[DenverChief]

Another good clip.

Lack of young hired help

Part of the charm of the NFL is free agency. Part of the harm is that signing high-priced players to big contracts forces teams to sacrifice depth at other positions.

Denver's offensive line needed help at right tackle this season. The team lost faith in Chris Clark and Paul Cornick, and ended up moving Louis Vasquez, an all-pro guard, to tackle. The draft picks, aside from cornerback Bradley Roby, made no impact.

Offensive tackle Michael Schofield, a third-round pick, didn't play well in the preseason and was inactive for 17 games. Wide receiver Cody Latimer wowed in training camp, but the second-round pick finished with only two catches at a time when Wes Welker's shrinking role should have created more playing time.

Lamin Barrow, a fifth-rounder who was expected to compete for the middle linebacker job, had one tackle. When injuries sidelined linebackers Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall, Denver turned to rookie Todd Davis, snared from the Saints' practice squad in November, to plug the gap.

A top-heavy roster with 10 Pro Bowl players produces wins, but a balanced roster is necessary to provide depth — and playmaking ability on special teams, which the Broncos also lacked.