The smell of football is in the air. Training camps are just around the corner and each team has its own set of intriguing players to watch. Today we look at the defending champion Denver Broncos. Who are some of the players you are interested in watching? In this article I will give you the top 5 that I think are worth watching during camp.
Russell Okung
The Broncos signed Okung to 5 year, $53 million dollar contract. They are hoping that Okung can return to his dominant form. Okung has had a couple of down years which led to him not being re-signed by the Seattle Seahawks. If Okung can return to form the Broncos may have rectified an issue that plagued them during last years run, pass blocking. Keep your eye on Okung and the rest of the offensive line to see how well they gel during camp.
Von Miller
Why do I put Von Miller on this list? I want to see if he is gong to stay true to form of if he is going to get Albert Haynesworth disease. If Miller stays true the Broncos should continue to have a top 5 defense in the NFL. If he contracts Haynesworth Disease, then the Broncos could struggle and find themselves oon the outside looking in come playoff time. This will be interesting to watch throughout the season.
Devontae Booker
Yes the Broncos matched an offer from the Miami Dolphins to keep incumbent RB C.J. Anderson. They also kept last years leading rusher Ronnie Hillman. However, Booker is an interesting watch. He is a big, shifty back that will be certain to challenge both Anderson and Hillman for carries in the backfield. If either of them should struggle, which Anderson does early and often, then Booker could see plenty of playing time. This will be well worth your viewing time during camp and beyond.
Trevor Siemian
Siemian is currently listed as number 2 on the depth chart. However, he is the only QB on the roster with experience in the offensive system. Siemian is a 7th round pick in 2015 out of Northwestern. He was very impressive in preseason games last year. He has a very strong-arm, is mobile and very smart with the football. This plays well with Head Coach Gary Kubiak. Siemian is in a serious competition with Mark Sanchez. One that Trevor could very well win. Watch how well this kid performs and decide for yourself.
Mark Sanchez
Sanchez was acquired by the Broncos in a trade with the Philadelpia Eagles. However, he was not promised anything when he was brought in. He will have to compete with the afore-mentioned Trevor Siemian and roookie QB Paxton Lynch. Has Sanchez cured his turnover habits? He has a tendency to throw untimely interceptions and fumbles a lot. If he has cured these bad habits he will probably come out on top of the heated battle with Trevor Siemian. This will be very interesting to watch during camp. One of the biggest storylines in the NFL.
The Denver Broncos are in a tough position to try to repeat. They lost 8 starters from last years championship team. Do they have or have they found the most valuable replacement for each? Can the players mentioned above skyrocket and continue to take the Broncos to the levels that this franchise expects every year? Keep your eye on training camp and see what happens.
Featured image courtesy of Getty Images.