With the 2008 training camp set to begin on Friday the 25th, many questions exist for the Denver Broncos. Left with a bad taste in the organization's mouth following a disappointing 2007 season, malcontented and underachieving veterans were jettisoned and a fresh batch of players brought in to right the ship, as is the norm for the organization. However, particular attention was paid to the salary cap in that only reasonably priced veterans were acquired which shifts attention to the draft as the primary building block of future Broncos teams. A number of talented collegians have been tabbed by Denver in the past several drafts and all will be counted on to restore respectability to a proud franchise which has been slowly sliding towards mediocrity. Question is, will they be able to do it?

Here's a look at several key issues and position battles heading into training camp. Questions, ideas and feedback all encouraged; let us know what you think!

QUARTERBACK: Clearly this is Jay Cutler's position and he will be counted on to come up big in his third season, but a diagnosis of type I diabetes spreads a cloud over a shining future. Cutler lost over 30lbs. last season before being diagnosed yet still had a decent season, so a knowledge of the situation and how to deal with it can only help. Cutler is on a strict regiment which includes daily insulin shots and is now back to his playing weight so he and the Broncos feel it will not be an issue, but it is a situation that bears watching as training camp, and the season, progress.

TAILBACK/FULLBACK: 2000 yards for Selvin Young, rookie accolades for Ryan Torain, sustained performance by Andre Hall reminiscent of his excellent Monday night performance, or finally a featured role for Michael Pittman? In typical Broncos fashion, no one knows for sure, but expect a better overall team performance than we've seen the last two seasons. Young has had an excellent offseason transforming his body into 212lbs. of pure muscle and currently occupies the pole position, and though his goal of 2000 yds. may be unreasonable, if healthy he could be the next in a long line of excellent Denver backs. Rookie Torain currently is fourth on the depth chart, but if health (an issue in college) remains on his side don't be surprised to see him log a number of carries. Pittman provides veteran experience and despite past transgressions has become a model citizen and will be a fine mentor, and Andre Hall is an excellent kick returner and talented runner who must overcome injury issues. At fullback team and fan favorite Cecil Sapp was brought back for another year, and will likely spend a great deal of time tutoring rookie Peyton Hillis, who shared a backfield with Darren McFadden and Felix Jones in college, yet still managed to compile impressive statistics of his own. Former rookie sensation Mike Bell appears to be the odd man out. The only certainty in the Denver backfield is uncertainty and the battle for roles here will be exciting to watch.

RECEIVER/TIGHT END: The tight end picture appears clear, only somewhat muddied by injury issues, but receiver seems to be unnecessarily clouded by the unfortunate travails of potential superstar Brandon Marshall. Malcontent Javon Walker thankfully was jettisoned but Marshall appears to covet the mantle of "Distraction” from him. Whether it's issues with his longtime girlfriend, drinking and driving or bad driving skills in general, and the capper, family horseplay which resulted in a combat-like arm injury, Marshall appears poised on a precipice, and this season seemingly will decide his football fate. If his skills and focus are intact and he is not suspended by commissioner "Good-all-the-time-or-else," the receiving core should be more than solid, with veterans Kerry Colbert and Darrell Jackson signed (cheaply) to compete for the flanker position and Sammie Parker brought in to give Brandon Stokley help in the slot. Rookie Eddie Royal provides enthusiasm and skills tailor-made for the slot role but likely will focus on special teams as a rookie. Dan Graham returns as a crushing blocker at TE and is adequately backed up by Chad Mustard in that role, but receiving TE's Tony Scheffler and Nate Jackson are coming off injuries which are a definite concern. Both have talent but Scheffler's re-occurring foot injury is particularly problematic in that he has pro-bowl skills and the offense simply isn't the same without him. If he and Marshall are at full strength, expect big things this season. If not, batten down the hatches. All eyes at training camp will be monitoring these situations very closely.

OFFENSIVE LINE: Other than the play of QB Jay Cutler, the performance of the OL will most determine the fate of the Broncos' offense in 2008. With the return of C Tom Nalen and G Ben Hamilton from injuries and the drafting of elite LT prospect Ryan Clady and tough-guy C/G Kory Lichtensteiger, the talent level appears higher than it has been in years, but whether they will jell and play up to their abilities remains to be seen. RT will be a particularly tough battle with versatile Chris Kuper currently starting but being pushed by second-year man Ryan Harris. If Harris wins the job, Kuper likely will be shifted back inside where he would compete for both guard spots. Depth is outstanding with longtime starter C/G Casy Weigmann, OT Erik Pears, G P.J. Alexander, and undrafted rookie OT Tyler Polumbus, who has opened some eyes thus far. The stage is set for exciting competition in camp, and hopefully the foundation of a powerhouse offense.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Much like the OL, the DL will determine the fate of the Broncos' defense in 2008. Barring injuries, six who will make the squad are DE's Elvis Dumervil, Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder, and DT's Dewayne Robertson, Marcus Thomas and Alvin McKinley. Denver routinely keeps ten lineman, and a number of players will vie for the remaining spots. One-dimensional players such as DE John Engleberger, pass-rushing T Josh Mallard and rookie DT Carlton Powell will compete with versatile players such as Kenny Petersen, Ebenezer Ekuban and Steven Harris to round out the squad, and a number of other players will also be in the mix. The talent level appears higher than it's been in years, but the keys will of course be health and the continued maturation of a talented group of young players.

