In a recent USA TODAY article, Nate Davis recently ranked the offseasons of all 32 NFL teams, and dead last on the list was the defending Super Bowl Champions. According to Davis, the Broncos have had a not-so-stellar offseason for a variety of reasons, including the loss of two quarterbacks, defensive free agent departures and the recent NFL Draft.

Losing QB Brock Osweiller in free agency after developing the former second-round pick for four years is the first issue Davis points to, and the acquisition of Mark Sanchez and the first-round selection of Paxton Lynch do not improve the situation.

Along with the defensive departures of DE Malik Jackson and LB Danny Trevathan and the failure to lock up Super Bowl MVP Von Miller on a long-term deal; Davis believes that for these reasons, the Broncos have had the worst offseason in the league.

Response:

Davis points to the loss of Osweiller as the biggest reason Denver has had a rough offseason, but the circumstances did not exactly play into John Elway’s hand. The situation was not as clear-cut as Davis indicates. Ultimately the loss of quarterback that the organization spent four years developing is not ideal, but the Broncos were not going to overspend on a quarterback with seven career starts.

Factored into the mess that was the Osweiller negotiations was his ego after being benched in the second half of week 17 against San Diego. Considering Osweiller actually played fairly decent in the game and had proven he was able to lead the team in the fourth quarter in previous weeks, it is not surprising the former Sun Devil was not thrilled with the organization. When it was all said and done, he wanted out of Denver and there was nothing the Broncos could do about it.

Osweiller received a competitive offer, so it is not like Elway did not attempt to keep him in Denver, but with little salary cap room Denver had this offseason, he simply made a business decision when it came to Osweiller. The young QB went with the largest offer and where he could get a fresh start. There’s not a lot the Broncos could have done to improve the situation.

As far as the draft selection of Lynch, Denver got the exact type of player they were looking for. Lynch’s size and arm strength is similar to Osweiller, which was obviously appealing to the Denver staff. His mobility and athleticism is far superior than the “Brockweiller” though, making him an obvious choice for Denver.

Los Angeles and Philadelphia gave up the “king’s ransom” in order to get the quarterback they wanted in the draft; Denver only gave up a third round pick to move up and get the guy they wanted.

No quarterback is a guaranteed success coming out of college, but Denver was able to get a player that has a ton of upside potential and fits their system to boot. The acquisition of Sanchez means Gary Kubiak does not have to play the rookie if he is not ready and gives Denver an insurance policy at quarterback.

Sanchez has had his up’s and down’s in the NFL, but the work he is putting in this offseason, and the things he is saying on a daily basis, indicates he is both a player that is comfortable in his own skin and eager to compete for the starting job. Players can elevate their game in a fresh situation and being in Denver is clearly the most talent he has ever had around him, with the best chance to win.

The Broncos won a world championship with not a whole lot of offensive production at QB last season. If Sanchez can play his role and most importantly limit turnovers, he will certainly have a chance to succeed with the Broncos stellar wide receivers and reliance on the run-game.

Although the Broncos QB carousel this offseason has been not typical of a team coming off a Super Bowl victory, the losses of Jackson, Trevathan etc, were no surprise. In response to the loss of key defensive pieces, the additions of DE Jared Crick and DT Phil Taylor helps boost the depth at defensive line, and the restructuring of DeMarcus Ware’s contract allowed the veteran pass-rusher to stay in Denver.

Elway also improved the offensive line by signing Tackles Russell Okung and Donald Stephenson. With Ty Sambraillo returning from injury, the second-year player is expected to play guard this season, along with Max Garcia at the other guard position, and Matt Paradis returning at center. After winning the Super Bowl with arguably the worst offensive line in the history of the franchise, the Broncos were able to pick up players that immediately will make an impact going forward. Elway was also able to move Ryan Clady to the Jets, once again clearing up more cap room for a team with limited room.

Along with Denver’s strong draft class regardless of Lynch, Elway has done an excellent job under brutal circumstances. He was able to both sign and draft players that can contribute immediately, while spending at a very manageable rate.

This offseason could have been a disaster, and Elway could have overreacted on multiple occasions, but he stayed cool and Denver will benefit from it long-term. The loss of talented players will always impact a team, and the Broncos will have to continue to re-adjust. Considering all the factors, Denver clearly did not have the best offseason in the league, but the worst? Not a chance.