder injuries. He hasn't made it through a full 16-game season since 2010 -- when he was a second-team All-Pro at right tackle -- and has missed 38 regular-season games in the last six seasons.
As with Clady, Beachum will hit the market after his team elected to not exercise the option on his contract. Beachum joined the Jaguars last year after suffering a torn ACL the previous season in Pittsburgh and did not look back up to speed, and nowhere close to his dominant 2014 form. Given that it often takes one full year after recovery before returning to form, Beachum could be worth a roll of the dice on an incentive-heavy, prove-it contract.
Although Kalil made a Pro Bowl as a rookie, he has never matched that form and hasn't lived up to the promise that caused the Vikings to use the No. 4 pick in the 2012 draft on him, and he missed nearly all of the 2016 season because of a hip injury. Could another team unlock the potential the Vikings could not?
Hubbard delivered some solid work in four starts last year, particularly in a dominating performance against the New York Jets at right tackle. What makes Hubbard's situation interesting is that as an undrafted player, the Steelers would have to tender him as a second-round player.
He's not as bad as he appeared in Super Bowl 50 and the regular-season opener last year working against Von Miller, but the former Broncos training-camp player has struggled with penalties the last two years.
Having emerged as a valuable swing backup, Fleming did not allow a sack in four starts to open the 2016 season -- three at left tackle, one at right tackle -- before returning to his reserve role.
Ijalana held his own filling in for Clady down the stretch, and appears to have found his professional footing with the Jets after struggling in Indianapolis.
In four of his 16 starts last year, Mills allowed five or more quarterback pressures, according to ProFootballFocus.com. He's cleaned up his game in terms of taking penalties after struggling in that department in 2015, but at this point probably projects as a backup.
He declared himself "finally healthy" last year after being limited to 11 games the previous two seasons, but remained on the market last year until October, when the Vikings signed him to replace the injured Matt Kalil. Long started just three games before tearing his Achilles tendon. Realistically, he will remain unsigned for a while as he rehabilitates from his injury.
The 33-year-old veteran has struggled to recapture his prime form in the last four seasons, three of which were spent as a backup, and he has just six starts in the last three years.
Although a veteran of just four seasons, Watson is 28, having not taken up American football until 2011 after starting his college career as a forward at Marist College. An Achilles tendon injury cost him his entire 2015 season, and he struggled in the starting lineup late in 2016, allowing sacks in two of the Raiders' final three games.
He's still a big name, but was inconsistent as a backup last year with the Buccaneers and hasn't gotten the same push he used to get off the snap as a run blocker.
Conditioning has always been an issue for Smith, and it caught up to him the last two years as he struggled in pass protection.
Sowell was the Seahawks' starter at left or right tackle for nine games last year -- which, given the state of Seattle's offensive line, isn't necessarily a line you want on your resume. If Seattle brings him back, it seems likely to be at a near-minimum contract, and with another player brought in to compete.
Adams was released by the Steelers with the failed-physical designation last May, and then suffered a back injury last year in Chicago, forcing him to injured reserve. At this point, Adams is probably an insurance policy, and nothing more.
Do you see Denver drafting a playmaker in the first round? A security blanket for who ever is our starting QB like Howard or Njoku. Given we pick up at least two offensive lineman in FA.**
-- Robert Mai
Playmakers are not just limited to the tight-end position, of course, and in my Mock Draft 1.0, I had the Broncos taking Stanford running back (although it's more accurate to call him an ultra-back, since he'll line up everywhere if used properly) Christian McCaffrey.
Howard's measurables, film and performance at the Senior Bowl make it unlikely in my estimation that he drops to the No. 20 spot at which the Broncos pick. David Njoku has a better chance of being there. But the depth and quality of this year's tight-end class means you can find playmaking tight ends perhaps through the end of the third round, from better-known prospects like Virginia Tech's Bucky Hodges and Michigan's Jake Butt (who could fall in the draft because of his torn ACL) to quality sleepers like Toledo's Michael Roberts and Mississippi's Evan Engram and lesser-known but uber-athletic non-FBS standouts like Drake's Eric Saubert and Ashland's Adam Shaheen, both of whom will be at the Scouting Combine. Shaheen, in particular, is amazingly fluid and fast for a 277-pounder.
How could the 49ers sign Earl Mitchell when the free agency period hasn't started?
-- Todd Banchor
Because he was a "street free agent," having been released from his previous team. All the players who are unrestricted or restricted free agents and are available simply because their contracts are expiring cannot be signed until 2 p.m. MST on March 9 -- the start of the new league year. The Dolphins cut Mitchell a week earlier, allowing him to hit the market immediately.
I thought he would settle in as a seventh-round pick or an undrafted prospect, but I also thought he would be invited to the Scouting Combine, as well. His lack of an invitation was a surprise. He'll have to nail his Pro Day workout, but it certainly doesn't mean his path to the NFL is closed -- just look at players like Chris Harris Jr. for an example, since he went uninvited in 2011.
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The analysis, opinion and speculation in this story represents that of the author, gathered through research and reporting, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Denver Broncos organization.
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