Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos entered this past weekend's NFL Draft as a team not in need of tons of help. They went 13-3 last year, won the AFC West, and lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. Still, head coach Mike Shanahan and GM Ted Sundquist certainly believed the Broncos could do better next year, and years down the line.

In the first round of the draft, Denver traded away the 15th and 68th pick to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the No. 11 pick. With that selection, the Broncos took former Vanderbilt star quarterback Jay Cutler. Nobody has been more hyped up since the end of the college football season than Cutler, who wowed scouts and NFL organizations with his intangibles, mobility and arm strength.

After Cutler fell out of the first 10 picks, the Broncos' brain trust saw their opportunity to get a true franchise quarterback for the future. Denver's incumbent Pro Bowl quarterback, 31-year-old Jake Plummer, can't be happy with the pick, but he knows the NFL's a cutthroat business, and he'll likely see this as a chance to prove his worth to the Broncos all over again.

Although the Broncos believe they've shored up their future quarterback position, it won't help them next season. Denver is expected to fight for the Super Bowl in 2006, but since they failed to draft for immediate help in the first round, they'll probably regress somewhat. Western Division rivals the Oakland Raiders , Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers all improved significantly in the draft, so don't expect Denver to go 13-3 again. Still, one season of relapse will be worth it if Cutler ends up as Denver's best quarterback since two-time Super Bowl winner John Elway, arguably the greatest ever at his position.

With the first round over and done with, the Denver Broncos made their next notable move of the draft, trading the 37th overall pick to the Green Bay Packers for disgruntled, yet excellent receiver Javon Walker.

After fighting with the Packers since last summer over his contract, Walker finally was granted his wish to leave the state of Wisconsin. He now enters Denver, where he's expected to return to his form of 2004, when he caught 89 passes for 1,312 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler that year, but he tore his ACL in Week One last year, missing the entire season from there.

Subsequent to the Walker acquisition, the Broncos agreed to a six-year contract with the former Florida State standout, which will certainly enliven his broken spirit. He'll be expected to start opposite veteran star Rod Smith next year, giving Denver one of the elite receiving tandems in the league. Throw in Ashley Lelie and Darius Watts, and the Broncos might potentially have the most talented quartet of wideouts in football.

"Cutler to Walker for six." That may be the slogan Broncos fans hear for a very long time. Oh, how sweet it could be for their loyal fans, who have yearned for the next Elway. The Broncos may have found him, and they may have found their next Rod Smith as well. What a weekend in "The Big Apple" for the Denver brass and their fans.

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It's been a relatively quiet offseason for the Denver Broncos, who haven't done much except cut three key veterans; running back Mike Anderson, tight end Jeb Putzier and defensive lineman Trevor Pryce. The trio were key members of the Broncos' roster for a number of years, but during March's CBA panic, they became cap casualties.

After their period of somnolence, it appears the Broncos are in prime position for some major offensive upgrades. They have been in the hunt for receivers since March, but haven't actually signed any. They tangoed with perennial-problem Terrell Owens, but elected to bow out of a possible deal with No. 81, letting him sign with the Dallas Cowboys. With his attitude problems, that may be for the best. However, now the Broncos are flirting with disgruntled Green Bay Packers wideout Javon Walker, who is on the outs in Wisconsin because he's been critical of his contract, the Packers' management, as well as Green Bay's omnipotent quarterback, Brett Favre.

It's a known fact at this point that the Denver Broncos are among four teams fighting for Walker's services, along with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots. Out of this quartet of teams, the Broncos may have the inside track because they're so well off in the draft pick department. The Broncos hold a whopping eight picks in the first four rounds this weekend, including two second-rounders, two third-rounders and three fourths.

Because of Walker's behavioral tribulations, the Packers don't have much leverage in getting a Day One pick for him, which puts Denver in terrific rank to acquire the 26-year-old, who missed nearly all of last season with a torn ACL. If the Broncos offered the Packers two of their three fourth-rounders, Green Bay GM Ted Thompson would surely pull the trigger on a deal. It's just a matter of whether or not Broncos GM Ted Sundquist and head coach Mike Shanahan decide to make the offer. If they do, they'd have at least two very good receivers for next year, with veteran star Rod Smith being the other. Much like Walker in Green Bay, Broncos speedster Ashley Lelie is on the block, and could be traded some time soon, likely for a mid-round pick. Perhaps the Packers and Broncos could make a Walker-Lelie deal happen, but that isn't too probable.

