The Denver Broncos have been among the NFL’s best free agent finders since John Elway became the General Manager. I mean Peyton Manning, DeMarcus Ware, Emmanuel Sanders, TJ Ward? Need I say more?

The best teams don’t take a single day off. There is always a way to improve your roster at all times of the year. Even for the defending champs. Personally, I believe that is the only way to build a Super Bowl roster. The draft is great, but it is a long-term plan that requires years of development. Offseason acquisitions allow teams the ability to go from pretender to contender, overnight.

Now it’s obvious the quarterback position is the most important player on a roster, which is why Mark Sanchez should be on this list. However, last week I gave a long spiel (that was positive) on my feelings toward the 37-35 career starter. Due to that, I will not save Mark a spot on this list, because quite frankly quarterbacks spend enough time in the limelight. Here are the Broncos best offseason acquisitions this year.

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Best 2016 Broncos acquisitions

OT – Russell Okung

Russell signed a five-year deal with the Broncos on March 17th to replace left tackle Ryan Clady. Ryan Clady was due to have a big pay day this year after sitting out the entire Super Bowl season with a torn ACL. With that in mind the Broncos traded Clady to the Jets with a 7th round pick in exchange for a 5th rounder in order to save cap money. Then insert Russell Okung.

This was a great offseason acquisition… mainly for its financial impact. Let me explain…

I mentioned Russell signed a five-year deal, but if you clear the smoke and read the fine print, it’s actually a one-year deal worth $5 million, with a four-year option worth $48 million. It will be up to John Elway if he wants Okung long-term after this season. That means this season is basically a try out.

Russell was the 6th overall pick in 2010 by the Seahawks and is massive standing at 6’5”, 300 lbs. Here’s the reason why Russell is on a short leash. Okung has never played a full 16 game season. Since 2010, Okung has been plagued with injuries every year. This is cause for concern as Okung is now 28, which means his chances for injury only increases. But Okung does have one Pro Bowl under his belt which means that he can play at a high level. This acquisition brings in a proven veteran talent who has playoff experience in order to help mentor the young Broncos offensive line.

Russell will definitely improve this line and help protect Mark’s blindside. But I wouldn’t be surprised if we see another left tackle start this season. In the meantime, it is a great pickup for the checkbook and the locker room.

OT – Donald Stephenson

What a surprise. After last year’s inconsistent offensive line play and constant shuffle, the next best offseason acquisition for the Broncos is another offensive tackle. Donald Stephenson signed a three-year deal on March 10th this offseason. Donald’s contract is $10 million guaranteed which shows the confidence in the front office that this is a long-term starter for Denver.

Donald has spent his entire career with the Broncos’ rival Kansas City, since he was drafted in 2012 in the third round. Donald is 6’6” and weighs well over 300 lbs. He is the clear starter at right tackle which is most certainly an upgrade from last season.

If the Broncos can get solid line play from Stephenson, a $14-million-dollar deal over three years will look like a bargain for a very important position in the West Coast offense.

WR – Bralon Addison

The Broncos recently signed 19 undrafted free agents. I love the idea of bringing in a lot of hungry new faces to the defending champions. This mentality keeps the champs from being content and staying competitive at a high level in practice. If you live in the Denver area like myself, I’m sure you have heard of Bralon Addison. Bralon is a 5’10” wide receiver out of Oregon and is said to be an offensive toy.

Bralon is the leading candidate for punt/kickoff returner this offseason as he has great agility and shiftiness. Addison didn’t show blazing speed running a 4.66 40-yard dash, but the Broncos lacked in the return game last season, so this could be a great find for Denver.

The Broncos went 11 straight seasons signing an undrafted free agent, until last season when the streak ended. The Broncos brought in nearly 20 undrafted college players for a reason, to find a diamond in the rough.

Bralon returned many punts for touchdowns in college and if Gary Kubiak decides to save a spot on the final 53 for a returner, this could be a strength for the Broncos. Let’s not forget the impact the returner position can have for a team. Not too long ago the Broncos had Trindon Holliday, who was a homerun hitter. Holliday returned two kicks for touchdowns in the playoffs against the Ravens in 2012, so this position should not be overlooked.

Only time will tell if the Broncos found a dynamic returner. For that to happen though, the Broncos will have to start their streak over again.

To that I say, “Streak, Streak, Streak!”

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