This upcoming 2014 NFL season, a wide variety of relatively unheralded sophomore and third-year players will inherit or take over key roles for even the best teams in the NFL. Whether it's an already established starter who will now be assuming more responsibility, or a green, untested player who will now look to become a reliable backup, every roster depth chart has a few big question marks.
In this series, I've been breaking down "who" I think those players are, "where" they play, "why" they'll potentially play a key role in 2014, and "how" they'll succeed in that.
On tap today, we have the Denver Broncos.
Denver Broncos
TE Julius Thomas
Who: Thomas was a fourth-round pick in 2011 (kind of crazy to think he's been in the league three seasons already), and definitely had his breakout season in 2013 with 65 catches for 788 yards and 12 touchdowns. That said, he has the potential to build on his season with another year of experience with Peyton Manning under his belt.
Where: The "joker" tight end in Peyton Manning's high-octane passing offense. Dallas Clark had 100 catches for 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns catching passes from Peyton Manning in 2009, and I'm guessing that may be a precedent that Thomas has his eye on. There may be too many mouths to feed in the Broncos' offense, but I wouldn't rule out a huge year from Thomas in 2014.
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Why: Thomas creates mismatches with his size and speed combination, and when utilized smartly by Manning, is a threat all over the field. Manning is the key to the equation, so as long as he keeps targeting Thomas, the production will be there.
How: While Thomas was used inline, outside and even on screens last year, apparently that's just the tip of the iceberg.
"What I think people will see different in me (this year) is that they will use me a lot more creatively," Thomas told FOXSports.com recently. "I think there are a lot of things that our offense wanted to do with me, but you can only learn so much in one year. No matter how much time you have at practice, it never seems to be enough when you're learning and trying to come into your own.
"I did a lot in the pass game, and I'm sure there are some extra wrinkles we can do with it. But there are other aspects of playing the position that I've improved, and it gives our team more flexibility."
RB Montee Ball
Who: Ball was Denver's second-round pick in 2013 out of Wisconsin. He holds the FBS career record for rushing touchdowns with a whopping 77 scores for the Badgers, and holds the Wisconsin career mark for yards per carry with 5.56.
Where: With the departure of Knowshon Moreno, Ball will be vying for the starting running back position in Denver. He'll have to beat out Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson, but appears to be the frontrunner.
Why: The Broncos are known for their prolific passing offense, but Peyton Manning is the master at changing plays at the line of scrimmage, so he uses the run as a great constraint to teams that play too soft up front. Ball should be facing plenty of nickel and dime defenses so he'll have some space to work with, most likely.
How: After an underwhelming rookie season, Ball has to show more consistency in pass protection (that's really the number one thing in this offense, probably), and make sure he's being secure with the football. He'll have to prove he's a creative runner with some ability in the passing game, and if his production in college is any indication, he could be in line for a surprising year.
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TE Virgil Green
Who: A seventh-round pick in 2011, Green played 26 percent of the Broncos' offensive snaps last year, and that number could go up in 2014 if he's able to leapfrog Jacob Tamme on the depth chart. Veteran Joel Dreessen is already gone after being released due to persistent knee problems.
Where: All over the field. Green played a little bit of tight end, fullback, and even ran the ball once for 6 yards in the Broncos' win over the Patriots in the AFC Championship.
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Why: Green is a similarly styled athlete to Julius Thomas -- maybe not up to the same standard, of course -- but if the Broncos want a backup to Thomas who would do some of the same types of things as a joker tight end, he may be the guy. Considering the success that Denver was able to have with Thomas last year, and considering the Broncos run a one-back, one-tight end personnel grouping more often than not, it may be a smart investment to hold on to a guy who could replace Thomas if he had to come out of the game.
How: Assuming Thomas stays healthy, Green can find himself a role by being a jack of all trades. The Broncos and Peyton Manning love versatility on offense, and Green's athleticism allows him to play in a number of roles. Look for him to surprise some people in the preseason.
DE Malik Jackson
Who: Jackson was a fifth-round pick in 2012, 137th overall by the Broncos. He played at Tennessee. He busted onto the scene in 2013 to replace an injured Derek Wolfe and had a very strong season, grabbing six sacks, eight QB hits and 29 QB hurries. He'll look to build on those numbers in 2014.
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Where: Defensive end for the most part, but Jackson also has the ability to line up on the interior in pass-rushing situations.
Why: With DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller theoretically in the equation, Jackson (and, if they share snaps, Derek Wolfe) should see plenty of one-on-one matchups. He'll have to capitalize.
How: Versatility inside and outside helped get Jackson into the game on 52 percent of the Broncos' defensive snaps last year, and that same versatility will help him remain an integral part of the rotation in 2014. He's a highly athletic player with some nice attributes as a pass rusher.
DT Derek Wolfe
Who: Wolfe was a second-round pick by the Broncos in 2012, 36th overall (he was Denver's first pick that year). He had six sacks during his encouraging rookie season, but suffered a scary spinal injury in the 2013 preseason that affected his play that season and caused him to miss games.
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Where: Wolfe plays defensive end on base downs and is able to kick inside as a situational pass rusher. He's a versatile athlete at 6'5, 285 pounds.
Why: He was certainly on the uptick prior to his injury last year, and should return to being a mainstay in the Broncos' defense (he was second among all defenders in snaps his rookie year). He'll have competition from Malik Jackson, who replaced him last season, but don't be surprised if they rotate with each other. Wolfe is apparently back to full health.
How: The big thing will be to first, stay healthy and then secondly, prove that there are no losses of performance due to the injury. If he still has power and burst, he'll be an excellent option for the Broncos on their defensive line.
DT Sylvester Williams
Who: Williams was Denver's first-round pick in 2013 out of North Carolina.
Where: He backed up Kevin Vickerson his rookie season and when Vickerson went out due to injury late in the season, Williams worked his way into the starting lineup, where he acquitted himself nicely. From Week 12 and on, Williams played about half of his team's snaps, registering two sacks from the defensive tackle position. He'll look to take over the starting job his second year, but will obviously have to beat out Vickerson for that role.
Why: Williams mixes a nice pass-rush repertoire with solid run defense, and has athletic upside, good hands and a quick first step.
How: If Williams can prove that he can handle a bigger snap load, he'll be in line for a breakout season.
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CB Kayvon Webster
Who: Webster was a third-round pick in 2013 out of South Florida. He had 41 tackles and a pick as a rookie.
Where: He stood out as a nickel cornerback his rookie year and with the addition of Aqib Talib to the mix, that's his likely role in 2014 as well. He'll face stiff competition from 2014 first-rounder Bradley Roby, though.
Why: The Broncos, like many NFL teams, like to play nickel defense, and the job of matching up with opposing slot receivers is becoming more and more important. Webster looks like he'll be a big factor in the Denver defense in 2014.
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How: Slot cornerbacks have to have a unique combination of coverage ability, ball skills and physicality in run defense. If Webster can prove he's got all these attributes -- or at least, more so than Roby -- he'll be in good shape to contribute.