Wednesday, May 15 Is Brian Griese the quarterback to lead the Broncos back to the top of the AFC? This question hasn't been answered over a full season. Griese's shoulder injuries have caused a breakdown in the offense in 1999 and 2000. Injuries at receiver killed him last year. But Griese isn't completely loved in the locker room. There is no question he has the ability and the smarts to run the offense at a playoff level. But it isn't the happiest huddle in the NFL. That's where Shannon Sharpe should help. Sharpe is trying to prove to coach Mike Shanahan and Broncos fans what they missed when he left for Baltimore for two seasons. When Sharpe is on the field, he becomes a leader along with being a dependable receviing threat for Griese. Sharpe will keep the huddle loose and confident. His presence should make Griese a "sharper" quarterback. It's up to Brian to do the rest.

Despite Super Bowl expectations in the preseason, Denver struggled to an 8-8 record in 2001, missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. The biggest drop for Denver was on offense, where the Broncos scored almost nine points less per game in 2001 (21.2) than in 2000 (30.3). Losing wide receiver Ed McCaffrey after one game to a broken leg dealt Denver a serious blow and contributed to the offensive woes. Without McCaffrey, quarterback Brian Griese struggled all season, tossing 19 interceptions and finishing with a passer rating of 78.5.

Offensively, the biggest move the Broncos made this offseason was bringing future Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe back to Denver. While Sharpe, 33, is getting up their in age, he's still one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL. The last two seasons in Baltimore, Sharper caught 67 and 71 passes respectively. He'll provide quarterback Griese with a go-to target, especially on third downs and in the red zone. Almost as important as his on the field performance will be the impact Sharpe will have in a locker room that could use some veteran leadership.

On the defensive side, Denver lost linebacker Bill Romanowski, who was signed by the Raiders. Despite a productive season that saw him start 16 games and record seven sacks, Romanowski was deemed expendable. He'll be replaced in the starting lineup by special teams standout Ian Gold, who will give the Broncos more speed. Terry Killens (49ers) was signed to add depth to the linebacking corps. The biggest move along the defensive line is the plan to move defensive tackle Trevor Pryce outside to defensive end to boost the pass rush. Denver signed 330-pound tackle Lional Dalton (Ravens) to take Pryce's place at DT. Dalton is bigger than Pryce (295 pounds) and should help collapse the pocket.

Griese spent plenty of time in the news this offseason. Earlier this month, Griese received seven stitches after falling and knocking himself unconscious in the driveway of teammate Terrell Davis home. According to reports, there was no indication that alcohol was involved in Griese's fall. On March 28 of last year, Griese pleaded guilty to driving while impaired and was placed on 12 months probation. He also was placed in the NFL substance abuse program, which requires him to submit to testing for two seasons. Earlier in the offseason, at the owners meeting in March, coach Mike Shanahan publicly challenged Griese to rebound from a disappointing 2001 season. "We'll find out this year if he likes to be the quarterback and likes to be the underdog and likes a little pressure on him," Shanahan said. While Shanahan also expressed confidence in Griese, it's clear that all eyes will be squarely focused on the fifth-year quarterback.

	BRONCOS AT A GLANCE
	Brian Griese threw 23 TDs      last season.
	2001 record: 8-8 Team rank (NFL): Defense (8th); Offense (22nd) Broncos team news

Shanahan also generated plenty of news with his flirtation with college coaching jobs at Florida and Notre Dame. An offensive coordinator at Florida from 1980-83, the Gators job was the one that seemed the closest to luring Shanahan to the college ranks. However, in the end, he decided to remain in Denver.