ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- In just under a week the Denver Broncos will open their offseason program and get their first look at a roster that is still under construction. After some need-specific moves in free agency to make some additions at quarterback, offensive line and in the defensive line, the Broncos will have a group at their suburban Denver complex that coach Gary Kubiak has called “a good team, a really good team.''
But as the draft approaches and with the possibility of another veteran player or two to be added, this is the first of a one-a-day look at where things stand at some of the positions that carried the biggest question marks when the offseason opened.
Today: Offensive line.
Thursday: Defensive line.
Who's in: The Broncos used a significant amount of their free-agency budget early on to bolster the position Kubiak had called a “major need for us.'' Donald Stephenson and Russell Okung were signed in March and both immediately were in the discussion about the team's starting lineup.
Center Matt Paradis, guard Max Garcia and tackle Ty Sambrailo, who all started games last season, are back in the mix as well. The Broncos also signed three linemen who were on the team's practice squad to close out the 2015 season as “futures'' players: tackles Cameron Jefferson and Kyle Roberts as well as center Dillon Day.
Guard Robert Myers Jr. and center James Ferentz were on the 53-player roster last season and have returned as well.
Cap matters: Okung will count $5.2 million against the salary cap this year on what is essentially a one-year deal with a four-year option the Broncos can engage if they like what they see in the coming season. Okung is still working his way back from shoulder surgery.
Stephenson signed a three-year, $14 million deal -- he has $6 million in guaranteed money this season and his $4 million base salary in 2017 becomes guaranteed on the fifth day of the new league year next March. But Stephenson will count $4 million against the salary cap this season.
No other offensive lineman currently on the Broncos' roster is scheduled to count more than $900,000 against the cap in 2016. Sambrailo, at $874,081 for '16, is the closest.
Who starts: There are still questions to answer and the Broncos are expected to take a long look in the draft at the available guards especially.
But when Okung is cleared medically he is expected to be the starting left tackle. Kubiak said in recent weeks he had no doubt Okung would be ready for training camp, but that the team might monitor the veteran's workload in the organized team activities and minicamp "just to be smart about how we go about things there.'' Stephenson is in line to start at right tackle with Paradis, the only player on either offense or defense who played every snap last season for the Broncos, at center.
The Broncos are also expected to move Sambrailo, who started the first three games of the 2015 season at left tackle before he suffered what turned out to be a season-ending shoulder injury, inside to left guard with Garcia in line to get the first look at right guard.
The draft could change the look of things, and with Okung not expected to be a full participant in some, or all, of the team's on-field work in the offseason program, Sambrailo could get some early work at left tackle along the way.
What's left to do: Both Kubiak and executive vice president of football operations/general manager John Elway have led off almost every discussion about the team's offseason work with their desire to improve the offensive line.
So, while the expenditures to reel in Okung and Stephenson were certainly part of that plan, there is little question the team, with 10 draft picks in hand already, will give some heavy consideration to the position during the draft weekend.
Especially swing players who can fit at guard and center or guards who could fill in at tackle if needed.
