The Denver Broncos are heading into a 2016 NFL season that will bring a lot of change for the franchise. They are coming into the year fresh off of a Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers last season, but losing Peyton Manning to retirement and Brock Osweiler to the Houston Texans in free agency won’t be terribly easy to overcome.

John Elway can only hope that a quarterback steps up in a big way, and the rest of the team can pick up the slack.

Paxton Lynch was the Broncos’ first round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and will compete for the starting job with Mark Sanchez. Neither quarterback is capable of powering an offense to a championship, but they will not have to do so.

Denver will once again have a top defense in the NFL. It showed last season in the playoffs, and especially in the Super Bowl against the Panthers. It will be fun to watch Von Miller and company pick up where they left off and help shoulder some of the load that the offense will be unable to handle.

All of that being said, what five bold predictions can be made for the Denver Broncos heading into 2016?

[AP Photo/Fred Vuich]

Paxton Lynch Will Win The Starting Job And The Offensive Rookie Of The Year Award

Perhaps the most obvious bold prediction has to start with rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch. There will be a lot of pressure on his shoulders, as he will be asked to replace Manning and Osweiler. Lynch will start by winning the starting job over Sanchez, and he will then end up winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award when everything is said and done.

C.J. Anderson Will Put Up Star Caliber Numbers

After struggling early on last season, C.J. Anderson was able to finish the year strong. He will bounce back with a big season in 2016 and will help take the pressure off of Lynch. Anderson will put up star caliber numbers and could very well end up ranking among the top-five in rushing yards and touchdowns.

Von Miller Racks Up at Least 20 Sacks Throughout the Season

Von Miller was rightfully named the MVP of Super Bowl 50, and he absolutely destroyed Cam Newton and the Panthers. He has always been viewed as one of the top pass rushers in the NFL, but that will be taken to the next level this season. Miller will rack up at least 20 sacks throughout the season.

[AP Photo/Gregory Bull]

Denver Broncos Will Once Again Win the AFC West Division Title

There are many that believe the Broncos are going to have a tough time winning the AFC West this season. Kansas City is going to be tough, as are the Oakland Raiders. Despite the competition that they will face, the Broncos will once again win the AFC West division title this season.

The Broncos Will End Up Repeating As Super Bowl Winners

Even though the Broncos went through changes this offseason, there are still many reasons to believe that they will be a serious contender in the AFC. If Lynch can step up and play to his potential, the Broncos are going to make a run. Add in the dominant Denver defense, and the Broncos will end up repeating as Super Bowl champions.

Expect to see the Broncos put together a solid season and for their young players to step up in a big way. They will rely on their defense once again this season, which is exactly what powered them to a championship last season.

Do you think the Denver Broncos are serious Super Bowl contenders this season? Will Paxton Lynch step up and be the answer for the Broncos at the quarterback position? Let us know in the comment box below!

[AP Photo/David Zalubowski]