This offseason began with the Broncos trailing by 58.
And it could have been worse. The fans left early when the Broncos were trounced 41-3 by San Diego in their first meeting in Denver, and the Chargers pulled their mouthy starters early while coasting to a 23-3 win in the second meeting.
The combined 2007 score between the first- and second-place teams in the AFC West: 64-6.
The Chargers aren’t just playing in a different time zone. As the Broncos make final preparations for the NFL draft on Saturday, the Chargers appear to be in a different league.
Stopping the run was the Broncos’ primary focus this offseason, but a gap this large suggests problems are too scattered to be pinpointed.
“Anybody who plays San Diego, your offensive line better be pretty good,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said recently, “or else you’re in for a long day. They have arguably the best front seven in the National Football League.”
Thus, protecting quarterback Jay Cutler becomes Broncos’ priority No. 1.
With Ted Sundquist ousted as general manager, the Broncos will rely on the Goodmans — Jim and his son Jeff — to take control of the draft. As usual, Shanahan has the final say.
“Jim is on the road all year,” Shana- han said. “He knows every player in the draft. He can talk about it thoroughly. He just keeps on getting better. (Jeff’s) done an unbelievable job since he’s been here studying film and evaluating players.”
Come draft day, the Goodmans will look at the players they ranked on their board while keeping an eye on positions of need. A breakdown:
Offensive tackle: The Goodmans know their line has improved with the return of veteran center Tom Nalen and left guard Ben Hamilton from injuries. There is some concern at tackle, where LT Matt Lepsis retired and Erik Pears is an overachieving, undrafted free agent from Colorado State on the right.
The Broncos took Ryan Harris in the third round a year ago, but he missed considerable time because of back surgery during training camp.
Chris Kuper, who started in place of Hamilton at left guard last season, will be given a chance to compete at left and right tackle, but the Broncos are expected to select one more Saturday, either with their No. 12 overall pick in the first round or No. 42 overall in the second round.
Defensive tackle: The Broncos will try to make a second-day draft trade with the New York Jets for veteran defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson. But there is a desire to add one more interior lineman to team with Marcus Thomas, who started five games as a rookie last season.
To get their defensive tackle on Saturday, the Broncos could have three options. One, hope USC’s Sedrick Ellis slides to within trading-up distance of No. 12, which might cost the Broncos to pair a first-round pick this year with one of their top picks in next year’s draft. Two, trade down to pick up North Carolina’s Kentwan Balmer. Or, three, wait until the second round before selecting a defensive tackle such as Trevor Laws (Notre Dame), Dre Moore (Maryland) or Pat Sims (Auburn).
Safety: John Lynch almost retired this year, so his 16th season will undoubtedly be his last. Hamza Abdullah will enter his free-agent year with only eight career starts. If they can slip back in the first round, but not too far back, the Broncos will consider Miami’s Kenny Phillips. A second-round possibility is Oklahoma’s Reggie Smith.
Middle linebacker: Niko Koutouvides is unproven as a starter. If Jerod Mayo (Tennessee), Dan Connor (Penn State) or Curtis Lofton (Oklahoma) slide to the second round, there may be discussion at Dove Valley about grabbing a middle linebacker.
Running back: The Broncos love Oregon’s Jonathan Stewart and they had Illinois’ Rashard Mendenhall in for a visit last week. It would be a significant veer from their draft tendencies, though, if the Broncos took a running back in the first round. Besides, the Broncos already have one of the league’s best running back evaluators in Bobby Turner. Why waste his talent on a back anyone can pick?
Special teams: At his end-of-season news conference, Shanahan dodged all questions regarding need positions except one: “We definitely need a returner,” he said.
There is usually a run on returners in the second round. The Broncos also may take a punter and kicker with one of their extra picks in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds.
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com
