June 3, 2008

Mission accomplished: The Broncos scaled back on doling out big deals to marquee free agents, as they had done in past offseasons, and chose instead to sign a crop of veterans to fill or compete for starting jobs. Niko Koutouvides and Boss Bailey will take over at middle and strong-side linebacker, respectively, and Darrell Jackson, Keary Colbert and Samie Parker will compete for the No. 2 WR slot. Denver may have plucked a cornerstone at left tackle, selecting Ryan Clady with the 12th pick in the draft.

Unfinished business: Longtime PK Jason Elam’s departure for the Falcons leaves the Broncos with a gaping hole at kicker, which could develop into a major headache if Elam’s successor, Matt Prater, continues to struggle with accuracy. Prater was 1-for-4 on field goals in a brief stint with the Falcons early last season. If Dewayne Robertson’s knee continues to give him problems, Denver could continue to struggle against the ground game, as it did in ’07, ranking 30th in run defense.