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Home , Austin Collie, Brandon Stokley, Cliff Avril, Elvis Dumervil, Jack Del Rio, Jeremy Beal

Broncos look in-house for Elvis Dumervil successor after sticker shock

By Jeff Legwold The Denver Post April 4, 2013

Today's question about the Broncos comes from Ken Fry. To submit a question for consideration, send an e-mail to The Denver Post's Jeff Legwold.

Q: The Broncos have Malik Jackson, , and listed as defensive ends. I thought Jackson and Beal showed promise last year. What if the Broncos grabbed Tommy Kelly for more interior push? Could one of the current defensive ends fill (Elvis) Dumervil's shoes then?

A: Ken, Kelly has only been in the market for a week or so, but he joins a list of veteran defensive linemen searching for free-agency dollars that simply haven't been there thus far, which is why the position group may currently lead the way in familiar names that remain unsigned.

That's been especially true for the pass rushers. Former defensive end Cliff Avril was supposed to be one of the top available players at the position when free agency opened. But Avril got a two-year, $13 million deal, with a $4.5 million signing bonus, from the . And while he likely made a concession to play for a playoff team, it was a deal both lower and shorter than many expected he would get.

And , who some in the league say is seeking an $8.5 million salary for the upcoming season, and John Abraham still find themselves unsigned. The Broncos are interested — both recently visited the team's Dove Valley complex — but Denver's decision-makers aren't going to go that high to sign either.

The $8.5 million for Freeney would be more than they were going to pay Dumervil for the upcoming season in the original renegotiated deal and the offer that was made after Dumervil's release.

The Broncos simply aren't going to dive in on longer-term, high-end deals for free agents who have long passed their 30th birthday. Wes Welker, 31, is the oldest veteran free agent they have signed from elsewhere this year, and he agreed to a two-year deal. And Welker has been far more productive at his position than Kelly, Freeney and Abraham have been at theirs. Kelly was still under a seven-year, $50.1 million deal when he was released by the Oakland Raiders last week.

Abraham and Freeney are considered largely one-down players at this point in their careers, which is affecting the interest they have drawn in comparison to their hoped-for contract demands.

The Broncos were not interested in former defensive C.J. Mosley, who played for Broncos during Del Rio's tenure in Jacksonville. Mosley had two years left on a $7.5 million deal when Jacksonville let him go. The Lions agreed Wednesday to a two-year contract with Mosley.

So, put it all together, and the Broncos have made it pretty clear they prefer to look to their own depth chart to replace Dumervil in the defense rather than jumping out with a high-end deal for a veteran free agent.

With 64 players under contract right now to go with six draft picks, that puts the Broncos with 70 committed roster spots at the moment. They can go to training camp with 90 players, so they will sign plenty of undrafted rookies following the draft. But they would have room to sign another veteran or two, much like they did with Keith Brooking and Jim Leonhard last summer, if they wish and didn't address any of their needs as strongly as they had hoped in the draft.

As far as Wolfe, he is an impact player in the defense who can be written in as a starter with a Sharpie. Del Rio considers him a defensive tackle in the responsibilities he gives Wolfe snap to snap, but also considers Wolfe an effective pass rusher with the ability to win matchups all along the line of scrimmage.

Wolfe played the second-most snaps among the Broncos defensive linemen last season, and his playing time isn't going down.

But the Broncos have made it clear to Robert Ayers that this is his chance to be the full-time player he's always contended he could be. Broncos coach John Fox has consistently said he believes Ayers has the talent to be a regular. Fox was at Ayers' pro day at Tennessee when Ayers was coming into the 2009 draft, and Del Rio is the first defensive coordinator to be on the job in two consecutive seasons in Ayers' career.

Jackson is a versatile inside/outside role player in the defensive line who played 113 snaps last season as a rookie, or just under 11 percent of the defensive plays. The Broncos believe he will show some progress this year and would be an inside pass rush option in some of their long-yardage looks. Beal had a two-sack game in the preseason last August, but ended up on injured reserve for the year with knee surgery. The Broncos liked his work in last year's offseason program and in training camp. But he will have to battle for a roster spot this time around. It would be stunning if the Broncos don't use at least one draft pick on a deep class of defensive ends, and the position figures to get some attention among the undrafted free agents as well. NFL quandary: Find one or watch him win elsewhere

By Jeff Legwold The Denver Post April 4, 2013

Today's NFL is filled with a whirlwind of moves, draft picks and big contracts handed out in the quest to find, and keep, marquee . That search influences everything, every decision and almost every slot in the standings. It determines who's hired, who's fired, who wins and who loses.

