John Elway, Your First Pick Please

A new era is starting in Denver, John Elway is back, John Fox is the new head coach, and Tim Tebow comes into the year having ended 2010 as the starter. Problem is for all three of them, is the Broncos are coming off of a 4-12 year, John Fox just left the worst team in the league, and it would appear the other three teams in their division are on the upward swing, while they are falling backwards after starting 2009 6-0. Yeah that means they have gone 6-20 since. So that leads into them having that second pick in the draft. Now assuming that Marcell Dareus is taken number one by the Carolina Panthers, where will the Broncos lean? Well what do they need?

If there is one thing that is clear they are not going after a quarterback, even with John Elway making his first choice here. They just drafted Tebow, Kyle Orton had a solid year last year with over 3,600 yards with 20 touchdowns, and Brady Quinn is still just entering his fifth year and still might have a chance to live up to the hype. The offense seems rather set as a whole when you look at it, Brandon Lloyd exploded onto the scene last year and led the NFL in receiving yards. Eddie Royal has shown flashes, Jabar Gaffney is a solid number three, and they just recently drafted Demaryius Thomas, who they hope to be a star in the making. Add that to Knowshon Moreno in the backfield, Daniel Graham at tight end, and anchors at the tackles in Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris and the Broncos are set enough on that side of the ball to look elsewhere with this pick.

This also lends itself to the idea of Ron Rivera coming into Carolina and establishing a defense with his first pick, as can Fox who began it all as a defensive coordinator on the New York Giants. So why not build up what you know? The defense is unfortunately a mix of old and new for the Broncos, so where do you turn? Do you look at the young talent and try to evaluate it now and maybe "give up" so to speak on them and try to fix previous mistakes, or do you look at the aging veterans and try to begin your reload? Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins are getting older, but at this point, with this pick in this draft, you might not want to spend a pick where there is still a player that can man the position. Your secondary is not great, but not terrible, you have some young guys at the corners, guys like Patrick Cox have the potential to learn and grow with someone like Bailey leading them.

So you begin to look at your linebackers and defensive line. These both have their ups and downs, because the linebackers have two young studs in the making that can really grow still and are guys that you are confident playing with. Then you look at a guy like Kevin Vickerson on the edge of the line, he did not have a great year, but it was the most he has played, and the most impact he has had as a professional. Maybe a spot where you can hold off, and let him try to grow into the position still. Especially since you will be getting back an elite player in Elvis Dumervil.

For the Broncos, trying to establish that defensive edge with Fox, it should come down to two players, Nick Fairley for that defensive tackle spot, or Von Miller as an outside linebacker. Given their depth at linebacker, and having Dumervil returning this year, the pick for the Broncos at this point has got to be Fairley. He was a man in the toughest football conference, and was able to continuously beat double teams, and get to the ball. He will be an immediate impact, and it will strengthen them up the middle. They have pieces on offense, at this point in the draft, with a new era beginning, using this as a starting point is a big deal for the Broncos.

Predictions as of today for this pick:

Me: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
Mel Kiper: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
Todd McShay: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
NewNFLDraft.com: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU