The Denver Broncos came into the draft after losing a number of big free agents and they have added names like Shane Ray, Jeff Heuerman, Trevor Siemian, Ty Sambrailo, Max Garcia and Lorenzo Doss and those names are strong additions to the roster for Peyton Manning as he tries to take the team back to the Super Bowl with wideout Demaryius Thomas.
The Broncos took a risk with their first round draft pick, trading up to get Shane Ray from Missouri. Ray is considered to be a top talent, but he dealt with some off the field issues and that is why he slipped. According to Pro Football Talk, the Broncos felt the value was there for Ray, as many predicted that he could be a top 10 pick before being hit with a marijuana issue. Ray was taken at 23 and he could be a key pass rusher for the Broncos defense.
The team traded the Lions the 28th pick in the draft, as well as a pick from the fifth round in 2015, a fifth round pick from 2016 and offensive lineman Manny Ramirez, according to Pro Football Talk. The team lost Orlando Franklin, Rahim Moore, Julius Thomas and Terrance Knighton in free agency and the draft gave the team the chance to add some depth at those positions. Ray adds a strong pass rusher, while Heuerman can help take over for Julius Thomas with Owen Daniels.
Gary Kubiak brought in Daniels on a free agent deal to help make up for Thomas, but he has dealt with injury issues the past few seasons. Heuerman played four years at Ohio State, including 14 games in each of the past two seasons. Heuerman didn't have off the chart numbers, but over the past two years he had over 600 yards receiving and he comes in after making 52 catches for 792 yards and seven touchdowns at OSU.
The draft saw a number of big moves for the Broncos, as they lost a number of key players to free agency and had to replenish the roster with depth. The offensive line was a major issue last season and that is why the team went heavy on that ion the first four rounds, drafting two lineman. The team added Sambrailo in the second round from Colorado State, while Max Garcia comes in out of Florida and they could end up as starters for the team.
Thomas was hit with the franchise tag this offseason and so far the two sides have not been able to come to an agreement about how to move forward. The team has until mid-July to strike a deal with Thomas and if that doesn't happen he could sign the one year tender or could hold out for training camp. Thomas is expected to be back with the Broncos next year on a long term deal or a one year contract and reports have him waiting for Dez Bryant to sign before agreeing to a deal.
Siemian could be a long term option for Kubiak behind Manning, as he put up some great numbers in college. Siemian ended up with 5931 yards in his career along with 27 touchdown passes and he also has a career rating of 116 and should be a solid backup option for Manning this season.
