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Forget 2013, this team could be Super

The question is: Are Elway’s upgrades enough for another run?

ENGLEWOOD – The message coming from John Elway in the months since the Denver Broncos’ record-setting 2013 season ended with a disastrous Super Bowl was clear: The Broncos want to be back and soon.

“I’m ready to get going. I’m tired of hearing about last year and the Super Bowl,” Elway said to USA TODAY Sports. “Once you get started, you’re ready to roll, and people stop talking about last year.”

Elway and the Broncos don’t want to forget everything about last season. They’ll hang on to the memories of Peyton Manning’s 55 touchdown passes, the 606 points scored in the regular season and a home win in the AFC championship game against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

And they haven’t ignored what went wrong — and that’s why Elway made sure the Broncos were among the most aggressive teams this offseason. They added three new defensive starters — cornerback Aqib Talib, safety T.J. Ward and end DeMarcus Ware — in the opening days of free agency.

The team that kicks off against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 7 will look markedly different than the group that lost to the Seattle Seahawks in February. That lineup should include a number of veterans who missed the Super Bowl because of injuries, including left tackle Ryan Clady, cornerback Chris Harris, outside linebacker Von Miller, safety Rahim Moore and defensive end Derek Wolfe.

With games against the Colts, Kansas City Chiefs and Seahawks, respectively, in the first three weeks of the season, the Broncos quickly will learn if they have a good chance to repeat as AFC champions. So even though Elway thinks a fresh start to the preseason will quell the references to 2013, that might not really happen until after the rematch with the Seahawks in Week 3.

“Even so, you get to start a new one,” Elway said. “Hopefully, we can have the same type of success as we had last year.”

Quarterback

After Manning set NFL single-season records for passing yards and touchdown passes at 37, the biggest question is if he will be able to come close to duplicating that production at 38. It seems unrealistic to think that Manning will rewrite the record books again, but who would have thought he’d return to MVP form two years after neck surgery?

Among important preseason storylines will be the development of strong-armed backup Brock Osweiler, who has played little since being drafted in the second round in 2012.

Running Back

The Broncos open training camp with an extremely inexperienced and young group since the team let Knowshon Moreno leave in free agency. Moreno’s departure leaves 2013 second-round pick Montee Ball atop the depth chart.

But who will join Ball in the Broncos backfield?

This could be the final shot for Ronnie Hillman, a third-round draft pick in 2012, to contribute after two disappointing seasons.

C.J. Anderson, who made the roster as an undrafted rookie last year, is looking to take on a much bigger role.

Wide Receiver

Goodbye, Eric Decker. Hello, Emmanuel Sanders.

The Broncos let Decker leave without an offer in free agency and signed Sanders, a former Pittsburgh Steeler, to join a receiving corps headlined by Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker. Sanders is smaller and quicker than Decker, but the team is hoping he’ll bring similar production and versatility.

Veteran Andre Caldwell was re-signed, and the club used a second-round pick on Indiana’s Cody Latimer.

Tight End

The Broncos might have the deepest tight end group in the NFL, with hybrid player Virgil Green, veteran Jacob Tamme and emerging star Julius Thomas.

A matchup nightmare seeking a new contract, Thomas is developing as an inline blocker. Green is trying to work his way into the passing game but provides value with his ability to line up in the backfield.

Offensive Line

The faces on the offensive line in 2014 will look familiar, though some of the positions will have changed. The departure of Zane Beadles in free agency left a hole at left guard, and the Broncos chose to fill it by moving road grader Orlando Franklin over from right tackle. That leaves Chris Clark, who replaced the injured Clady at left tackle for most of last season, and Winston Justice competing for the right tackle spot. Clady was eased back into offseason work and should be fully recovered from his foot injury by the time training camp opens.

Defensive Line

The line got a major boost with the addition of Ware and the healthy returns of tackle Kevin Vickerson, who suffered a dislocated hip, and end Wolfe, who suffered a scary seizure episode in November. Overshadowed by the offensive fireworks last season was the emergence of tackle Terrance Knighton, who will be paired with promising 2013 first-round pick Sylvester Williams.

Linebacker

The Broncos are hoping Miller will return to all-pro form after a disappointing 2013 on and off the field. Miller had surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in January and will be limited when camp opens.

With Wesley Woodyard gone, weakside linebacker Danny Trevathan will lead the defensive huddle, and Nate Irving appears to finally have stuck as the team’s starting middle linebacker — the job he was drafted to do in 2011.

Lerentee McCray, a 2013 undrafted free agent, could make noise in training camp battling for the spot to back up Miller.

Secondary

Gone are cornerbacks Champ Bailey and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and safety Mike Adams, replaced by former Patriots corner Talib and ex-Cleveland Browns safety Ward, both Pro Bowlers last season.

Denver also is counting on the healthy return of right cornerback Harris, who had ACL surgery in February, and free safety Moore.

A player to watch in the preseason is safety Quinton Carter, a starter in 2011 who has missed most of the last two seasons with knee injuries.

Special Teams

Punter Britton Colquitt and kicker Matt Prater have firm holds on their jobs, but there will be an open competition for the kickoff- and punt-return jobs. Among the players to watch is undrafted rookie receiver Isaiah Burse.

Coaching

John Fox was rewarded with a three-year contract extension in the offseason. And for the first time since his arrival in 2011, he has kept all of his coordinators, as offensive coordinator Adam Gase declined to interview for head coaching jobs during Denver’s playoff run. If the Broncos’ make another run at the title, defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and Gase could be hot coaching candidates next offseason. Jeff Rodgers is in his fourth year handling special teams.

© 2014 USA TODAY. All rights reserved.



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