An NFL team without that upper-tier quarterback?

"It's like a writer without a pen," said new coach . "There's a problem. You have to make sure that you have that position taken care of."

New coach Bruce Arians, who traded for this week, put it this way: "It's a problem (when) you don't have a quarterback. When you have two, you don't have one. That's been my philosophy. If we're out there competing to see who the quarterback is, we have a problem."

Teams such as the Broncos with , the with , the with new $120.6 million QB and the , who extended Tony Romo's contract for six years and $108 million last week, will pay almost any price to keep their guy. And teams without a top- flight quarterback? It's a mad scramble to find one.

Just look at the recent frenzy. Without a no-questions-asked starter in this year's draft class, teams have been jockeying throughout the offseason to upgrade at quarterback. This week the Cardinals traded for Palmer and the Oakland Raiders traded for . When the free-agency period started, the Chiefs traded for . The recently signed Kevin Kolb.

Flacco's new contract is the richest in NFL history, a result not only of his run but also of the Ravens not wanting to find a replacement.

"We're very willing to do what we needed to do," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of re-signing Flacco. "We're going to build a great team around him too. We've done that in the past."

While and Brad Johnson were once held up as post-1980s passers who were important role players in their teams' Super Bowl runs, they are little more than quirky footnotes now. On one side you have Johnson and Dilfer, Super Bowl- winning quarterbacks who had the luxury of record-setting defenses playing alongside them. And on the other side you have 12 quarterbacks who account for 19 of the past 21 Super Bowl championships.

That list of 12 quarterbacks consists of three Hall of Famers (, and ), 15 league MVPs and 72 selections. Flacco is on the list because, since the start of his rookie season in 2008, no other quarterback has won as many games as his 63. He also is the first quarterback in league history to win a playoff game in each of his first five seasons.

Flynn, meanwhile, is a sign of the times. Despite having made only three starts in his NFL career, he was signed to a three-year, $26 million contract by the Seattle Seahawks before the 2012 season. Seattle then used a third-round pick to acquire in last year's draft. Wilson beat out Flynn in training camp.

This year, teams will line up at the April 25-27 draft trying to make another high- value pick like Wilson. And while many scouts say there is no quarterback worth a first-round pick this year, it won't stop teams from rolling the dice to try to beat the odds. The stakes at that position are that high.

Flynn was traded to the Raiders this week in exchange for two draft picks. The Raiders have used 15 quarterbacks in the past 10 seasons, and they hope No. 16 in that long line is the answer — an answer that has to be found if a chance at the trophy is to follow.

Teams will pay the price. Broncos coach John Fox recently reflected upon Manning's $20 million salary in 2013 and its impact on his team's .

"I've done it both ways," Fox said. "I've had the $20 million guy and not had the $20 million guy. The $20 million is worth it."

Pass the title trophy, please

Finding a franchise quarterback always has been an important part of winning in the NFL. But in the salary cap era, it's the single biggest factor in almost every decision that teams make. Nineteen of the past 21 Super Bowls have been won by players considered franchise or all-time great quarterbacks. Trent Dilfer (with the 2000 Ravens) and Brad Johnson (2002 Buccaneers) are the exceptions:

Troy Aikman: Three Super Bowl victories, Hall of Fame, six Pro Bowls.

Steve Young: Super Bowl victory, Hall of Fame, two MVP awards, seven Pro Bowls. : Super Bowl victory, three MVP awards, 11 Pro Bowls.

John Elway: Two Super Bowl victories, Hall of Fame, one MVP award, nine Pro Bowls.

Kurt Warner: Super Bowl victory, two MVP awards, four Pro Bowls.

Tom Brady: Three Super Bowl victories, two MVP awards, eight Pro Bowls.

Ben Roethlisberger: Two Super Bowl victories, two Pro Bowls.

Peyton Manning: Super Bowl victory, four MVP awards, 12 Pro Bowls.

Eli Manning: Two Super Bowl victories, three Pro Bowls.

Drew Brees: Super Bowl victory, seven Pro Bowls.

Aaron Rodgers: Super Bowl win, MVP award, three Pro Bowls.

