Well I told some of you people I ain’t getting heavy into the draft until a month out and by then we’ll know what the hell is going on with free agency for the most part. But I’ll throw some draft speculation out there for now.

Brandon Marshall

First off, I believe we re-sign Orton, Dumervil and Prater. I ain’t so sure Chris Kuper will be back, any time you got a guy getting picked up and thrown by a defensive lineman in that Eagles game, I ain’t so sure you’re gonna be chomping at the bit to re-sign him.

Brandon Marshall is good as gone, and hopefully for a first rounder — I can’t believe we got people still thinking or even hoping he’ll be back. Yeah let’s pay out the ass for his BS and his poison, let’s just smile and eat it. You got the damn team all screwed up by a drama queen on the eve of a game with playoff implications… not to mention his long list of infractions that includes a bad acting job in a Denver nightclub years ago. Yeah we can’t re-sign that Marshall fast enough. I’m beginning to think some of you people got short memories and even shorter scruples, willing to eat this guy’s BS cause he’s a “star,” see you later pal, don’t let the McDonalds bag hit you in the ass, we can’t get rid of him fast enough and in the end… if they were to cut him — I’d be all for it.

Scheffler, Hillis gone, probably could get a later round pick for each of them.

I’m not a fan of Mocks this time of year, they seem to change almost daily, you end up with these guys having just about every player in free agency and the draft in the damn mock at some point.

But once again, my want list of priorities I posted after this season consisted of :

• new center, new guard, maybe two guards
• a competent backup for Orton
• at least one defensive lineman good for 8 sacks or so, basically someone for teams to be concerned about besides Dumervil
• at least two new wide receivers
• a big, slugger running back

In free agency, there’s a few names that really stand out to me:

• Kevin Mawae C -  a stopgap until we got someone younger
• Aaron Kampman DE
• Richard Seymour DE
• Casey Hampton NT
• Ryan Pickett NT
• Vince Wilfork NT

Julius Peppers

Just look at them defensive linemen, eh? Any one of them would be good. Julius Peppers is a thought, but probably not much more than that. We already got a multi-million dollar sack master. Would rather us get a high priced defensive lineman rather than making Peppers the absolute highest paid defender in all of football. Wouldn’t see me crying if we did though, that’s the type of guy you pay out the ass for and reap the rewards. Can you imagine Dumervil and Peppers out there, eh? Rotating them around, having Peppers play DE at times too. Probably won’t happen, he’s just a ton of money and we could do well with someone else, like Seymour or Kampman for less. Can make the case that Kampman don’t necessarily fit a 3-4 but I’d take him any day to replace one of our defensive ends.

We are coming into an uncapped year, and we got a hell of an owner in Bowlen who wants to win. Perusing the list of free agents, them d-line free agents are gold, I would expect us to make at least one big d-line acquisition in free agency. Maybe the McDaniels-Patriots connection can land us Vince Wilfork, run stopper, double team magnet extraordinaire.

Vince Wilfork

I wish,  somehow, that we could get that damn Logan Mankins. That’s what the hell we need on that offensive line right there.  Logan Mankins or one of them two Chargers receivers, but they’re all damn restricted free agents. Here’s to hoping for a miracle. If we get an extra first rounder, the only guy in restricted free agency I feel would be worth taking the RFA draft pick hit for is Mankins, whether it’s a second rounder or what not. If you’re looking to draft a rookie offensive lineman anyways with one of your high picks, why not get the ultimately proven Mankins instead?

With the draft, biggest need positions as I see it right now are obvious to me:  wide receiver, offensive line and then defensive line. Maybe even offensive line first.

I can see us taking either that Dez Bryant or an offensive lineman with the first pick –that Bryant since Marshall will be gone — but I don’t necessarily think we must take him. Defensive lineman wouldn’t bother me neither, depending on what we can do in free agency, but I’m expecting us to get a good defensive lineman in free agency. I don’t believe our need on the defensive line is as dire as offensive line. Just one good defensive end is going to help us a good deal there on that line. We need at least two starting offensive linemen, and if we don’t do a lot in free agency with the o-line,  we damn well better draft new blood at guard and center early.

If we manage to have two first rounders, then the first pick becomes more of a luxury, I know that McDaniels will take a player he thinks is the best value over need, and if someone great falls -no matter need- like maybe that McClain, then he’s liable to pick the best player over need in that first slot.

Dez Bryant… well it also depends on how he interviews. I ain’t so thrilled about him not being out there playing this year with the whole agent crap.  Not sure about him if he’s gonna bring us a mess. I’ve said all along we don’t necessarily need a superstar wideout to replace Marshall. As for those “two wide receivers” I want, we can get one in the draft and free agency. Although the free agent crop is light, who knows what can happen, who might get released and such. Don’t need world beaters, I just want another Gaffney type player and a burner, we need some speed at wide receiver. Let’s see some damn wide receiver getting separation out there for once.

I believe that two, lower cost, good character Gaffneys can equal the production of one Marshall, especially if you’re able to run the football. Split Marshall’s production among two receivers and get rid of locker room poison to boot.

Mike Iupati

I could see us possibly trading down with our first pick, to maybe get that center Pouncey or Iupati or what have you. I’ll tell you what though if we got that Iupati with the first pick wouldn’t bother me none. Especially if we haven’t addressed guard by then in free agency. I’m sick and tired of these tough Samoans who can probably bite the heads off live turkeys, I’m sick and tired of seeing them make plays for practically every other damn team but us. I don’t care if he’s “raw” or a “grabber,” that can be coached.  All depends on free agency, but the bottom line is we better damn sure have a new center and new guard going in to next year.

I don’t see us trading up in this draft. If there is a shocker on draft day and its announced the Broncos just traded up into one of the first five spots I can’t think of doing anything like that for anyone other than a quarterback, likened to the Sanchez trade last year. It would have to be a QB McDaniel really likes out of this crop, but I don’t see it.

The Great Tony Pike

I think we will draft a QB in the 3rd or 4th rounds. Someone with talent and physical ability but someone who didn’t play against a lot of stiff competition. Someone like that Skelton kid. However, now that I seen more of him I don’t think too badly of that Tony Pike. Saw him earlier in the year marching the field against Pittsburgh. Let him sit for a year, learn the system and eat a bunch of steaks since he’s too skinny. Looks like an accurate, mobile version of Brandstater to me. Second round might be too high for us drafting a QB, but if we took him in the second round, wouldn’t bother me none. Maybe he’s there in the third, too.

I hope the Broncos go in to training camp with four quarterbacks. Orton, a veteran, a draft pick and Brandstater. By veteran, I don’t necessarily mean someone who’s been in the league ten years, just someone with some actual playing experience. Then we’ll see what that Brandstater is made of. Someone out of the three will either get cut or put on the practice squad.

I like the thought of getting a running back in the fourth or fifth round, a big, beater RB who can hold on to the football and grind the hard yards.

Other than that, draft wherever we sense we can upgrade. Bottom line to me though when all is said and done, still stands:

• new center, new guard, maybe two guards
• a competent backup for Orton
• at least one defensive lineman good for 8 sacks or so, basically someone for teams to be concerned about besides Dumervil
• at least two new wide receivers
• a big, slugger running back to complement Moreno