In the event that the Broncos do add Walker before this weekend's draft, they can shift their focus away from the receiver position in Round One, and turn their attention to the running back position. Denver has the No. 15 overall pick on Saturday, so they'll be in peak position to select DeAngelo Williams, formerly of Memphis. The Broncos already have the 5-11, faster than lighting third-year man Tatum Bell, but Shanahan likes to employ two back sets, as he did when Anderson was with the team. Williams is by no means a bruising back like Anderson, but he'd be splendid in Denver's system, which seems to magically produce 1,000 yard backs year in and year out.

During his career at Memphis, Williams emerged as one of the preeminent backs in the country. Williams stands only 5-9, but he makes up for it with his great running skills, the ability to block and be a receiver from the backfield. He's scarily similar to the 5-11 Bell, who is actually one pound lighter than the 214 pound Williams. If USC star Reggie Bush wasn't in the upcoming draft, it would be Williams hogging most of the spotlight at the running back position. Whether or not Denver wants two nearly identical backs is up to them, but they have veteran Ron Dayne for goal-line and short yardage situations, which makes Williams a legitimate choice. Having two speed demons and the meaty Dayne would give opposing defenses fits next season.

Denver will certainly be one of the teams to watch this weekend, and they should take advantage of their opportunity to upgrade an already potent offense that finished last season ranked fourth in total yardage and seventh in points scored. By adding both Walker and Williams, the Broncos could find themselves among the favorites for the No. 1 offensive attack of 2006.

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Denver moves up the chart acquiring the 15th overall pick in this years NFL Draft. Check out the full press release.

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The Denver Broncos re-signed defensive end Gerard Warren, running back Ron Dayne and long snapper Mike Leach on Saturday.

Warren signed for six years, Dayne for three and Leach for four.

Warren joined the Broncos last season and had 44 tackles, three sacks and three pass breakups. He helped Denver rank second in run defence at 85 yards a game, the third-best mark in franchise history.

"Gerard joined our team in 2005 and made an immediate impact on the defensive front," general manager Ted Sundquist said. "Players of his ability are very difficult to come by, and ensuring that Gerard remained a Bronco was one of our top off-season priorities."

Warren played his first four seasons in Cleveland, which selected him with the third overall pick in 2001 out of Florida. He has played 76 career regular-season games (75 starts) and totaled 289 tackles (187 solo), 19 1/2 sacks (125 yards), 13 pass breakups, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.

A third-stringer last year, Dayne will get a shot at the lead running back role with the recent departure of Mike Anderson, a salary-cap casualty.

"Ron showed us in 2005 that he certainly has the skills to be a productive part of the Broncos' rushing attack," Sundquist said. "His contributions should only be greater in 2006, and we feel he has finally found a place where he can showcase his talent."

Dayne, who won the 1999 Heisman Trophy when he set the career college rushing record at Wisconsin, is entering his seventh NFL season. He spent his first five years with the Giants but after a rookie season in which he rushed for 770 yards and five scores for a team that advanced to the Super Bowl, he never lived up to his college credentials.

Dayne played in 10 games for Denver last season and averaged 5.1 yards on 53 carries with one touchdown. Although his carries were limited while backing up Anderson and Tatum Bell, he played a significant role in two crucial victories.

Leach, a part-time tight end who joined the Broncos as a free agent in 2002, has handled Denver's long-snapping duties in every game for the last three seasons and served as the team's long snapper for the final eight games in 2002 after signing as a free agent.

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The Denver Broncos signed general manager Ted Sundquist to a contract extension through the 2008 season, the team announced on Wednesday.

The deal also includes a club option for 2009.

Sundquist, who works alongside Broncos coach Mike Shanahan when it comes to making personnel moves, is entering his fifth season as the club's GM. He also is entering his 15th season with the organization.

"I've been a Bronco for almost 15 years and I'm tremendously excited with the opportunity to help the Broncos reach the ultimate goal - winning another Super Bowl," Sundquist said. "With a strong organization and a talented team, I think we have a chance to do something special."

Since being named general manager on January 28, 2002, Sundquist has helped Denver post the NFL's fifth-best regular-season record at 42-22. The Broncos are one of only four teams that have reached the playoffs the last three seasons.

"I'm very pleased that we came to this agreement with Ted," Shanahan said. "He's been, and will continue to be, a big asset to the organization. We're fortunate to have him on board."

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