The Denver Broncos are coming into the 2014 season with Super Bowl on their minds and heading out of the draft, the team could look to trade with the Saints for Mark Ingram, as they have Montee Ball as the starter in just his second year and he could boost the rushing game after losing Knowshon Moreno, while rookie Cody Latimer could push Wes Welker in the offense for Peyton Manning after being drafted in the second round.
Ingram has been rumored as a target for the Broncos since before the draft, but things have settled a bit since the event and while it's likely he will stay with the Saints for this season, anything can happen between now and Week 1. According to ESPN.com, the team did not pick up the option on Ingram and that is one reason why the trade rumors have come up and with the Broncos being focused on making the Super Bowl again, this could be a move they explore down the line.
Last season the team was the highest scoring offense in the league, but they did not rush the ball as well as they passed it and while that is part of the game plan, the team would love to be more effective on the ground. The team lost Knowshon Moreno in free agency and after ranking 15th in rushing last season in yards per game, the Broncos appear to be ready to give Montee Ball the starting job in his second year. Last season Ball was solid, rushing for nearly 600 yards and four touchdowns with an impressive 4.7 yards per carry, but the team may want a more experienced back in there.
Ingram rushed for 1,462 yards with 11 touchdowns in 37 games for the Saints and while that is not great production, that was partly due to the offense the team runs and injuries. Ingram appears to finally be fully healthy and while the Saints will benefit from having him this season if they keep him, they have Pierre Thomas and other backs to make up for it if they trade him. Ingram is a tough runner and he played well down the stretch last season and had a career high game against the Cowboys and that could spark a move from either side.
The Broncos lost Eric Decker in free agency and while he was very productive last season, the team realized they had depth at the position and did not need to pay him as much as the Jets did to keep him in the fold. The Broncos made a smart move and drafted Latimer and now he could end up pushing into the starting lineup with Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker as another weapon for Peyton Manning. Last season Thomas was excellent with 92 catches for 1,430 yards, while Decker had 87 catches for 1,288 yards and the Broncos are hoping Latimer can make up for that production.
Latimer is coming in with the chance to make a big impact, as he is a very fast and smart receiver and is coming off of a strong year with Indiana. Last season Latimer had 72 catches for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns and he did it despite defenses knowing he was getting the ball on most passing plays.
