Speak Up: Your favorite offseason move (other than, y’know, signing Peyton Manning)

Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos stretches with the team during organized team activities at Dove Valley on May 21, 2012 in Englewood, Colorado. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

It’s been awhile since we opened up the polls to something beside BT Profile Approval ratings, so with the first set of OTA’s behind us, let’s talk the Denver Broncos offseason.

I recently appeared as a guest on All Purpose Roto‘s podcast to talk Broncos, and took inventory of Denver’s offseason to prepare for the chat (that interview will air during their live show Monday; we’ll drop a link on Twitter and the subsequent Daily Links). Anyway, jotting down the results of the Broncos offseason got me wondering: we all know everyone’s favorite offseason move the Broncos made this offseason was signing Peyton Freaking Manning… what was your second favorite move?

Let’s break down the choices and dish it out in the poll and comments.

Tightening up the tight end position

The Broncos were savagely murdered by the two tight end combination of the New England Patriots twice in 2012, and as the old saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them. Free agent pickups Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen aren’t going to confuse anyone for Rob Gronkowski, but with Manning at the helm, the hope is they can do a decent imitation.

Bolstering the secondary, big time

No personnel group was more aggressively pursued by the Broncos this offseason than their secondary. They signed Tracy Porter to a one-year deal, who has the inside slant on starting opposite Champ Bailey based on the first set of OTA’s. They added veteran Drayton Florence and rookie Omar Bolden, as well as Coryell Judie as a UDFA; they signed Mike Adams to presumably start at free safety, and he’s saying all the right things. The Broncos got younger at DB, and it appears they got better too; with the idea that Peyton Manning will have them sitting on high scores and forcing their opponents to early pass-heavy attacks, the Broncos secondary can now match up against just about anybody.

Addressing DT with the top pick

If it feels like it’s been years and years since the Broncos used their top draft pick on a defensive tackle, that’s because it has been. Derek Wolfe may not start in year one, but he’s a one-gap pass rushing threat that could really add a new element to Denver’s already fierce threat of Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller.

Adding a running back threat

If healthy, I believe the Ronnie Hillman draft pick will have more immediate impact than any other rookie the Broncos brought to Dove Valley this year.

Providing young competition for the interior O.L.

Between the Philip Blake draft pick and the additions of Austin Wuebbels and Wayne Tribue, the Broncos have added some meat to their left guard and center positions to compete with Zane Beadles and J.D. Walton, who struggled at times last year.

Hiring Jack Del Rio

Of course, the move was forced by the departure of Dennis Allen to coach the Raiders, but Del Rio has a promising history as a defensive coordinator in the NFL.

Looking toward the future

The Broncos added QB Brock Osweiler, who already has John Elway‘s blessing as “quarterback of the future”… or is that label really a curse? Either way, with the addition of Osweiler’s ASU teammate WR Gerrell Robinson, the Broncos have set the foundation for what the team will look like three or more years down the road.

So, which is it Broncos fans? What move, outside the signing of Peyton Manning, has you most excited for 2012?

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