With the Denver Broncos on a bye week, now’s a good time to look back at some of the best offensive players in franchise history.
We ranked some of the best players in franchise history on a scale of five-to-one (five being the best) at five positions based on their accomplishments with Denver.
Using those rankings, we then assigned monetary values to each player. Now we’re asking fans to begin building an all-time offense using a $15 budget.
Here’s my team:
$5 TE Shannon Sharpe
This is an expensive price for a tight end in this exercise, but Sharpe is one of the best tight ends in NFL history and he can lead a receiving room. A three-time Super Bowl champion, five-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Sharpe is a member of the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team, the Broncos’ Ring of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
$4 QB Peyton Manning
John Elway is the greatest and most accomplished quarterback in franchise history, but Manning being a little cheaper represents an incredible value. Manning reached two Super Bowls during a four-year run with the Broncos, helping the team win Super Bowl 50 after the 2015 season. A two-time Super Bowl champion and five-time NFL MVP, Manning was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year.
$3 RB Clinton Portis
Terrell Davis and Floyd Little played huge roles in Denver’s franchise history, but Portis represents a better value after we splurged on tight end and quarterback. Portis rushed for 3,099 yards and 29 touchdowns in just two seasons with the Broncos before a trade sent him to Washington. His time in Denver was short, but he was one of the best RBs in franchise history.
$2 WR Ed McCaffrey
It’s tough to not include Rod Smith or Demaryius Thomas on an all-time list, but budget constraints have left us here. McCaffrey is an excellent budget buy. He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion, an All-Pro, a Pro Bowler and a member of the Broncos’ 50th Anniversary Team. McCaffrey teams up with Sharpe to give Denver a pair of talented pass catchers.
$1 FB Reuben Droughns
Fullbacks are not appreciated in today’s NFL but the Broncos have had several talented players at the position in their history. Denver signed Droughns as a fullback in 2002 and he later ended up playing running back in 2004, rushing for 1,240 yards and six touchdowns that year.
Now it's your turn!
If you had $15 to begin building an offense, which players would you choose? Let us know your picks on Twitter: @TheBroncosWire.
