To Rebuild or Not?

The last couple days I have been thinking if the Broncos are in rebuilding mode, or if we already have a strong core to build around. To me, teams should always be built around the Offensive and Defensive Lines. After drafting three Offensive Linemen and re-signing one, I believe that the Broncos have a foundation for their Offensive Line. Clady, Kuper, and Harris are all soild, and I think that both Olsens and Beadles will turn out to be good players. The only problem is injuries. The Defensive Line on the other hand is awful in my eyes. I don't always think that blowing up the roster is a terrible thing. If McDaniels would have done a better job at drafting, we would have a very solid foundation right now. Instead, he made some questionable picks. Lets look at the past. 

2009: Needs: DL, LB, S, HB, OL

Draft Picks- (Players that we could've had)

Round 1 #12: HB Knowshon Moreno- (DE/OLB Brian Orakpo, Brian Cushing)

Analysis: I personally never understood this pick. We already signed Correll Buckhalter and we already had Peyton Hillis. We needed help in the front 7.... so we decide to draft a running back...

Round 1 #18: DE/OLB Robert Ayers (OLB Clay Matthews)

Analysis: I don't exactly blame McDaniels for this pick because it's hard to see who will be able to transition from a 4-3 DE into a 3-4 OLB, but it sure would've been nice to have Clay Matthews instead.

Round 2 #5: CB Alphonso Smith (ILB Rey Maualuga, CB Jairus Byrd)

Analysis: In my eyes, the dumbest thing that McDaniels did was trade our 2010 first round pick to the Seahawks for a 2009 second round pick which ended up to be Alphonso Smith... who is currently with the Detroit Lions. 

Round 2 #16: S Darcel McBath (G Max Unger, T Phil Loadholt, DT Fili Moala, T Sebastian Vollmer)

Analysis: I think McBath can be a good safety in the future, and I actually liked this pick. 

Round 2 #32: TE Richard Quinn (HB Shonn Greene, CB Bradley Fletcher, WR Mike Wallace)

Analysis: Also one of the dumber things that McDaniels did.. I understand he wanted a blocking TE for our scheme, but why trade up to round 2 when we could have him in the 6th?

So, after the first 3 rounds, we could have technically had DE/OLB Brian Orakpo, OLB Clay Matthews, ILB Rey Maualuga, G Max Unger, and HB Shonn Greene. 

Now lets look at 2010..

Draft Picks- (Players We Could've Had)

2010 Team Needs: LB, WR, TE, DL, CB

Round 1

#22: WR Demaryius Thomas- (NT Dan Williams, CB Devin McCourty, WR Dez Bryant, HB Jahvid Best)

Analysis: After trading Brandon Marshall, I understand Josh McDaniels pick. I personally think Thomas shows a lot of promise, the only problem is keeping him healthy. 

Round 1 #25: QB Tim Tebow- (NT Dan Williams, CB Devin McCourty, HB Jahvid Best, DT Brian Price)

Analysis- To me, this was a bad pick. After going 8-8 in 2009, the Broncos surely didn't have the luxury of acquiring a project. In the first round, I feel as if you need to draft a player that can contribute soon if not immediately. 

Round 2 #13: OL Zane Beadles- (ILB Daryl Washington, NT Linval Joseph, ILB Brandon Spikes)

Analysis- A good pick to me, Zane has shown promise this season.

Round 3 #16: OL J.D. Walton- (WR Emmanuel Sanders, DT Corey Peters, QB Colt McCoy, WR Jordan Shipley)

Analysis- A good pick to me, Walton has been good for the toughest position on the OL, and it's only going to get better. 

Round 3 #23: WR Eric Decker- (TE Tony Moeaki, WR Mike Williams, CB Alterraun Verner)

Analysis- What seems to be a good pick to me, Decker was a beast in college but he didn't play his senior year due to injury. I'm still excited to see what he can bring to the table once he gets his chance. 

So, after the past two years in the top 3 rounds, we could've ended up with DE/OLB Brian Orakpo, OLB Clay Matthews, ILB Rey Maualuga, OG Max Unger, HB Shonn Greene, WR Demaryius Thomas, CB Devin McCourty, OG Zane Beadles, OC J.D. Walton, and WR Eric Decker. 

I personally would prefer this group over our current group, but you can't go back in time.

Can you imagine our OL consisting of:

LT: Ryan Clady, LG: Max Unger, C: J.D. Walton, RG: Chris Kuper, RT Ryan Harris. With the most diverse OL in Zane Beadles as a backup?

Or can you imagine our Linebackers consisting of:

LOLB: Clay Matthews/Brian Orakpo, ILB: Rey Maualuga, ILB: DJ Williams, ROLB: Elvis Dumervil/ Brian Orakpo

Or how about our Secondary consisting of:

CB: Champ Bailey, CB: Devin McCourty/Andre Goodwin, FS: Brian Dawkins/ David Bruton, SS: Renaldo Hill/ Darcel McBath

The list goes on and on... I personally don't think we have enough on the team right now build around. Our offensive line is solid, our receivers are solid... but that's just about it. I think we need to get a lot younger, and there's no better way of doing that than through the draft. If it's done right, we'll have an extremely solid young team for decades to come. 

I believe that it might be beneficial for the Broncos to blow up the roster again and try to rebuild. For me, right now the best young players to build around are: OT Ryan Clady, OG Chris Kuper, C J.D. Walton, OG Zane Beadles, OT Ryan Harris, WR Demaryius Thomas, WR Eddie Royal, WR Eric Decker, S David Bruton, S Darcel McBath, and LB Elvis Dumervil. Other than that, everyone on our team i'd be willing to part ways with. I know that it'll be tough to part ways with Champ, but I'd like to see us get younger, and most of all I'd love to see him to get a championship, unfortunately it won't be with the Broncos. I feel the same way about Dawkins too.