LINEBACKER: Major reshuffling was needed and done in the offseason, but now the team will see if it made the right decisions. Most importantly, DJ Williams returns to his natural weakside spot where he hasn't played since his rookie season, and will be looking for breakout year. In order for this to happen, new additions Niko Koutouvides at MLB and Boss Bailey at the strongside post will have to hold up their end of the bargain. Both were bargains, signing reasonable contracts which will not hamstring the Broncos' cap. Koutouvides is a thumper who was stuck behind Lofa Tatupu in Seattle and Bailey has battled injuries, but both are smart, athletic professionals who should be major upgrades. There is great competition for depth, with competent Jamie Winborn and special-teams ace Jordan Beck leading a cast that includes former starter Nate Webster and rookie Spencer Larsen, who is a mature 25 years old and a punishing hitter.

SECONDARY: There is great depth at CB led by the incomparable Champ Bailey, who had a down year in 2007 but was hamstrung by ineffectiveness around him; look for him to rebound. Dre' Bly still plays at a high level on the other side, but he will be pushed hard by Domonique Foxworth and Karl Paymah, 2005 draftees who really appear to be coming into their own. Keep an eye on rookie Jack Williams; he slid to the fourth round due to injuries as a senior, but is an electric cover man who plays a complete game. Safety is not so settled. John Lynch returns for one more go-round, but will be replaced on nickel downs by veteran Marlon McCree, who was brought in along with fellow veterans Marquand Manuel and Marviel Underwood. Superman athlete Josh Barrett was drafted in the seventh round and provides intrigue, particularly if he works as hard as former seventh-rounder (Tampa Bay, 2005) Hamza Abdullah, who has solidified a starting role and has great range against the pass. He has worked hard to improve his tackling, and his continued maturation on the field bears close scrutiny. If the front seven plays well, the secondary has the talent to be great in 2008.

SPECIALISTS: If Matt Prater or rookie Garrett Hartley do not come through in the clutch, the decision to let the great Jason Elam walk in a money-related dispute will haunt the Broncos, perhaps as long as Elam wears another uniform. The decision indicates Denver's newfound dedication to being fiscally responsible, so if one of these kickers does prove to be reliable, the team will reap the benefits in a deeper roster elsewhere. Speculation on kickers is useless; the proof will come on the field. The Punter position is in the same boat in terms of uncertainty but the Broncos are used to that; the last truly reliable foot they had was Mike Horan in the eighties. Sam Paulescu has the inside track, but undrafted rookie Brett Kern has all the tools, and the composure, to punt in this league into the 2020's. The return game is historically a mess also, but Andre Hall (KR) and Glenn Martinez (PR) had their moments in 2007. Enter 2008 second-rounder Eddie Royal, a tough, fast prospect from special-teams powerhouse Virginia Tech. He should seize both return jobs early in camp, and is also a great gunner. Other rookies who should have immediate impact on the coverage units are CB Jack Williams, S Josh Barrett, LB Spencer Larsen and FB Peyton Hillis. Overall, the coverage units should be much better, but no one will notice if the eventual Punter and Kicker don't do their jobs.

OVERVIEW: The Broncos always enter camp with superbowl expectations but this year hopes seem to be deflated in what is considered to be a rebuilding year. Maybe so, but this will lead to many more exciting camp battles than Broncos players, coaches and fans are used to, so it should be a dynamic summer.

Chime in with thoughts, opinions, insights and criticisms, and most of all, enjoy the return of football!

To me, the Broncos are a team that just always finds a way. On paper, (except for Elway, and a RB or two, and a Sharpe) they rarely have star-studded casts on offense, but they scheme so well, and always get guys to play above their draft-day rankings.

The question for me is this, Bendo. Do they still have the same coaching staff that has worked those kinds of wonders in the past, or has their been some critical shuffling there also?

I agree that what they do with their offensive line this year will indeed be critical, and to me that (even more than RB) is where Denver always seems to get the most for their money of almost any team in the NFL. I am a huge Kuper fan, and I think his versatility may help really gel that whole line. The scheme helps too, sure. But, I think there is more to the story there.

