2014 Broncos Season, The Saga Begins

"Pat Bowlen's leadership has been critical to the success of the Broncos and the entire NFL. From building a championship team that is a pillar of the community to his important work for the league on television and labor matters, Pat's love of the game drove him and we have all benefited from his passion and wisdom." — Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner

Today, the Denver Broncos open training camp, officially kicking off the 2014 season. There is a lot to talk about, but first I have to note that the season gets off on a sad note. Pat Bowlen, Broncos owner, had to step down from his day-to-day duties with the team because of poor health.

Bowlen has owned the Broncos since 1984, and he's been a driving force in their success. He's been a great owner, and a great ambassador for the franchise. My hope is that the Broncos will use this as fuel this season as they try to make a run at a title. Bowlen once famously held up the Lombardi trophy and said it was for John Elway. Hopefully this year the Broncos, led by Elway in the front office, can hold up a Lombardi trophy in February for Pat.

Second, this kicks off my coverage of the Denver Broncos. If you like in-depth, overwrought analysis of the Denver Broncos, you're welcome. If not, them's the breaks. I will probably continue to write (obsess) about the Broncos until I die, or give up blogging. As I did last year, I'll have game recaps each week. And that journey begins today.

So, on to the coverage. As camp opens, there is a lot of pressure on the Denver Broncos. Historically teams that have lost the Super Bowl have struggled to be competitive the following season, even more so if it was a lop-sided loss in the Super Bowl. Yet the Broncos have Super Bowl aspirations, plenty of people are picking them, and there is a lot of pressure on the team to win in Peyton Manning's third year with the team.

The Broncos brought in a lot of great free agents, and have many people on the team hungry for success. But it won't get any easier. The Broncos have been 13-3, and the top seed in the AFC each of the past two seasons. Last year, the team had a historically great offense. How long can the Broncos keep that up? We will find out soon enough.

For now, it's about crafting the team. The Broncos will be different — and arguably better — simply by getting their own injured players back. Derek Wolfe, Von Miller, Chris Harris, and Ryan Clady all missed significant games due to injury. Getting a full season from each will be a great start.

As training camp begins, there is a lot to get excited about and be curious about this season. Here are a few of the things I'm watching for as camp and the pre-season begin.

1. Lerentee McCray and C.J. Anderson. These two young players were impressive during the pre-season last year, then both got injured. The Broncos carried Anderson on the roster even though he was only able to play a bit at the end of the season. McCray had a season-ending injury, but the Broncos put him on injured reserve to keep him a part of the team. I am excited to see how both come back this year, and if both are able to contribute. McCray, in particular, plays in a much-needed position at linebacker.

2. Offense reloaded. I will miss Eric Decker. I think he was a valuable part of the receiving team, and he was a good contributor. But I am excited to see how the Broncos' passing game works with the additions of Emmanuel Sanders and rookie Cody Latimer. Both look impressive, and they join a healthy Wes Welker, Demaryius Thomas, and Julius Thomas as part of an explosive passing game.

3. Can we run? Knowshon Moreno, for all his faults in the first few years, was a great contributor, and the Broncos' only good running back last season. Montee Ball was a high draft choice, as was Ronnie Hillman. The pressure is on them both this year to show they have the goods to carry the running game for a Super Bowl contender.

4. A better pass rush. I thought Shaun Phillips and Robert Ayers did some great things last year, but both are gone now. However, with DeMarcus Ware on one end, Wolfe on the other, and Miller back to form coming from a linebacker spot, I like the potential of this group to put pressure on the passer.

5. Sylvester Williams. The Broncos' top draft pick a year ago needs to show his skill and range. The Broncos need strength and production from the middle of the defensive line, and the pressure is on Williams to deliver.

6. The future at cornerback. Bradley Roby and Kayvon Webster aren't the starters. Chris Harris and Aqib Talib are 1 and 1A for the Broncos at corner. But Roby and Webster are talented young pass defenders, a big part of the Broncos' future, and need to contribute big this year for the Broncos to be successful.

7. Who's returning for the Broncos? The past two seasons these duties have fallen to Trindon Holliday. He was great his first year with the team, but struggled mightily last year. Holliday was often replaced late in the season by Welker and Decker. Both Holliday and Decker are gone, and it's hard to imagine using Welker — who has a history of concussions — on a regular basis on Special Teams since he's such a vital contributor on offense. So who is going to return kicks and punts for the Broncos? How will they turn this area of weakness in 2013 into a strength this season?

That's it for now. The season begins today, and hopefully it will end in February with confetti and a parade!