Making the Denver Broncos contenders in 2017

During this period of football stagnation, speculation and rumor run rampant. This is also a time of reflection. Fans, writers, journalists, insiders, everybody starts to examine just how their team can become instant contenders.

The Broncos needs are pretty obvious. As Ian St. Clair and I discussed on the MHR Radio Podcast, improvement starts up front for Denver. On both sides of the ball, the clear need is in the trenches. No surprise there, but maybe there are some less obvious needs that can push the Broncos over the top in 2017.

Special teams could see instant improvement with the addition of a solid returner. Jordan Norwood was the bane of Broncos Country in 2016. How he continued to get playing time was a mystery. Many fans would love to see Christian McCaffery in a Broncos uniform. He would certainly fill the need on punt returns.

McCaffery would also be a solid addition to the offense, playing in the slot, as a running back, and lining up out wide. It would likely be a long shot, and the Broncos could turn to Kalif Raymond to fill the void in the return game.

The offensive changes that are coming seem to favor an up tempo game plan. A sure handed tight end will be the safety blanket for the Broncos young quarterback. The Virgil Green experiment should come to an end. Jeff Heuermann has shown nothing. AJ Derby looked like he could be successful. Any real production out of this position could propel the Broncos to a championship run.

Another less obvious position that Denver might target that could have an impact is cornerback. Teams can never have too much talent in the defensive backfield. John Elway has shown his commitment to building a solid defense. The best defenses have great pass rushers and shutdown corners. There would be no shame in stockpiling players here.

What do you think Broncos Country? Which area could the Broncos target that would make them instant contenders that might be less obvious than offensive and defensive line?