Joe Flacco: Super Bowl victory. Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post

West arms race

NFL reporter Jeff Legwold looks at the starting quarterbacks in the AFC West:

Denver's Peyton Manning: Another 4,000-yard passing season in 2012, another Pro Bowl appearance and an 11-game win streak in his first year in Denver.

Kansas City's Alex Smith: One of Andy Reid's first moves was to acquire Smith from the 49ers. Reid likes his toughness and ability to run the .

Oakland's Matt Flynn: Raiders coach Dennis Allen believes Flynn can take the career track and go from backup to productive starter on a playoff team.

San Diego's Philip Rivers: First-year coach Mike McCoy has made protecting Rivers a focus, with the hope that more time in the pocket will lift Rivers' performance back to previous levels.

Broncos begin search for "best available" in earnest this week

By Jeff Legwold The Denver Post April 4, 2013

The Broncos called all of their personnel evaluators into the mother ship and opened draft meetings at their Dove Valley headquarters Wednesday.

The scouts and the rest of the personnel folks will have a pile of receipts for flights, rental cars and the rest of it in tow after months of making the rounds. Now the Broncos get down to the business of finding targets for their six picks in the April 25-27 draft.

If their recent history holds true, most or even all of those six picks will make the roster this summer. In John Elway's tenure as executive vice president of football operations, the Broncos have selected 16 players.

Fifteen of those 16 players are on the roster. The only one not still with the team in some measure is linebacker , a sixth-round pick in the 2011 draft.

The Broncos took three linebackers in that draft: , and Mohamed. Miller has been nothing short of spectacular in two seasons, and Irving is likely looking at his now-or-never year on the developmental curve. The Broncos hope he can be the team's middle linebacker. Mohamed didn't stick after multiple stints on the roster and the practice squad.

Defensive end Jeremy Beal, a seventh-round pick in 2011, has yet to play in a game after spending the 2011 season on the practice squad and the 2012 season on injured reserve.

Overall, the players have stuck on the roster for two significant reasons. The first is that Elway and John Fox inherited a depth chart off a 4-12 team in 2010.

It wasn't a 4-12 with many glimmers of hope for the future, either. It was a messy 4-12 that included a Spygate scandal and a growing disconnect between the team and its long-cherished fan base.

Draft picks had better make the team in that scenario, or the selector won't be in a position to draft players for long. In the past two drafts, the Broncos have largely avoided the draft-for-need trap many teams fall into as they consistently waste picks, then have to look to free agency to repair their draft mistakes.

Elway has made no secret he is squarely in the best-player-available camp. Miller, for example, wasn't at the position of greatest need with the second overall pick in the 2011 draft, but he was easily the best player available.

Had the Broncos surrendered to the idea they needed a defensive tackle more than anything, they wouldn't have taken a player former longtime Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Collier said has a chance to be the best defensive player in franchise history.

Don't ever leave the best player on the board for somebody else to pick. Those teams collect all the good players, then beat your need players on the way to the postseason.

Wes Welker, Peyton Manning dined

ESPN.com April 4, 2013

Welker Compares Brady To Manning

WR Wes Welker discusses his move from the Patriots to the Broncos and compares the teams' star quarterbacks.Tags: Welker, Mike and Mike, ,

Wes Welker said Wednesday in an ESPN Radio interview he's had a chance to speak with both his new quarterback, Peyton Manning, and his old one, Tom Brady, since his decision to leave the New England Patriots to sign with the .

When asked on "Mike and Mike in the Morning" whether he has had a chance to talk with Manning, he said he recently had dinner with his new quarterback in Miami.

"We just kind of caught up and talked about the year and different things about the offense and stuff like that. I'll be working with him next week and start to get that process going," said Welker, who signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Broncos last month.

Later in the interview, he said he and Brady have talked often since he signed with the Broncos.

"Tom's one of my good friends, and we stay in contact quite often," Welker said.

Welker said he and Manning didn't discuss too much football during the dinner because "we didn't want to bore everybody else at the table." Welker said he didn't pay the bill for the dinner, but the receiver said, "it got paid for somehow, so I'm guessing it was him."

The Broncos' first voluntary workouts of the offseason are scheduled to begin April 15.

Welker said Manning and Brady, his quarterback for six seasons with the New England Patriots, are very similar.

"I think they're both extremely accurate ... they're extremely smart players and have a good idea where the rush is, and moving around and buying time and getting the ball out quick and being smart and putting it right on the money.

