For the second year in a row, the Denver Broncos are in the early stages of another big offseason, but it's obvious the franchise wants a completely different outcome this time around. 

The team kicked things off by hiring Sean Payton and then made several big moves during the first week of free agency. Several top-flight players are now Broncos and the hope is they can help eradicate the stench that still lingers from the 2022 season.

It can be hard to keep up with all the moves, so let's go ahead and take a look at the Broncos' depth chart after the first wave of free agency.

Editor's note: Asterisks denote projected starter

Offense

Position	Starter	Reserves
Quarterback	Russell Wilson	Jarrett Stidham, Jarrett Guarantano
Running back	Javonte Williams	Samaje Perine, Damarea Crockett, Tyler Badie, Tyreik McAllister
Fullback	Michael Burton
Wide receiver (X)	Jerry Jeudy*	Courtland Sutton, Brandon Johnson
Wide receiver (Z)	Tim Patrick*	KJ Hamler, Jalen Virgil
Slot receiver	Kendall Hinton*	Montrell Washington, Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Tight end	Greg Dulcich*	Chris Manhertz, Albert Okwuegbunam
Left tackle	Garrett Bowles	Quinn Bailey, Casey Tucker, Parker Ferguson
Left guard	Ben Powers*	Will Sherman
Center	Lloyd Cushenberry	Luke Wattenberg
Right guard	Quinn Meinerz
Right tackle	Mike McGlinchey*	Isaiah Prince, Quinn Bailey, Christian DiLauro, Hunter Thedford

Quarterback is obviously settled and it's very likely Jarrett Stidham holds onto the No. 2 spot. Therefore, Jarrett Guarantano is headed for the practice squad unless the Broncos decide to carry three QBs into the season. 

Samaje Perine is a good backup and can help the Broncos ease Javonte Williams back into the fold. Michael Burton will certainly see playing time in Sean Payton's offense and will be in line to make some big plays throughout the season.

Receiver is where things get really interesting. Do the Broncos make Jerry Jeudy the main X receiver after the success he had last season? He primarily played the position from Weeks 14-18 and recorded 26 receptions for 383 receiving yards and three touchdowns. In terms of percentages, Jeudy recorded 39% of his total receptions, 39% of his total yardage, and half of his total touchdowns over the final five games of the season.

The good news is the Broncos have guys in Courtland Sutton and KJ Hamler that can play multiple positions, but you always want to maximize your players' strengths and it really seems like moving Jeudy into the X is doing just that. In terms of the slot, Kendall Hinton should have a good shot to win the job this year.

Dulcich and Manhertz form a solid tight end duo. The offensive line is bookended by Garrett Boles and Mike McGlinchey, while Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz, and Lloyd Cushenberry man the interior. 

It'll be interesting to see what happens in terms of depth along the offensive line. Isaiah Prince should win the swing tackle job. The versatility and athleticism of Luke Wattenberg makes him a candidate to win a job. Will the Broncos move Quinn Bailey to tackle, where it looks like he's a better fit? There are a lot of questions to sort out in this regard, but Payton and co. will be able to find answers.

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 Defense

Position	Starter	Reserves
Defensive line	Zach Allen*, D.J. Jones*	Jonathan Harris, Matt Henningsen, Jordan Jackson, Elijah Garcia
Defensive line (interior)	Mike Purcell*	Eyioma Uwazurike
LOLB	Baron Browning	Nik Bonitto, Christopher Allen, Jake Martin
LILB	Josey Jewell	Justin Strnad
RILB	Alex Singleton	Jonas Griffith, Ray Wilborn
ROLB	Randy Gregory	Jonathan Cooper, Aaron Patrick
CB1	Patrick Surtain II	Ja’Quan McMillan
CB2	Damarri Mathis*	Tremon Smith, Delonte Hood
Nickel	K’Waun Williams	Essang Bassey, Faion Hicks
Safety	Justin Simmons, Caden Sterns*	P.J. Locke, Delarrin Turner-Yell, Devon Key

It's more than fair to label Zach Allen as Dre'Mont Jones' replacement. He is a versatile player that will line up across the defensive front a la Jones. The other Jones, D.J. Jones, seems better suited for that second 4t-5t defensive line position and then Mike Purcell should be the current front-runner for starting nose tackle. 

The Broncos have their two starting EDGEs in Baron Browning and Randy Gregory. Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton are back for another run on the inside, too. Nik Bonitto's development will be something to watch this year. Can he become the third guy in the pass rush rotation?

Damarri Harris is currently the team's No. 2 corner, but the Broncos signed Tremon Smith for competition. K'Waun Williams should hold onto the nickel spot as long as he's healthy. The Broncos need to add another corner or two for depth purposes.

Can Cade Sterns take over for Kareem Jackson at safety? He was really taking off before a hip injury derailed his season. That would be a major development for the Broncos if it were to happen.

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Special teams

Position	Starter	Reserve
Kicker	Brandon McManus
Punter	Riley Dixon
Long snapper	Mitchell Fraboni
Kick returner	Tremon Smith	Montrell Washington
Punt returner	Montrell Washington	Tremon Smith

Brandon McManus is locked in at placekicker. Riley Dixon was recently signed, so it'll be interesting to see if the Broncos bring in another punter down the road. Mitchell Fraboni's story is pretty cool: The Broncos signed him to the practice squad in October 2022 and now he's on the verge of entering 2023 as the starting long snapper.

Returner will be interesting. Smith has a solid history of returning kicks. Can he supplant Montrell Washington as the team's primary kick returner? On the flip side, Washington has a better track record when it comes to punt returns. There's certainly a world where both share duties. 

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Final word: The offense actually looks to be really in good shape, right now, which is kind of weird to say when considering how bad the unit was in 2022. The defense, on the other hand, has some questions and more holes to fill. Which is weird considering how good the unit was in 2022.

Regardless, it's still early. The main goal moving forward is to figure out Jeudy's role and the offensive line depth and then add some pass rushers and secondary players on defense.

It'll be interesting to see if the Broncos do that through the remaining weeks of free agency and of course, the NFL Draft.