STARTERS
Peyton Manning, quarterback
Height, weight: 6-foot-5, 230 pounds
Age: 38
Season as pro: 17th
School: Tennessee
Only five-time MVP in NFL history. Coming off historic season when he set league records for yards passing (5,477) and touchdown passes (55). Propelled the Broncos to league season record for points (606). Already ranks No. 2 in franchise history in career TD passes (92).
Did you know: The Broncos are 28-8 in Manning’s starts, including playoff games. They were 13-23 in their last 36 games preceding his arrival.
Montee Ball, running back
Height, weight: 5-10, 215
Age: 23
Season as a pro: 2nd
College: Wisconsin
Ranked second on the team in rushing last season with 559 yards as a second-round draft pick. The last six weeks of the season, ranked second in the NFL in average yards per carry (6.5). Gained 117 yards on 13 carries at Kansas City. Didn’t play much in the preseason this summer because of his appendectomy.
Did you know: Ball is the only player in major-college football history to score 500 points in his career.
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Demaryius Thomas, wide receiver
Height, weight: 6-3, 229
Age: 26
Season as pro: 5th
School: Georgia Tech
Already a two-time Pro Bowl pick. Ranks second in Broncos history in yards receiving (3,698) and touchdown catches (30) through a player’s first four seasons. Last season, ranked second in the NFL in TD catches (14) and fourth in yards receiving (1,430) on 92 catches. Set a Super Bowl record with 13 receptions.
Did you know: Christmas is his birthday.
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Wes Welker, wide receiver
Height, weight: 5-9, 185
Age: 33
Season as pro: 11th
School: Texas Tech
Limited to 13 games last year because of concussion issues, yet finished his first Denver season with 73 catches for 778 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. Career totals: 841 receptions for 9,358 yards and 48 touchdowns. Five-time Pro Bowl pick.
Did you know: Welker signed with San Diego as an undrafted rookie in 2004 and was cut 4V months later.
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Emmanuel Sanders, wide receiver
Height, weight: 5-11, 180
Age: 27
Season as a pro: 5th
School: SMU
Played his first four seasons with Pittsburgh, producing 161 catches for 2,030 yards and 11 touchdowns. Signed with Denver in mid-March as a free agent. He replaces Eric Decker, now with the New York Jets. Set career highs in starts (10), catches (67), yards (740) and touchdowns (six) last season.
Did you know: When he left SMU, he had school reception records for career catches (235), yards (3,791), touchdowns (34) and 100-yard games (16).
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Julius Thomas, tight end
Height, weight: 6-5, 250
Age: 26
Season as pro: 4th
School: Portland State
Pro Bowl pick last season. Set franchise record for TD catches (12) by a tight end. Finished with 65 receptions for 788 yards, averaging 12.1 yards per catch in his first year as a full-time starter.
Did you know: Thomas averaged 10.8 points and 5.9 rebounds as a senior with the Portland State basketball team while setting a school record by shooting 67 percent from the field.
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Ryan Clady, left tackle
Height, weight: 6-6, 315
Age: 28
Season as pro: 7th
School: Boise State
First team all-pro in 2009 and 2012. Three-time Pro Bowl selection. Played in only two games last year because of a foot injury. Has played in 82 games in his Denver career, all starts. Didn’t miss a game until last year. Was the 12th pick of the 2008 draft, Mike Shanahan’s last first-round selection with the Broncos.
Did you know: Clady’s brother, Chris, was a defensive lineman at CSU-Pueblo in 2009.
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Orlando Franklin, left guard
Height, weight: 6-7, 320
Age: 26
Season as pro: 4th
School: Miami
Three-year starter at right tackle. Moved to left guard after Zane Beadles signed with Jacksonville as a free agent. Second-round pick in the 2011 draft. First rookie right tackle in Broncos history to start every regular-season game. Played left guard and left tackle at Miami.
Did you know: Franklin was born in Jamaica and moved to Toronto with his family when he was 3.
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Manny Ramirez, center
Height, weight: 6-3, 320
Age: 31
Season as pro: 8th
School: Texas Tech
Full-time starter last year as Peyton Manning’s snapper after making 11 starts for Denver at right guard in 2012. Has been a starter in 45 of the 57 games he has played in his NFL career, including playoff games. Helped the Broncos allow the fewest sacks (20) in the league last year.
Did you know: Ramirez was an all-Big 12 lineman who set a Texas Tech weightlifting record by bench pressing 550 pounds.
Louis Vasquez, right guard
Height, weight: 6-5, 335
Age: 27
Season as a pro: 6th
School: Texas Tech
First team all-pro last year in his first Denver season. Played the first four years of his NFL career with San Diego, making 54 starts for the Chargers. Signed with Denver as a free agent in mid-March 2013. Didn’t allow a sack last year and didn’t commit a penalty in 2012.
Did you know: Vasquez was the only Denver player last year who didn’t miss a snap on his side of the ball. He was on the field for a total of 1,207 snaps.
