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Horse Tracks: Predicting the final 53

Good Morning Broncos Country!

By Scotty Payne
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

With Denver Broncos training camp less then a week away I'm going to take a crack at predicting the final 53 man roster. I was inspired to do this after reading ESPN's Jeff Legwold's piece where he predicted the Broncos final 53. Legwold has the Broncos cutting running back C.J Anderson, last years starting safety Duke Ihenacho, and keeping Omar Bolden and Ronnie Hillman.

Well here's my predictions:

Quarterback(3):

  1. Peyton Manning
  2. Brock Osweiler
  3. Zac Dysert
Thoughts: No real surprises here. Brock stays as Peytons main backup, and Dysert will stick as the number three/emergency Quarterback.

Running Back(4):
  1. Montee Ball
  2. C.J Anderson
  3. Kapri Bibbs
  4. Brennan Clay
Thoughts: Montee gets the starting gig which is no real surprise. I have C.J Anderson winning the number two job. When the pads come on Kapri Bibbs will make a name for himself, and Brennan Clay beats Ronnie Hillman and makes the roster as the receiving/scat back.

Wide Receiver(6):
  1. Demaryius Thomas
  2. Emmanuel Sanders
  3. Wes Welker
  4. Cody Latimer
  5. Andre Caldwell
  6. Isaiah Burse
Thoughts: I see the Broncos keeping six receivers on the roster. The first four guys are virtual locks to make it. I have Bubba Caldwell making it because he provides good depth, and he knows the playbook. One undrafted rookie who I am excited to see in camp is Burse. I believe he's penciled in as the Broncos kick returner.

Tight Ends(3):
  1. Julius Thomas
  2. Virgil Green
  3. Jacob Tamme
Thoughts: I have the Broncos only keeping three Tight Ends. Virgil Green replaces Joel Dreessen, and Tamme sticks as insurance for Thomas. Gerrell Robinson could push his way onto this list, but I don't feel comfortable including him on here just yet.

Offensive Line(9):
  1. Ryan Clady
  2. Orlando Franklin
  3. Manny Ramirez
  4. Louis Vasquez
  5. Chris Clark
  6. Michael Schofield
  7. Vinston Painter
  8. Will Montgomery
  9. Matthew Paradis
Thoughts: The starting group up front looks to be Clady, Franklin, Ramirez, Vasquez and Clark. Clark will have some competition for his job with Schofield and Justice battling him for the job during camp. I have Painter making it as a G/T, Montgomery as a G/C, and Paradis fighting his way for a roster spot.

Defensive Line(8):
  1. DeMarcus Ware
  2. Terrance Knighton
  3. Sylvester Williams
  4. Malik Jackson
  5. Derek Wolfe
  6. Kevin Vickerson
  7. Quanterus Smith
  8. Marvin Austin/Mitch Unrein
Thoughts: No huge surprises here. I think if Marvin Austin can stay healthy during camp he can beat Mitch Unrein for a roster spot. One of the two will make the roster, not both.

Linebackers(7):
  1. Von Miller
  2. Nate Irving
  3. Danny Trevathan
  4. Lamin Barrow
  5. Steven Johnson
  6. Lerentee McCray
  7. Corey Nelson
Thoughts: The Linebacker position is the position i'm most interested to watch during camp. Von Miller will miss at least some of camp so McCray and probably others will be getting 1st team reps in his absence. Irving is penciled in as the starter a MLB, but the team drafted Lamin Barrow for competition. After the first four guys, your guess is good as mine as who will make it. I think Johnson will make it as a special teamer again. McCray has a good shot at making the roster, and Nelson's coverage skills should get him a spot as well.

Brandon Marshall, Shaq Barrett, Jamar Chaney and others all can crack this list as well.

Cornerback(5):
  1. Aqib Talib
  2. Chris Harris
  3. Bradley Roby
  4. Kayvon Webster
  5. Tony Carter
Thoughts: No surprises here. Sorry MHR, Tony Carter makes the team again.

Safety(5):
  1. T.J Ward
  2. Rahim Moore
  3. Duke Ihenacho
  4. Quinton Carter
  5. David Bruton
Thoughts: Ward and Moore are your starters. After them it will be fun to watch. I have Quinton Carter and Duke Ihenacho making it with David Bruton making it as a special teamer

Special Teams(3):
  1. Matt Prater
  2. Britton Colquitt
  3. Aaron Brewer
If everything were to go down this way, that would be 25 offensive players, 25 defensive players and 3 special teams players making your 53 man roster.

What do you guys think? Share your 53 man rosters in the comments section!

DeMarcus Ware feeling good:

Defensive End DeMarcus Ware told Mike Klis of the Denver Post that he's feeling good heading into the 2014 season.

"I feel better than I did the last two years going into the season,"

He also went on to say that he's strong, fast and flexible. Pairing a rejuvenated DeMarcus Ware with Von Miller could give Quarterbacks fits on Sundays.

Manning watched Super Bowl tape on first day of offseason work:

Peyton Manning did one thing this offseason that I haven't, and probably will never do. That being watching the tape of the Super Bowl. Manning and Quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp made watching and reviewing the tape of the Super Bowl their number one priority heading into the offseason.

"The first day back in the building, we watched the Super Bowl," Knapp told ESPN. "I told him the day after the game we were going to watch it when he came back, not right then, but the first day he was back, and we were going to watch it without the emotion of what just happened. And that was step one."

Manning being a film junkie didn't hesitate doing this.

"If you ever feel like that’s not important — like, ‘Hey, I don’t need to watch last season; I know what we did; I know what I did wrong’ — no, you don’t know," Manning said. "You need to watch it. Watch the bad plays. It’s not fun to watch bad plays, to sit there and say, ‘That’s a bad decision’ and ‘That’s a really bad decision’ and ‘Horrible read.’ . . . No matter how old you are, you need to go into that prepared to be constructively criticized and learn how to grow out of the mistakes every year."

He's probably right but i'd burn that tape before ever watching it.

Go Broncos!

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