A world championship has a lot of perks; a free pass is not one of them.
The moment Gary Kubiak blew the first whistle of training camp, the Denver Broncos Super Bowl title was no more than the latest page in the NFL’s history book. If you want to maintain respect in the NFL, you have to continue earning it. That goes for the franchise, and that goes for the individual players on the 53-man roster.
Fans are quick to forget and eager to achieve.
For the first time in nearly two decades, the Broncos will be defending a title, and many of the Broncos, old and new, will be looking to cement their legacy.
Here are five Broncos with the most to prove in the upcoming season.
5. Russell Okung / Sylvester Williams (Tie)
If for no other reason than monetary, these two guys have to step to the plate in 2016.
Okung, who decided to represent himself this offseason, essentially earned himself a one-year, $5.2 million contract for 2016, with a four-year, $47.8 million team option following the season.
While unconventional, a standout campaign would make it all worth it. But if Okung has a down year — he is injury prone — he could be back out on the market next offseason.
As for Williams, with the Broncos declining his fifth-year option, this has become a prove-it season for the Broncos’ big defensive tackle. If he continues to build on his breakout 2015 campaign, Sly could be in line for a huge contract in 2017, whether it’s from the Broncos or someone else. If not, though, if he regresses to the level of play we saw through his first few seasons in the NFL, Sly could find himself making a lot less than the $6.75 million he would have earned under that fifth-year option.
4. Derek Wolfe
While Malik Jackson was the big name on the Broncos defensive line last season, earning himself $42 million guaranteed in Jacksonville, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that Wolfe was the best lineman on the Broncos roster, especially during the second half of the year.
After serving a four-game suspension to start the season, Wolfe didn’t record a sack in his first five games. From that point on, though, he recorded at least half a sack in nine of his final 10 games, including the playoffs.
Wolfe was a beast, and he earned himself a nice contract, too, but he still needs to prove that he can dominate without Jackson playing opposite him. More than that, he needs to prove that he’s the better player.
While it wasn’t necessarily an either-or decision, John Elway ended up signing Wolfe and not Jackson. If Jackson goes on to be an All-Pro in Jacksonville while Wolfe takes a step back, it’ll be seen as a massive miscalculation on the Broncos’ part.
3. Aqib Talib
If this wasn’t a rule already, I’m making it one now: Any time you shoot yourself in the leg, you have a lot of proving to do, on and off the field.
Now, I love Talib, and I think he’s a great cornerback. But he’s a loose cannon. Most of the time, that’s actually a good thing, but one wrong shot (all pun intended) and he’s sitting on the sidelines indefinitely.
And with a guy like Bradley Roby waiting in the wings, the Broncos won’t hesitate to move on from Talib if the antics outweigh the performance.
If Talib regresses this season and his off-field adventures don’t remain squeaky clean, he could be putting his career in serious jeopardy. NFL franchises can only take so much.
C.J. Anderson
C.J. earned himself a big payday this offseason, and it was well deserved. In key moments of last year’s Super Bowl run, it was Anderson carrying the Broncos offense to victory.
That said, it hasn’t been good enough. For C.J., he needs to prove that he’s not just a half-year wonder; he needs to show Broncos Country that he can deliver at an All-Pro level for 16 games, not eight.
In each of the last two years, Anderson has been lights out during the second half of the season. Through the first eight games, though, he’s been average at best. In 2014, the issue was simply that he’d yet to be given the chance to show his talent. But in 2015, it was entirely on him. He came into the season out of shape and in need of a serious attitude adjustment (which he will admit), and it cost him; he lost his starting job to Ronnie Hillman and didn’t earn it back until the morning of Super Bowl 50.
With the quarterback position up in the air, it’s going to fall upon his shoulders to carry this offense for 16 games. If he’s not up for the task, you can count out any hopes of repeating as Super Bowl champs.
1. Mark Sanchez
When you’re the quarterback of the reigning Super Bowl champions, there’s pressure. A lot of it. And Mark Sanchez knows it. Unfortunately for him, that’s just the icing on the cake.
The quarterback formerly known as The Sanchize is on his last life, and if he doesn’t make the most of it, he can kiss his dreams of being a starting quarterback goodbye.
Luckily, he’s in the perfect situation to capitalize.
Six years ago, Sanchez rode an elite New York Jets defense and running game to the AFC Championship in consecutive seasons. This year, he has the opportunity to do the same with the Denver Broncos. Only time will tell if he’ll reach similar heights.
But the simple truth is that if Sanchez can’t win with the Broncos’ historic defense and dynamic arsenal of offensive firepower, he’s not winning anywhere. And with Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian hot on his tail, he’s not going to be afforded many mistakes.
