ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For most of those whose vocational life is professional football, the ring is the thing.

The Super Bowl ring is the reason, as Bill Parcells famously said, “you lift all those weights." But when you win one, the question then becomes how to avoid the hangover that comes with it. That’s exactly where the Denver Broncos find themselves as they begin the second week of their offseason.

“And that’s where people are going to find out what kind of team we have," cornerback Aqib Talib said. “Because we have a bunch of super-competitive guys ... And that’s what we have to be is super competitive."

The Broncos weren’t always pretty last season and sometimes looked as if they had no chance of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. But they were always gritty, strong-willed and played with a close-the-deal toughness that was the hallmark of the franchise’s third Super Bowl winner.

DeMarcus Ware's experience and leadership ability made it imperative for the Broncos to bring him back. AP Photo/Julio Cortez

In the early stages of their offseason work in the wake of that title, the Broncos believe their talent level will remain what it has been over the last five seasons, which have seen five division titles and two Super Bowl appearances to go with the title. But they want to find a way to recreate the championship character.

“We still have it in us," cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. “We still have a lot of the same guys and we know what it takes around here to be in those big games at the end of the season. We know what it’s like to be disappointed and what it’s like to win it all. And we know what it’s like to get back to work. We’ll get back to work."

Coach Gary Kubiak has talked about keeping the bar “right where it was last year," in terms of expectations and accountability. Kubiak has talked about the importance of “peer pressure" in the locker room regarding doing things the right way.

That's why Broncos wanted to keep DeMarcus Ware. They approached Ware about a pay cut, but they also offered attainable bonuses to make up for lost salary because of Ware's positive impact in the locker room.

“It was important for me to stay because ... you start being that leader in the locker room," Ware said. “That goes a long way in keeping everything in line, motivating guys in practice if it’s the little small things on the field, but experience goes a long way ... Because [executive vice president of football operations/general manager John Elway] knows I’m not here for money. I’m here to win championships. I’m here to go over and beyond and build a legacy for the Denver Broncos."

The Broncos will have nine starters from last year’s defense returning and a 10th player, cornerback Bradley Roby, who played enough in situational work to be considered a regular. Many of those players, especially those in the secondary, kept in touch in the offseason -- Talib said the defensive backs “were always in a group chat, man, like we never left."

New faces will make Denver's offense a work in progress. Quarterback Mark Sanchez arranged for several of his new teammates to come to work out in California with him.

Peyton Manning was such a large presence in terms of preparation and work ethic, so it might take some time in the offseason before the offensive leaders emerge.

“But I think we have the guys who can do that," wide receiver Demaryius Thomas said. “We know what it has to look like. I know I have to be ready to do some of that."

“Man, everybody talks about ‘they won, so they’ll take a step back,’ but we don’t look at it like that," Talib said. “We look at it like this team has the most chemistry I’ve had on any team I’ve ever been on. When we have a goal, we take it serious, we get right to it. We did that last year, nobody skipping reps, nobody missing days. And we can do it again."