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Denver Broncos preview (No. 8): Preserving Peyton Manning will be key
Our 2015 NFL preview series ranks every team, from worst to first. Today: the No. 8 Broncos.
2014 record: 12-4 (lost in divisional round to Colts)
Head coach: Gary Kubiak (first year)
Key arrivals: *Ty Sambrailo (guard), Darian Stewart (safety), Shelley Smith (guard), Antonio Smith (defensive end), James Casey (tight end), *Shane Ray (outside linebacker), Owen Daniels (tight end), Ryan Harris (offensive tackle), Vance Walker (defensive tackle)
(*denotes rookie)
Key departures: Julius Thomas (tight end), Terrance Knighton (defensive tackle), Rahim Moore (safety), Orlando Franklin (offensive tackle), Nate Irving (linebacker), Will Montgomery (center), Jacob Tamme (tight end), Mitch Unrein (defensive tackle)
2015 schedule (ET)
Sept. 13: Baltimore, 4:25 p.m.
Sept. 17: at Kansas City, 8:25 p.m.
Sept. 27: at Detroit, 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 4: Minnesota, 4:25 p.m.
Oct. 11: at Oakland, 4:25 p.m.
Oct. 18: at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
Oct. 25: BYE
Nov. 1: Green Bay, 8:30 p.m.
Nov. 8: at Indianapolis, 4:25 p.m.
Nov. 22: at Chicago, 1 p.m.
Nov. 29: New England, 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 6: at San Diego, 4:05 p.m.
Dec. 13: Oakland, 4:05 p.m.
Dec. 20: at Pittsburgh, 4:25 p.m.
Dec. 28: Cincinnati, 8:30 p.m.
Jan. 3: San Diego, 4:25 p.m.
TRAINING CAMP QUESTION: Is rookie left tackle Ty Sambrailo ready for the big time?
The Broncos hope so with starter Ryan Clady out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in an offseason practice. Sambralio, a second-round pick from Colorado State, was quickly inserted in Clady's place following the injury and handled himself well in non-contact practice. An offensive line already being overhauled in Gary Kubiak's first season as head coach will receive a boost if Sambrailo can provide stability in shielding quarterback Peyton Manning's blind side.
IF EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT
Manning will continue to prove why he's one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game and will effectively run Kubiak's balanced offense to perfection. Conversely, the defense will prove to be challenging with Von Miller, Demarcus Ware and Shane Ray creating pressure off the edge. If it all goes right, Denver will win its fifth straight AFC West title and contend to play in Super Bowl 50.
Manning will show signs of the injuries that hampered him during the second half of last season. He threw three touchdown passes and six interceptions in the Broncos' last four games. What makes things worse is Manning will be without one of his most reliable red zone targets in tight end Julius Thomas, who left for Jacksonville in free agency. After taking a $4 million pay cut, Manning might be entering his final season. In an ever-changing league, will another AFC West contender finally topple the Broncos?
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Wide receiver Cody Latimer
Latimer struggled to get snaps last season as a rookie backup in Denver's deep wide receiver corps. Those days are over. He has impressed coaches enough to earn playing time with the Broncos opting not to re-sign veteran Wes Welker.
CIRCLE THE DATE GAME: vs. New England in Week 12 (8:30 p.m. ET/Nov. 29)
Health permitting, this will be the 17th time Manning and Tom Brady have faced each other. It also could be the last given that Manning is 39 and possibly playing in his final NFL season.
ALEX MARVEZ'S PREDICTION: 10-6, second place
Is Manning's window of opportunity to win a second Super Bowl ring still open, or did it close shut with last year's playoff loss to Indianapolis? The Broncos are banking on the former, although the front office realizes Manning needs better support from the running game. This is one of the factors that led Broncos executive John Elway to fire head coach John Fox and replace him with Kubiak, whose offensive system has produced strong ground attacks wherever he has coached.
Even with the free-agent loss of Thomas, the Broncos still have a wealth of receiving talent. Kubiak, though, must hope that an offensive line that looks shaky on paper -- especially after the season-ending injury suffered Clady during a June practice -- is better collectively than the sum of its parts. The defense is primed for a big season under incoming defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, whose previous units didn't need much time before grasping his 3-4 concepts.
But let's not kid ourselves: The 2015 Broncos will go as far as Manning can take them.