"Not being the biggest guy out there, I definitely need a quarterback that can put it on you and just be able to read the defenses like I do and see it the same way, and I think both guys do that well," he said. Welker called his decision to sign with the Broncos "just business." As for whether he'll play with a chip on his shoulder this coming season as a result of the Patriots letting him sign elsewhere, Welker said nothing has changed in that regard.

"I feel like I've been doing that for my entire career, so I don't see that changing," he said. Broncos Position Breakdown:

Andrew Mason DenverBroncos.com April 3, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Once Wes Welker signed his two-year contract last month, the Broncos' top tier of wide receivers was set -- for this year, at least.

The front-line trio of Welker and holdovers and Eric Decker has no discernible weakness. Each has a unique skill set, and Welker's specific role as a slot receiver will allow Decker to play exclusively as an outside receiver, according to Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway in a Monday afternoon radio interview on KOA-AM 850.

That should allow Decker to improve upon his per-catch average of 12.5 yards, which was 2.8 yards shy of Thomas' 2012 pace, and gives him more chances for deep receptions. In 2011, Decker gained at least 20 yards once every 4.89 receptions; that ratio was one every 7.73 catches last year. Some of that discrepancy can be attributed to the quarterbacks -- in 2011, short timing passes were at times non-existent with at the helm -- but the Broncos would like to give Decker more chances for longer gains in 2013.

With Welker working short and Decker and Thomas primed to handle most of the intermediate to deeper routes, the Broncos appear to have each of the three in their optimal positions. Each is dangerous enough to ensure an opponent cannot ignore him in coverage; if one receives too much attention, another will surely be open -- and that doesn't account for the pass-catching contributions the Broncos will receive from tight ends and running backs.

As a group, Welker, Thomas and Decker might be unmatched in the league this year, and could relegate the 1980s "Three Amigos" to second-best among wideout troikas in Broncos annals. Just two questions linger:

1. What if someone gets hurt?

2. What's the long-term plan?

For the first question, tight end Jacob Tamme could slide over and handle slot work if Welker was injured -- a fill-in role Tamme handled well last December against Tampa Bay, when he replaced the injured . Decker could also slide inside to the slot in a pinch. But if something happens to Thomas or Decker, the answers appear murkier.

Among the wide receiving group, the only backup receiver with extensive offensive experience is Andre Caldwell, who caught 124 passes in four Bengals seasons but had just one last year and played just 75 snaps. Another year in the offense will help, but he could face a challenge Greg Orton, who spent the season on the practice squad, and Gerell Robinson, back on the roster after time on Arizona's practice squad.

In the long term, the Broncos have multiple contract situations to consider, starting with Decker, whose rookie deal expires after this season. Thomas was picked in the same 2010 draft as Decker, but as a first-rounder, his contract is one year longer, so he won't be due for a new deal until 2015.

Welker's contract is for two years and expires after 2014; by that time, he'll be 33. But the biggest imminent decision revolves around Decker, and whether the Broncos consider his production replaceable or not.

Decker's rising trajectory to date indicates his best is yet to come. His reception totals have gone from six to 44 to 85; his yardage from 106 to 612 to 1,064; his from one to eight to 13 last year. At one point in 2012, he scored at least one in five consecutive games, and if safety Jim Leonhard doesn't return, Decker could also be asked to field punts inside the Denver 10-yard-line when sure hands are needed most.

But it's potentially possible to fit all three under the cap for the next two years, while in the meantime planning for the long-term future at slot receiver, if Welker only plays through his contract. The Broncos could budget for two highly-paid receivers in 2014 and 2015; in 2014, they could be Decker and Welker; the following year, they could re-sign Thomas to a long-term deal, keeping the 2010 drafted duo together for the foreseeable future.

Of course, other expiring contracts also come into play next year: tackle 's franchise tender, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie's one-year deal, the rookie deals of guard Zane Beadles and center J.D. Walton and the two-year contract given to linebacker last year are paramount among these. Therein lies the Broncos' looming salary-cap challenge, and why a receiver in the middle to late rounds of the draft might be a wise play, just to be on the safe side.

This philosophy worked for the when Peyton Manning was there. They found Pierre Garçon in the sixth round of the 2008 draft and Austin Collie in the fourth round a year later. Both were productive with Manning, although Collie's progress has been stunted by concussion issues and a torn patellar tendon.

But if the Broncos bypass the draft, they might have internal options.

