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UPDATED: 5/8/2015
If one were to take only the players currently signed to the Denver Broncos (as I have) and create a depth chart (also as I have) that one may find quite a surprise.
Offense
|
Pos |
Starter |
Backup |
Depth |
|
QB |
18 Manning* |
17 Osweiler |
2 Dysert |
|
HB |
22 Anderson* |
23 Hillman |
28 Ball |
|
FB |
40 Thompson |
80 Casey |
42 Duncan |
|
TE |
81 Daniels |
85 Green |
86 Jones |
|
WR 1 |
88 Thomas* |
12 Caldwell |
19 Burse |
|
WR 2 |
10 Sanders* |
14 Latimer |
11 Norwood |
|
LT |
78 Clady* |
75 Clark |
72 Rains |
|
LG |
64 Smith |
62 Day |
67 Halapio |
|
C |
73 Garcia |
77 Gradkowski |
61 Paradis |
|
RG |
65 Vasquez |
63 Garland |
|
|
RT |
69 Schofield |
74 Sambrailo |
68 Roberts |
Defense
|
Pos |
Starter |
Backup |
Depth |
|
LDE |
95 Wolfe |
90 Youboty |
99 Rivers |
|
NT |
92 Williams |
76 Austin Jr. |
70 Watson |
|
RDE |
97 Jackson |
91 Anunike |
98 Kilgo |
|
WILL |
94 Ware* |
56 Ray |
45 Mason |
|
MOE |
59 Trevathan |
53 Johnson |
|
|
MIKE |
54 Marshall |
57 Barrow |
51 Davis |
|
SAM |
58 Miller* |
55 McCray |
48 Barrett |
|
RCB |
25 Harris Jr.* |
36 Webster |
31 Bolden |
|
LCB |
21 Talib* |
29 Roby |
32 Carter |
|
FS |
26 Stewart |
41 Furman |
34 Madison |
|
SS |
43 Ward* |
30 Bruton Jr. |
*- indicates 2014 Pro Bowler
Of the 22 starters listed 10 earned a vote to the Pro Bowl last season. That's nearly half the roster. Now when you take into account that guard Louis Vasquez switched positions in the middle of the season and probably would have earned the vote had he stayed at his natural position, that is half of the current 2015 starting lineup that made the Pro Bowl last season.
It should be noted that tight end Owen Daniels, who signed with Denver on Tuesday, last earned a trip to the Pro Bowl two seasons ago.
Yes, there is a gigantic glaring hole on the offensive line where I currently project three starters that have never started a game in the NFL, but as our friend Andrew Mason of DenverBroncos.com tweeted Wednesday evening:
When it comes to developing O-linemen from mid-to-late rounds & UDFAs, Kubiak & Dennison are among the finest at it: pic.twitter.com/FQRYcU9NrY
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) March 12, 2015
Now despite my last article gaining a bit of notoriety around here, I am not crazy enough to actually project Matt Paradis, Ben Garland and Michael Schofield as starters. As those three make up 60% of the line that was used as an excuse by some for Brock Osweiler not looking incredible in the preseason. Garland is the only one of those three that has any regular season experience at all.
However, I do feel as if general manager John Elway is being genuine when he says that Schofield impressed the team with his 2014 preseason play. If the product suffers with the young guys in the lineup, Chris Clark, Paul Cornick and Manny Ramirez are all veterans that can step in and steady the ship.
Despite this offseason not being as sexy as last offseason for the Broncos, the team really isn't as bad off as some may believe.
How many Pro Bowlers does a starting lineup need? The correct answer is enough to win the Super Bowl.