It looks to be an exciting year for Denver fans as the 2008 Broncos seem like a team on a positive rebound from a 7-9 season that featured key injuries, a sputtering red zone offense and a new but ineffective defensive scheme in which the players did not look comfortable with from the get go.

Its true that winning games in the preseason doesn’t really matter (unless you’re Horvil), but the way the team is playing, the starters in particular, is certainly telling. The Broncos offense has looked impressive in its ability to move the chains and score often with Jay Cutler at the helm. In his third season, Cutler is really beginning to live up to his potential as one of the game’s elite quarterbacks. He is mobile, he can make every throw and is a “student of the game” according to Mike Shanahan.

The offensive line, while not the dominating force of the late 90’s Broncos, looks solid and will improve with rookies Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris who is basically a rookie since he was injured last year. Ben Hamilton seems to be fine after his awful concussion last year and center Tom Nalen… well… while I wish Nalen, being the perennial Pro Bowler he is, I wish he could contribute as much as possible this year, but I feel Casey Wiegman may end up being one of the most necessary free agent pickups in the offseason next to Marlon McCree and Boss Bailey. Going into this preseason, I expected Clady to be where he is, good enough to start but not great, not yet at least so no surprise there but Ryan Harris really caught me by surprise. I remember the Broncos were high on him last year and viewing him in the preaseason, he’s big and athletic and I believe Shanahan’s claim that Clady and Harris will be a very good pair of tackles for years to come.

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