Sounds of the Broncos’ veteran minicamp practice can be heard from the Dove Valley parking lot. No pads, no helmets, all movement, all chatter. Coach Gary Kubiak’s staff introduced the players to a system that demands teaching and spawns intensity. Even kickers tackled dummies.
It raises the question about this fresh start: Will a similar vigor define the Broncos’ front office in the first round of Thursday’s NFL draft? The Broncos hold the No. 28 pick, and they are open to trading up given their needs along the offensive and defensive lines and at linebacker.
Denver needs help if it’s going to get back to the Super Bowl. The draft represents a tantalizing opportunity to swing for a home run pick — an annual balancing act in general manager John Elway’s philosophy to “not just win now, but from now on.”
Let’s start with the premise that the Broncos desire an offensive tackle. Several visited or talked with the Broncos, among them Stanford’s Andrus Peat, Texas A&M’s Cedric Ogbuehi, Miami’s Ereck Flowers, Florida’s D.J. Humphries, Oregon’s Jake Fisher and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Clemmings. If Denver decides it must have Peat, it will demand Elway plow closer to the front of the line with a trade. The San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers all are eyeing tackles before Denver selects.
But is Peat worth sacrificing another high-round pick when Ogbuehi could be available if the Broncos stand pat?
This represents Elway’s fifth draft as general manager. Eighteen players remain with the team from his previous four. Four boast starting or pseudo starting jobs — defensive tackle Sylvester Williams, defensive end Derek Wolfe, tight end Virgil Green and linebacker Von Miller. With reloading in free agency every spring unrealistic because of the salary cap, the Broncos require more pillars to form a younger core.
Adding such a player at No. 28 remains difficult. The risk vs. reward debate could weigh into Thursday’s pick. The Broncos didn’t intend to select cornerback Bradley Roby with the 31st selection last spring because of concerns about his character. They dug deeper, learned he was a smart kid with a strict mother, and decided to pick him after he fell to the bottom of the first round. He saved their draft class with his strong rookie season, becoming a draft-day steal.
“I think I was,” Roby said.
The Broncos could have an intriguing decision if Missouri defensive end Shane Ray falls to bottom of the first round. Ray, known for relentless effort, received a misdemeanor citation for marijuana possession this week. If deemed an aberration, would Denver be willing to gamble on Ray, who is considered a top-10 talent? The Broncos are stocked at defensive end, but an infusion of speed makes sense with DeMarcus Ware’s contract running only two more seasons.
No one expected Roby to become a Bronco, another in a long line of examples of how the days leading up to the first round are the sport’s misinformation highway. Most mock drafts struggle to correctly predict eight of the first 32 selections. If the Broncos stay at No. 28, so much depends on what happens in front of them.
Tackle is a need, but if none is appealing when Denver picks, no one should be surprised if the Broncos select versatile Florida State center Cameron Erving, Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown, Oklahoma run stopper Jordan Phillips or UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks.
“I might turn (the TV) on at our pick. They haven’t been promoting it very much. I feel like I have already watched it,” joked quarterback Peyton Manning. “It’s an exciting time. It’s exciting time to see where you’re going to live, where you’re going to work, and obviously I’m excited to see what players we’re going to add to our team.”
Troy E. Renck: trenck@denverpost.com or twitter.com/troyrenck