Although kickoff and punt returner Trindon Holliday can play a snap here and there, his 5-foot-5, 170-pound frame is not conducive to every-down work, and his high- wire act on punts and kickoffs -- which saw four total touchdowns and five -- doesn't necessarily translate to offense.

Robinson was a favored target of backup quarterback Brock Osweiler at Arizona State and has a chance to factor into the mix.

But the young backup receiver to watch could be Orton, who lingered all season on the Broncos' practice squad and also spent five weeks in 2011 there. A team generally doesn't keep a player on the practice squad that long unless it sees something intriguing, and Orton was an extraordinarily prolific receiver for the Arena Football League's Spokane Shock before landing in Denver. In previous years, players transitioning to "the big field," as Arenaballers call it, usually required about a year to re-adjust; thus, this could be Orton's best shot.

The Broncos were lucky last year; Stokley, Thomas and Decker missed just one game combined. The chances of keeping all three healthy for 16 games are minimal; at some point, the Broncos' depth will be tested. If it passes that test, then the two short- and long-term questions will have been answered. Vernon's Month with Manning

Stuart Zaas DenverBroncos.com April 3, 2013

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – Some of the wide receivers available in the 2013 NFL Draft had the benefit of playing with quarterbacks who will eventually play on Sundays.

But only one had the opportunity to catch passes from a four-time NFL MVP.

That would be Duke receiver Conner Vernon.

When quarterback Peyton Manning began his on-field rehabilitation, he reunited with his college offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe at Duke University, where Cutcliffe is now the head coach.

When Vernon got the phone call from his coach that Manning needed receivers to throw to, he dropped what he was doing and headed to the football facility.

“It was very secretive at first because obviously Duke was a place for Peyton to get away from media and basically just start his rehab,” Vernon said. “The first time he came was during the lockout, so he couldn’t rehab (in Indianapolis). He came to Duke to rehab, Coach (Cutcliffe) was with him at Tennessee, so he came there and started working out. One day, Coach Cutcliffe called me and said, ‘Hey, Peyton is in town. He needs somebody to catch for him.’”

While Vernon helped Manning take the next step in his career, the work also benefitted the receiver as he prepared for his senior season at Duke.

“We did NFL stuff,” Vernon said. “We ran NFL-depth routes to get him ready. That was a big thing that people were doubting – his arm – at that point in time. Catching that ball, there wasn’t a doubt at all, being a receiver. It was quite the experience. We did it for a few days, but it was a few good days of work. Long days and just to see him work was truly a great experience.”

Manning led Vernon and some other Duke pass-catchers through a set of specific routes during the sessions. That helped the receiver continue to develop as a route- runner and understand the demands of the NFL.

When wide receiver Brandon Stokley and other former Manning teammates came in to join the workouts, that gave Vernon a few more NFL brains to pick over. “Stokley was another class act, another very professional guy,” Vernon said. He told me, ‘Just play your game.’ He kind of gave me some pointers here and there and to do stuff at the top of your route to try to trick the DBs and stuff like that. It was knowledge that I took in and practiced a lot and took that into my senior year as well as just the way they worked. Everything they did was 100 percent.”

As Vernon watched Manning return to form, he knew that the signal caller would be able to regain his MVP-caliber play of years past.

“I have a running joke that I like to think I was the reason he did so well this year,” Vernon said. “That was an awesome experience. It was great just to see him work, see his work ethic and his attitude about trying to come back. He was trying to prove everyone wrong and show that he still has it. Just being able to see him work – that was kind of the attitude that I took into my senior season.”

The work paid off as Vernon set career highs with 85 receptions for 1,074 yards and eight touchdowns during his final year for the Blue Devils.

He left Duke as the ACC’s all-time record holder in both receptions and receiving yards and helped his team earn the school’s first bowl berth since 1994.

“Just to have my name in the record book that sits on the top, as well as Duke’s name, is very humbling,” Vernon said. "Records are always meant to be broken, so someday, somebody will break my records. But for the most part, I’m just going to sit back and enjoy it and know for at least one year I was the all-time leading receiver in ACC history.”

The experience that Vernon gained from working with Manning is something that he now hopes to take with him as he prepares for the 2013 NFL Draft.

