Ronald Leary Jersey , itr17;s now time to start looking ahead. I thought my first post-Lombardi Horse Tracks would serve as a great time to take a look at the current state of the Broncos and where they need to improve if they want to compete for titles in the Fangio era.QuarterbackThis oner17;s obvious. If you were to enter r0;Quarterbacks Mile High Reportr1; into the olr17; Google, your17;d get posts from as far back as October this year. On the first page. Case Keenum is the odds on favorite to start the opener in 2019, but all reports suggest Elway and the Broncos brass are going to aggressively pursue Drew Lock of Missouri. Denver Broncos: John Elway calls Case Keenum a r0;short-term fixr1; at QB - Mile High ReportIr17;m on the record as dubious of Lock, in part because I think he needs serious work to break some of his Cutler-esque tendencies. Everyone says theyr17;ll give a rookie time in February, but as soon as Keenum throws the first training camp pick, fans and the media pressure will mount to bench the journeyman for the shiny new toy.Denver Broncos canr17;t afford to play it safe at quarterback anymore - Mile High ReportHow can the Denver Broncos ensure they get their Quarterback? - Mile High ReportChances are, Denver will need to move up if they want to avoid the Jacksonville Jaguars or New York Giants grabbing Lock. Speculation about who theyr17;re talking to and what it will cost is going to drive a lot of news this spring.SafetyQB is the biggest need, but Ir17;d go so far as to say that an elite safety is right behind. Therer17;s a chance that the Broncos could develop one from the current crop on the roster. Vic Fangio turned Adrian Amos into one of the best in the game over his tenure with the Bears and itr17;s no secret that Justin Simmons has sky-high potential. There are flashes on his 2018 tape, perhaps a stronger scheme to play within will lead to better results going forward?Failing that, Denver still has Sur17;a Cravens (who Elway had a round 1 grade on in 2016) and Will Parks, who really surprised last season. If the coaching staff isnr17;t sold on any of the three, Amos lurks in free agency. Perhaps her17;d be keen on reuniting with the only defensive system her17;s played in during his professional career?CornerbackSuper Bowl 50 feels like a lifetime ago, but the last time the Broncos played for all the marbles, they were led by a defense famously known as r0;The No Fly Zone.r1; While the 2018 D was among the leaguer17;s elite, replacing Aqib Talib with Tramaine Brock led to something closer to Southwest Airlines at times. Bradley Robyr17;s promotion to CB2 was a bit of a mixed back, and her17;s no certainty to return. Brockr17;s own return is unlikely. Behind them is Isaac Yiadom and...?GIF Horse - The Most Valuable Denver Broncos 25-34 - Mile High ReportThe 2019 secondary will be led by Chris Harris Jr, who should be Canton-bound when all is said and done. But her17;ll need help. The Fangio defense has made hay without elite corner play in the past, but things will be easier if Elway and the Front Office can find another talented cover man to add to the mix.It wonr17;t be easy: the free agent class has one legitimate headliner: Ronald Darby. The bare market could mean players like Roby still haul in $10-12 million. That leaves the draft, but if it takes a first and additional 2018 Day 2 ammo to get a QB like Lock, pickings could be slim. Offensive LineThe final Broncos OL from left to right: Bolles-Wilkinson-McGovern-Turner-VeldheerGIF Horse - The Most Valuable Denver Broncos 16-24 - Mile High ReportEven if you discount the fact that both Ronald Leary and Matt Paradis could depart Domata Peko Jersey , the Broncos will need to make decisions about their r0;hogs.r1; Veldheer and Turner, like Paradis, are free agents. All three should receive some consideration from around the league. If none return Mike Munchak could have his work cut out for him: Wilkinsonr17;s ceiling is a versatile backup, McGovernr17;s probably a guard and Bolles needs a lot of work.Luckily, the free agent class and draft offer solutions. How Elway decides to address the front five could have drastic impact on the offensive production next year.Wide ReceiverDo you believe Emmanuel Sanders can return to peak health at 32 years old after tearing his Achilles late in the 2018 campaign? If he can, the 2019 receiving corps will look a lot like the 2018 version. Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton, and Tim Patrick should all return. All three could breakout with another offseason of experience and better play calling to aid them.If he canr17;t, the Broncos will need to find another set of hands. In free agency therer17;s a few options that intrigue, but a lot that come with serious questions. It seems unlikely from here that Denver spends another draft pick on a wide receiver, though the 2019 class has some exciting prospects. Defensive Front 7Seemingly the strength of the Broncos defense, there is plenty of room for improvement. Denverr17;s D finished 4th against the pass per Football Outsidersr17; DVOA metric, but league average vs the run and sub par against passes to the middle of the field. The Fangio system will hopefully lead to internal improvement for the returners, notably Bradley Chubb who should improve on the finer aspects of Edge play in his sophomore season. GIF Horse - The Most Valuable Denver Broncos 7-15 - Mile High ReportThere are a few questions: some wonder if Todd Davis and Josey Jewell have the range to serve as the middle men in the new defense. Brandon Marshall, Domata Peko, Zach Kerr, Shane Ray, and Shaq Barrett are likely to depart. Elway will need to find new depth, but fortunately the talent available in free agency and the draft should provide options.Running Backs The 2018 Broncos were an average offense, but actually finished among the five best rushing teams in football. Phillip Lindsay didnr17;t haul in the Offensive Rookie of the Year award Menelik Watson Jersey , but was voted to the Pro Bowl. He was a dynamic breakaway threat that had to be planned around every week and should serve as a foundational player going forward. Denver Broncos: Ranking Phillip Lindsayr17;s 10 best Rookie Runs - Mile High ReportBehind him Royce Freeman and Devontae Booker fill out the depth chart with complimentary skills. Freeman brings strong vision and deceptive mobility for 230 lb back. Most expected him to win the starting job out of camp last year and with a return to health he should give the Broncos a strong 1-2 punch. Booker was the pass catching third down back last year and had route running skills neither rookie had fully developed yet. The key word, of course is yet. Best case scenario one of the two youngsters shows signs of marked improvement in the passing game. Lindsay is such an explosive player with the ball in his hands that if he can force defenses to account for him in space the vertical game to Sutton would open up. Itr17;s likely Elway looks to add competition for Booker as well as eat some reps in training camp, but this group has a pretty strong chance to return in tact for 2019. All three remain on rookie contracts and produced with their opportunities last year.On to your Broncos linksFormer Denver Broncos disappoint in Super Bowl LIII - Mile High ReportPat Bowlen voted into Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019 - Mile High ReportPlayers react to Denver Broncos Hall of Fame announcements - Mile High ReportBroncos Steve Atwater denied Hall of Fame induction - Mile High ReportHall of fame exasperation and the Denver Broncos ownership situation. - Mile High ReportFMIA: Ego-less Patriots Figure It Out In Time Vs. Rams in r16;throwbackr17; Super Bowl r11; ProFootballTalk2019 NFL Mock Draft: Matt Millerr17;s Post-Super Bowl Predictions | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and HighlightsMarinor17;s 2019 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 - The Draft NetworkNFL Mock Draft 2019: Two-round projections - The San Diego Union-Tribune2019 NFL mock draft: Herer17;s 2 rounds after Super Bowl - SBNation.comFebruary 4 - Two Round Mock Draft | Draft AnalystSuper Bowl StoriesSuper Bowl Analysis: Highlights of Patriots-Rams | SI.comJared Goff fails to deliver in the biggest game of his career r11; ProFootballTalkTom Brady sets record for Super Bowl wins with sixth ring for PatriotsDuron Harmon wonr17;t visit White House after Patriotsr17; Super Bowl win | SI.comSuper Bowl 2019: MVP Julian Edelman shouldnr17;t have been playingThe Patriots Dynasty Just Wonr17;t Die | FiveThirtyEightRob Gronkowski could r0;barely walkr1; (en route to party) r11; ProFootballTalkIn a league led by offense, Super Bowl LIII was a victory for the old school | Touchdown WireAnatomy of a Play: The Brandin Cooks touchdown that wasnr17;t | Touchdown WireThe New England Secondary: Exploit the Hesitation - Inside The PylonSuper Bowl 53: Whatr17;s next for Rams? | NFL | Sporting NewsSuper Bowl: Congrats to the Pats but that was dreadfulPatriots never practiced offensive package that led to winning TD r11; ProFootballTalkThe Rams Really Made A Mess Of Things | FiveThirtyEightSean McVay says he was r16;outcoachedr17; in Rams Super Bowl loss | SI.comSuper Bowl 53 halftime show was far from perfect, but it was perfect for this game | NFL | Sporting NewsThe Artless Spectacle of Maroon 5 at the Super Bowl | The New YorkerSuper Bowl music review: An empty-calorie display of corporate-pop competence from Maroon 5 - Chicago TribuneSuper Bowl 2019: Gladys Knight causes prop bet controversy with anthemSuper Bowl 2019 halftime show review: Maroon 5 was fine and forgettable - VoxSuper Bowl 2019: cannabis ad gets rejected by CBS - VoxOther NFL NewsNew Orleans Times-Picayune publishes r16;What Super Bowl?r17; front page | SI.comChiefs fans are livid after Tony Gonzalez says Falcons r16;made my careerr17;Breaking: Kansas City fans are still babies.Rising ESPN star Adnan Virk fired, escorted out in leak investigation After taking a look at the Denver Broncos regular season schedule, herer17;s how they could make the playoffs."