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Chris Clark, right tackle
Height, weight: 6-5, 305
Age: 28
Season as pro: 6th
School: Southern Mississippi
When the Broncos lost Ryan Clady to a foot injury last year, Clark replaced him at left tackle. Now he’s at right tackle, replacing Orlando Franklin, who has moved to left guard. Clark was on Minnesota’s practice squad in 2008 and 2009. Has made 20 starts for Denver, including six in 2011.
Did you know: Clark signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted rookie in 2008 and was cut before the season started.
BACKUPS
Brock Osweiler, quarterback
Height, weight: 6-8, 240 pounds
Age: 23
Season as a pro: 3rd
School: Arizona State
Second-round pick in the 2012 draft. Has been Peyton Manning’s top backup since he was drafted. Had a terrific preseason game at San Francisco this summer, completing 10-of-13 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown.
C.J. Anderson, running back
Height, weight: 5-8, 224
Age: 23
Season as pro: 2nd
School: California
Bowling ball-type back who played in the Super Bowl as an undrafted rookie.
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Ronnie Hillman, running back
Height, weight: 5-10, 195
Age: 22
Season as pro: 3rd
School: San Diego State
Speed back who’s trying to break away from a history of fumbling.
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Juwan Thompson, running back
Height, weight: 5-11, 225
Age: 22
Season as pro: Rookie
School: Duke
Turned heads in Denver’s preseason opener against Seattle, gaining 59 yards on six carries. Another undrafted back. Received a $3,500 signing bonus.
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Andre Caldwell, wide receiver
Height, weight: 6-1, 200
Age: 29
Season as pro: 7th
College: Florida
Averaged 12.5 yards on 16 catches for Denver last season and scored three times.
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Cody Latimer, wide receiver
Height, weight: 6-2, 215
Age: 21
Season as pro: Rookie
School: Indiana
Second-round draft pick. If he stays healthy, will play a lot this year.
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Isaiah Burse, wide receiver
Height, weight: 5-10, 187
Age: 22
Season as a pro: Rookie
School: Fresno State
Former high school quarterback who passed for 6,890 yards and rushed for 4,003. Could be Denver’s kickoff and punt returner.
Jacob Tamme, tight end
Height, weight: 6-3, 230
Age: 29
Season as pro: 7th
School: Kentucky
Made only one start last year but played enough to get 20 catches.
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Virgil Green, tight end
Height, weight: 6-5, 255
Age:
Season as pro: 26, fourth season
School: Nevada
Has only 17 catches in his NFL career, but look for him to be Julius Thomas’ top backup.
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Paul Cornick, tackle
Height, weight: 6-6, 310
Age: 25
Season as pro: 1st
School: North Dakota State
Member of Denver’s practice squad from 2012-13. Entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie two years ago.
Ben Garland, guard
Height, weight: 6-5, 308
Age: 26
Season as pro: 1st
School: Air Force
Captain in the Colorado Air National Guard. Attended high school at Central in Grand Junction.
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Will Montgomery, center
Height, weight: 6-3, 304
Age: 31
Season as pro: 9th
School: Virginia Tech
Made 16 starts for Washington in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Also has played for Carolina and the New York Jets.
Michael Schofield, tackle
Height, weight: 6-6, 301
Age: 23
Season as pro: Rookie
School: Michigan
Third-round draft pick. Made starts for the Wolverines at right tackle and left guard.
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KICKERS
Britton Colquitt, punter
Height, weight: 6-3, 205 pounds
Age: 29
Season as pro: 6th
School: Tennessee
Among the best in the NFL at his position. Ranks first in Broncos history in gross average (45.8 yards per punt) and net average (39.3). His career-high averages are 47.4 (gross) in 2011 and 42.1 (net) in 2012. Signed with Denver as an undrafted rookie in 2009, but was cut before the season started. Re-signed with the Broncos on Dec. 30 that year. Became their full-time punter in 2010.
Did you know: Colquitt has never had a punt blocked in 70 games with Denver, including playoff games.
Matt Prater, place-kicker
Height, weight: 5-10, 195
Age: 30
Season as pro: 8th
School: Central Florida
Will miss the season’s first four games while serving an NFL suspension. Second team all-pro last year, when he set an NFL record with a 64-yard field goal Dec. 8 against Tennessee at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Ranks first in Broncos history in field-goal accuracy at 82.9 percent, having converted 141-of-170 attempts. Had the most accurate season in team history last year at 96.2 percent (25-of-26). Since the 1970 merger, he ranks No. 1 in the league in field-goal accuracy on attempts 50 yards or longer at 77.8 percent (21-of-27).
Did you know: Prater was cut by Detroit, Miami and Atlanta before coming to Denver in 2007.
Aaron Brewer, long snapper
Height, weight: 6-5, 230
Age: 24
Season as pro: 3rd
School: San Diego State
Has been in every game the Broncos have played since the start of the 2012 season.
Did you know: Brewer made five solo tackles as a San Diego State senior snapping for the Aztecs’ punter.
Brandon McManus, place-kicker
Height, weight: 6-3, 201
Age: 23
Season as pro: Rookie
School: Temple
Denver acquired him after Matt Prater’s suspension was announced. Has a powerful leg. Was 60-for-83 (.723) on field-goal attempts at Temple. Also averaged 45.4 yards per punt.
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