“It was unbelievable,” Vernon said. “It was Peyton Manning. That name speaks for itself. Who he is speaks for itself. Not only on the field, but off the field – just being around him and seeing how he operated every day. He was very professional. Just being able to see him work and to have the opportunity to catch passes from him was great. Hopefully one day I can do it again. For that month he was there, that experience was something I’ll definitely remember.” Our Greatest Latest Picks

Jim Saccomano DenverBroncos.com April 3, 2013

Draft mania continues in the NFL among the millions of fans, with countless stories being produced by local and national press.

I thought we might take a slightly different perspective on the draft today.

Most of the attention centers, rightly so, on the first, second and third rounds of the NFL draft, since that is where the best known players are most often selected.

But I was thinking, who are the greatest late round draft choices in Broncos history?

Following is my perspective on this topic. Thanks again for reading.

Let’s take a look at some of these late selections chronologically.

1964—Back then the draft was 26 rounds, and the very last selection by Denver was Oregon quarterback Bob Berry. He was drafted so late because Denver assumed he would sign with the of the NFL (the Broncos were in the AFL). And he did, but The Denver Post said at the time that Denver lost Berry to Minnesota over $200. The Broncos were a bit frugal in those days. Berry played for a full decade and then some in the NFL.

1966—In the 19th round the Broncos selected a young player from Miami (Florida) name . He never played here, and did not have a lengthy career on the field. However, he is still active in pro football, and Tom Coughlin has two Super Bowl rings as head coach of the , 47 years after being drafted by the Broncos!

1968—Denver used the 357th pick in the draft, in the 14th round, to take a small quarterback from Nebraska (Omaha) named Marlin Briscoe. He had a fine career as a pro football wide receiver, but before making the position change Briscoe was the first black quarterback in pro football’s modern era, something he accomplished as a rookie in 1968 for the Broncos.

1983—In the 12th round of the draft—and by this time it was a 12-round draft, so this was our final pick with selection number 310—the Broncos chose Karl Mecklenburg, a relatively obscure defensive end from the University of Minnesota. I vividly remember so many Meck stories, but one of my first memories indicates how unknown he was. We flew all 12 draftees in to meet the press, set them up in our team auditorium and let the press wander from player to player. After we were about two thirds finished, I noticed that not one single person had spoken to this young guy. I approached our local Associates Press writer, whom I knew to be a good guy, and asked him to do me a favor and approach Meck and just pretend to ask him a few questions and take some notes, just so the young player’s feelings would not be hurt. In the years to follow, Meck hurt a lot of feelings on the opposition on his way to the Broncos’ Ring of Fame. He has reached the final 25 list for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is a legit candidate.

1987—Many pro football fans know about the tradition of the last player taken being referred to as “Mr. Irrelevant.” In 1987 the Broncos had the next-to-last pick in the draft, and with the 334th pick, in the 12th round, just one before Mr. Irrelevant would be selected, we took a defensive back from North Dakota State named Tyrone Braxton. A terrific player. He started for the Broncos in both our Super Bowl wins, was with us for two AFC Championship Game wins as well, but most do not realize that while at North Dakota State Braxton was a key fixture on three Division II national championship teams. Seven rings. Not bad for the 334th selection!

1994—This was the first year of the seven-round draft, which continues to this day. After reading the earlier paragraphs the sixth and seventh rounds do not truly seem so late, but, relatively speaking, they are the last two rounds of the present draft. In 1994 the Broncos had a tremendous seventh round. With pick 7a, the 210, Denver chose linebacker Keith Burns from Oklahoma State, an outstanding special teams player and good linebacker who was here for both world titles as a player and then had a fine career coaching here. He now is on ’s coaching staff in Washington. Then, with pick number 7c, number 218 overall, we chose Boston College center Tom Nalen. Nalen was truly a great player, a competitor’s competitor, a legitimate candidate for both the Broncos’ Ring of Fame and for the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well.

1995—With the 196th overall selection, number 6b for the Broncos, we made the now legendary selection of Terrell Davis. What can you say about TD? Super Bwl MVP, NFL regular season MVP, 2,000 yards rushing in a single season, and seven straight playoff games with 100 yards rushing, all victories. He is simply the only player in history to have done all that and most assuredly is a legit Hall of Fame prospect.

2012—Our sixth round choice last year, number 188 overall, was linebacker from Kentucky. Danny made the team and contributed right away last year. The future is impossible to predict, but making the team is how all the other guys on this list started. Thanks for reading, and we’ll continue trying to take a look at the draft from a different angle in future blogs!