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Broncos NewsBroncos 2019 Draft ClassBroncos PodcastsBroncos 2019 ScheduleKey Offseason DatesCommunity RulesFull ArchiveBroncos StoriesScheduleRosterStatsOdds Shop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub d5;Denver Broncos SchedulePredicting the Broncos wins and losses in 2019New,79commentsAfter taking a look at the Denver Broncos regular season schedule, herer17;s how they could make the playoffs. Predicting the Broncos wins and losses in 2019We finally have the Denver Broncos 2019 regular season schedule and can begin tallying up the wins and losses. The schedule itself has some tough stretches, but overall it looks fairly manageable. It helps that the winnable games are mostly at home this year as opposed to those winnable games being mostly on the road in 2018.Here is how I got the Denver Broncos to a 10-win season in 2019. That should be enough to get them into the playoff mix in most years. Week 1: Broncos @ Raiders (MNF)WIN. 1-0. Starting off strong is the key for the Broncos this year. The Raiders made a lot of moves to get better, but so did Denver. They need to go into Oakland and make a statement right out of the gates.Week 2: Bears @ BroncosWIN. 2-0. Vic Fangio isnr17;t going to lose to his old team. That just isnr17;t going to happen. Plus, I feel like the Bears are likely to regress a bit from their outstanding 2018 season. Week 3: Broncos @ PackersLOSS. 2-1. Itr17;s September in Green Bay, which means Aaron Rodgers is still likely 100% healthy and as deadly as ever as a quarterback. This early setback is minor and the team can quickly move beyond it.Week 4: Jaguars @ BroncosWIN. 3-1. Nick Foles is September Nick Foles. The Broncos defense makes him wish he was wherever Blake Bortles is now residing. Denver gets their winning ways back on track. Week 5: Broncos @ ChargersLOSS. 3-2. Despite an home team presence in whatever rec center the Chargers are playing in this year, the Broncos come up short against a tough AFC West opponents. Week 6: Titans @ BroncosWIN. 4-2. Staying above .500 is vital in the AFC, so a win over the Titans would go a long way to help keep the Broncos ship steadily marching towards playoff contention. It helps that the Titans suck.Week 7: Chiefs @ Broncos (TNF)WIN. 5-2. In the most important game of the year, the Broncos prevail. Instead of a Case Keenum whiffing to a wide open Demaryius Thomas for the win, Joe Flacco drops it into the bucket for Emmanuel Sanders to right the wrong that happened the year prior. This is a statement win. If the Broncos donr17;t win this game, Ir17;m not sure theyr17;ll have the team confidence to fight through to the end. It could be the difference between 10-6/11-5 and 7-9/8-8. Go get that monkey off your back!Week8: Broncos @ ColtsLOSS. 5-3. After a hugely emotional win (or loss for that matter), the Broncos head into Indianapolis for a classic let down game. Itr17;s okay Todd Davis Jersey , though, as they are in good position at 5-3.Week 9: Browns @ BroncosWIN. 6-3. Donr17;t buy the hype. The Browns are much improved, but the predictions of Super Bowl glory are a bit ridiculous. Baker Mayfield is in his sophomore season and will likely have his ups and downs as a young quarterback in the NFL. Week 9 will be one of the down weeks.Week 10: BYEI think I like a Week 10 bye week. Itr17;s a pretty good spot for some rest.Week 11: Broncos @ VikingsLOSS. 6-4. Coming out of the bye, the Broncos will have their toughest stretch all season long. Four of their next five games are on the road, with all starting at 11:00 AM MT. That doesnr17;t bode well for the Broncos, but if they can win two of these games they will be in position to make something happen. Week 12: Broncos @ BillsWIN. 7-4. Josh Allen does Josh Allen things through the air and is bottled up on the ground. Road wins are never easy, especially this late in the season.Week 13: Chargers @ BroncosWIN. 8-4. Revenge on Philip Rivers and the Chargers. The win helps the Broncos get some breathing room with four games to go. Two of those games are against strong AFC contenders on the road. Beating the Chargers at home is absolutely vital. Week 14: Broncos @ TexansLOSS. 8-5. No revenge for last season here. The Texans have talent all over the field and should be in playoff form this late in the season. If they are, then they should be able to handle the upstart Broncos. Week 15: Broncos @ ChiefsLOSS. 8-6. Itr17;s Arrowhead Stadium in December. I donr17;t care who the quarterback is, the Broncos almost never win in Arrowhead in December going back 50 years. Mark it down.Week 16: Lions @ BroncosWIN. 9-6. I would expect the Lions to be in full implosion mode at this point in the season and on the verge of another head coach firing. If thatr17;s the case, there is no way the Broncos lose this game with the playoffs in sight. Week 17: Raiders @ BroncosWIN. 10-6. Reports begin to surface immediately after the game that Mike Mayock is falling on a sword. It would appear to be sword held by Jon Gruden after another 4-12 season for the $100 million head coach.What is your game-by-game win prediction for the Broncos in 2019? Something Something Broncos is now on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Acast, Stitcher, TuneIn and anywhere else you get your podcasts. 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