Do the Broncos have what it takes to become a dynasty? With five straight division titles and two Super Bowl appearances in the past three seasons, the Broncos have been one of the best franchises in the NFL for the better half of the past half-decade. If Denver were to make a third Super Bowl appearance in 2017, talks of a Mile High dynasty would certainly be fair game; especially if the Broncos were to win it all.

Ultimately the word dynasty gets tossed around pretty loosely in the sports world. There have been plenty of examples of successful runs in sports. Lebron James’ four championship appearances in Miami, Buffalo’s four Super Bowl appearances in the early 90’s, etc. But are those truly dynasties? No.

A dynasty represents more than just success. A dynasty is when an individual or team truly dominates the rest of the playing field for a significant amount of time. Dynasties are rare in the NFL. Between the salary cap and advancement in technology/scouting, the league is able to keep the game competitive.

Dynasties are also difficult to accomplish in football because the game is so team oriented. Sure, players like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are able to make solo impacts on a weekly basis, but not like a Lebron James or Kevin Durant nearly single handedly defeating a team.

To be considered a dynasty in the NFL, it takes consistent success in every aspect of an organization. Starting with the front office, the Broncos have shown the ability to to consistently produce a winning product.

Using both the NFL Draft and free agency, Denver has been able to assess roster needs and address those issues accordingly. During John Elway’s tenure as Executive Vise President of Football operations and General Manager, the Broncos have rebuilt multiple times.

Impressively with such large roster turnover, Denver’s success has not skipped a beat. After reaching the Super Bowl in 2013 with the league’s No. 1 offense, and getting throttled by Seattle. Denver used Seattle’s blueprint for success and got tougher.

Signing players T.J Ward, Damarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, and Darian Stewart changed the attitude in Denver. The Broncos were no longer a finesse team that outscored you. The Broncos were now a team that were going to smack you in the mouth and dare you to strike back.

Along with free agency, Elway has had big success drafting defensive players. Draft picks like Bradley Roby, Von Miller, Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson have already panned out well for Denver. Those are just a few examples. Sylvester Williams and Shane Ray have also paid off for Denver.

Even undrafted players have made huge impacts. Chris Harris Jr. did not hear his name called in the 2011 draft, but since signing with Denver as an UDFA, Harris has proved to be one of the most versatile cornerbacks in the league. Some would even say Harris is the best corner in the league.

Outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett was a slightly overweight pass rusher out of Colorado State when he signed with Denver as an UDFA. Most scouts did not give Barrett a chance in the world at making an NFL roster. Elway saw a guy who had everything to prove. He was right. Barrett has quickly developed into an excellent outside linebacker in both the pass and run game.

Elway was a warrior in his playing days, the type of player anyone would want to suit up with. He seems to have an eye for spotting players with that similar mentality. Elway’s expertise and consistent ability to produce a winning product gives Denver a chance to be a contender on a yearly basis.

Elway finally has the coaching staff he wants. With his old buddy Gary Kubiak at the helm, and Wade Phillips content with being a defensive coordinator, the Broncos should not have to worry about their staff being poached. An issue they have had to deal with the past few years.

Obviously there are still a lot of questions surrounding this team moving forward. Assuming Brock Osweiller resigns, Denver has a quarterback capable of moving the ball in Kubiak’s offense.

If Osweiller ends up somewhere else, it would be a different conversation, but that does not seem likely. Ultimately, Denver is built to have success for the near future. Even if a few pieces are lost on the defensive side of the ball, there are a lot of young players to be excited about.

Over the past few seasons, defense has proved to be key in winning a championship. The Broncos defense played nearly perfect this season. If Denver gets any type of offensive production moving forward, and this defense plays like they are capable of; the Broncos will be in contention.

Combined with a front office and management that is committed to winning on a yearly basis, the Broncos have a chance to really accomplish something special.

It seems silly to talk about dynasties so prematurely. Let’s have this same conversation a year from now, but in this writer’s humble opinion, the Broncos are built to become a dynasty.