Nice write up of the Broncos there Bendo! Just wanted to chime in on Jay Cutler and say 2 things; firstly that I think the fact that he has now been diagnosed with the diabetes (rather than playing without knowing he was suffering from it) is that both he and the team will be prepared to deal with any issues that may arise and that should help to keep him fitter and healthier throughout the season.

Secondly, of the top quarterbacks in the 2006 draft I stated at the time that I felt Cutler was the best "pure" QB. While Leinart may have come from the pro-style college and VY had that "WOW" factor, I said from the beginning that I thought Cutler would end up the best pro quarterback and I think this could be the year he begins to show it.

I agree with you, now and then. There still could be some play from a couple of the lower picked QBs that year, in particular Tavaris Jackson, Kellen Clemmons, and Charlie Whitehurst, although he's played sparingly compared to the others. Still, if you look at the history of QBs selected in the 1st round, you might start targeting the 6th round from now on. This round has produced these QBs...Tom Brady, Derek Anderson, Marc Bulger, and Matt Hasselbeck. Not too bad a group, I'd venture to say.

It's definitely worth a late round flyer from time to time on a QB; the position is so important and you can never be sure, as the sixth-rounders prove. I think a lot of their success stems from the fact that they aren't under much pressure to produce early in their careers and can sit back and learn/mature before they get their opportunities. That being said, I'm thrilled the Broncos went after Cutler. I felt he was the best prospect of the big three in 2006, and he should break out this year. The diabetes should not be an issue now that it is diagnosed. Not only is a pro athlete very in tune with his body and its' needs to begin with, he'll have a whole team of trainers continuously monitoring his condition and giving him what he requires. Late last year it seemed every game he would throw a couple of bounce-passes; now I know why. Expect laser beams this season.

As MEpatriot says, something has been missing from the Broncos in recent seasons, and coaching is part of the problem. Overall talent and lack of big-time QB play are other factors, but the team is headed in the right direction in those regards. There has been much turmoil in both the front office and coaching ranks the last two seasons and only future results will prove if Shanahan got it right this year, but I'm encouraged by three things: Rick Dennison and Bobby Turner are still on board and Bob Slowik got the D-coordinator post. Dennison holds the title of O-coordinator, but he will be in charge of the running game while Jeremy Bates (son of Jim) will coordinate the pass. Kind of a unique approach, but Dennison will draw on his experience as an O-line coach and a great working relationship with Bobby Turner, the best running backs coach in the game. He along with Alex Gibbs developed the now-famous zone blocking system, of which Dennison has become a fine disciple. With the talent upgrade up front and those two still running the show, I expect bigger things from
Denver's ground game this season.

Slowik was the players choice for the D-coordinator position and therefore the right call. He's in his second stint with the team, has prior experience as a coordinator (Green Bay), and plays the style of defense Shanahan prefers and the teams talent is built around. Again, talk is cheap and they must prove it on the field, but there seems to be an energy heading into camp that has been lacking for several years.

So, does anybody have any "inside info" on what happened to Anthony Alridge and Josh Barrett? As I've mentioned before in other areas on the site, these are a couple of players I really liked and had hoped the Falcons would grab but wound up with Denver. I see that Alridge got injured and Barrett was cut, but does anybody have any more details?

Thanx!

Alridge tore a ligament in his foot in the second half of the last preseason game and was put on IR. A shame; he probably had the team made, especially after running for over 100 in that game. Barrett got caught up in the numbers but is definitely in future plans. He lacks football awareness and thinks before he reacts, so he wasn't ready. If he works hard on the practice squad he may emerge down the road, much as Hamza Abdullah did.

So, here's another Broncos - Falcons question: what do you Broncos fans think of the Foxworth trade? This was a guy I think I would have been happy to give up a 3rd-rounder for in restricted free agency, so to get him for only a 6th-rounder - at most - just tickles me pink!

I think he's arguably the most talented CB on our roster right away. I would imagine he'll be our nickel guy at first, then beat out either Chris Houston or Brent Grimes for a starting job once he learns the defense.

Comments?

I like this move for you to, NHFalcon. I also think he's a Mike Smith type of player.

Already told you this but I think it's good for both teams. Foxworth can play, but Karl Paymah was in a dead heat with him for the nickel role, and the rookie Jack Williams has looked great. With his salary, the fact that he will be unrestricted following this season (based on a clause in his rookie contract which stipulates blocking any restricted status) and his all-business nature, there was no way we were going to get anything for him if we didn't do a deal now. He can play, so it's well worth the seventh (or sixth as you said it may become), especially since the draft should be Atlantic-deep next year.