AP

The Broncos have gone 20-28 over three seasons since Peyton Manning retired and their moves for Case Keenum and Joe Flacco the last two offseasons show that they have not found a long-term replacement for Manning at quarterback.

That’s not the only place where his absence has hindered the team. Manning came up when defensive end Derek Wolfe was talking to reporters about the leadership that’s been missing over the last three seasons and his belief that head coach Vic Fangio can be the man to change that.

“When Peyton’s around, he’s the leader; he runs the show in the entire building it seems like,” Wolfe said, via the Denver Post. “Once you lose a guy like that, there’s a space that needs to be filled. … That’s the kind of guy this team needs. A guy like Vic, he comes in and he’s a no-nonsense, old-school type of guy who still likes to have fun. You just respect him. He’s got the resume to respect. He just demands that respect right away when he walks into a room.”

Other Broncos players also offered strong reviews for the way Fangio has instilled discipline and accountability early in his tenure. Those comments will be a distant memory if the Broncos continue to fall short on the field come September, but they’ll likely be cited as key reasons for a change of fortunes in the event Denver finds itself back on track.