The Denver Broncos are coming into the 2013 season with high expectations after Peyton Manning led the team to a 13-3 record last season and an AFC West title and this year if they do it again, it won't be due to a foundation of players from the 2009 draft, as only three drafted players remain on the team.
According to ESPN.com, the 2009 draft was not a very successful one for the Broncos, as they only have five players total from that class and since they are now in their fifth seasons, this should be a core group of starters. Instead the team just has Knowshon Moreno, Robert Ayers, David Bruton as well as free agent signings from the draft in running back Lance Ball and punter Britton Colquitt.
The team is already hurt after losing Elvis Dumervil and now Ayers must step up to the plate this season. Moreno has been mostly a bust and the team likes rookie Montee Ball over him and the team relies much more on the 2010 draft, including players like Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. The team loves what is has in Bruton after signing him to a three-year, $5.5 million deal and they also like Colquitt, who was signed to a three-year extension worth $11.7 million and while the draft did not produce much, it set them up for the next season.
Zane Beadles and center J.D. Walton were taken in 2010 and the Broncos will have to decide what to do on Beadles, as he is coming to the end of his deal.
"Kind of surreal right now, hard to believe,'' Colquitt said. " ... I'm humbled and grateful ... I've already had a few of my friends and people text me 'my son's going to be a punter, I'm sending him to you when he's 15' or whatever. I always tell people special teams is the way to go.''
