The Denver Broncos might have a new coach, but they'll be trying not to change too much about the formula that brought them three straight 12-win seasons.
Heading into the 2015 NFL Draft, there are still a few areas Denver will look to improve. Expiring contracts, aging stars and free agency have left the Broncos with a few areas they can address - as things stand today, here are their three biggest draft needs:
3. Tight End
Julius Thomas is heading into an option year, and not everyone in the building is sold on replacing him with Virgil Green. There isn't any first-round TE standout in this draft, but there are several high-potential, low-risk players they could snag later on. Keep an eye on Ohio State's Jeff Heuerman, a sleeper who might have been graded as first-round quality if he played on a team that used him more often.
2. Defensive Line
After DeMarcus Ware, Terrance Knighton and Marvin Austin...there isn't a whole lot else. The Broncos need to add some youth and depth to their defensive line, and they'd be smart to make it happen before Ware starts to decline.
This is an incredibly stacked draft when it comes to defensive linemen, so the Broncos have plenty of options available. Since the Broncos will likely miss out on the biggest names in the draft (we project three DE/DT prospects - USC's Leonard Williams, Nebraska's Randy Gregory and Mizzou's Shane Ray - to go in the top 5), they should look at Texas DT Malcom Brown instead.
1. Linebacker
The Broncos need to get Von Miller more help, and they need to do it quickly. Denver's front seven was badly exposed in pass protection by Andrew Luck and the Colts, and they should take a hard look at Miami's Denzel Perryman and UCLA's Eric Kendricks as early-round selections.
If the Broncos want to take a linebacker a bit later on, Oklahoma's Eric Striker is an underrated prospect who could be available as late as the fourth round. Striker played in a 3-4 defense at Oklahoma, and the Broncos could either convert him to a 4-3 OLB (some scouts think this is where he'd be best) or keep him in a 3-4 if they hire Wade Phillips as DC - Phillips traditionally favors that scheme.
Back to the Denver Broncos Newsfeed