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Football forecast: Predicting the Broncos' top veteran offseason addition

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As the Broncos' 2020 season approaches, we'll spend the next few weeks looking at which Broncos players could play major roles this year.

Over the next several weeks, we'll poll our DenverBroncos.com reporters and members of the local media to predict which members of the team would win a series of awards. You, the fans, also weighed in with your opinions.

We'll pick an MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year and winners in several other categories.

We previously identified Bradley Chubb as the consensus pick for the team's Comeback Player of the Year award and Noah Fant as the team's Breakout Player of the Year. We now continue with predictions for the Broncos' top veteran offseason addition.

The Broncos made a series of big moves this offseason, as they signed Graham Glasgow and Melvin Gordon and traded for A.J. Bouye and Jurrell Casey.

Casey, a five-time Pro Bowler, received 14 of 19 votes to earn the nod as the team's top Veteran Offseason Addition.

DENVERBRONCOS.COM STAFF PICKS FOR THE BRONCOS' TOP VETERAN OFFSEASON ADDITION

(Individuals polled: Matt Boyer, Aric DiLalla, Sydney Jones, Phil Milani, Alexis Perry, Ben Swanson)

DL Jurrell Casey: 4 votes

DiLalla: "The five-time Pro Bowler should make the biggest impact in Denver, because he creates a math problem that offensive coordinators simply won't be able to solve. With Casey, Von Miller and Bradley Chubb all on the field — not to mention the Broncos' other eight defenders — opponents won't be able to double-team all three of the dangerous pass rushers. If they dedicate two linemen to Casey, either Chubb or Miller will have a one-on-one. And if they choose the alternative, Casey shouldn't have an issue recording another season with at least five sacks."

Jones: "This is another no-brainer considering that fact that Denver got the five-time Pro Bowler for just a seventh-round pick. Casey is only 30 years old and is still in the prime of his career. I think this is a steal considering it only took a seventh-round pick to create arguably one of the best defensive lines in the NFL."

Milani: "Ask Dalton Risner about Casey, and you will know why the former Titans defensive lineman has been selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls. The two faced off last year in a Week 6 matchup at Empower Field at Mile High. Risner claims that Casey identified plays before they happened and was nearly impossible to block. He should provide enormous production in the middle of the Broncos' D-line, while also freeing up things for pass rushers on the outside. Trading for Casey might be just the move to take this Broncos defense to elite status."

Perry: "It's tough to choose from all the stars John Elway signed this offseason, but Jurrell Casey is who I'm most excited about. You don't earn five Pro Bowl selections by being ordinary at your position, and Casey is anything but ordinary. Casey is one of the most underrated, disruptive defensive linemen in the game who I'm predicting will rack up at least 38 tackles and seven sacks in 2020. Keep an eye out for him during the season opener on 'Monday Night Football,' I have a feeling he'll be in full beast mode up against the Tennessee Titans, his former team."

CB A.J. Bouye: 2 votes

Boyer: "He's the unquestioned No. 1 cornerback for the Broncos and will likely float to an opponents' toughest wideout in man-to-man situations. With the departure of Chris Harris Jr., Bouye will be counted on heavily in a group of corners that is still pretty young."

Swanson: "It was hard deciding between Bouye and Jurrell Casey, but I'll go with Bouye simply because I think there will be a tremendous opportunity — and great pressure on him — to shore up the passing defense. He'll immediate step in as the No. 1 corner, and in Vic Fangio's defense, I think he'll rebound from an uneven final season in Jacksonville. The defense already has two great safeties with Justin Simmons and Kareem Jackson, and I think Fangio and Defensive Coordinator Ed Donatell will put Bouye in position to succeed as the pass rush puts the heat on quarterbacks and forces them into dangerous throws."

MEDIA PICKS FOR THE BRONCOS' TOP VETERAN OFFSEASON ADDITION

(Individuals polled: Nicki Jhabvala, The Athletic; Lindsay Jones, The Athletic; Ryan Koenigsberg, DNVR; Brandon Krisztal, KOA; Mike Klis, KUSA; Jeff Legwold, ESPN senior writer; Steve Levy, ESPN/KUSA; Dave Logan, KOA News Radio; Ryan O'Halloran, Denver Post; James Palmer, NFL Network; Troy Renck, KMGH; Peter Schrager, NFL Network; Michael Spencer, CBS Denver)

DL Jurrell Casey: 10 votes

Jhabvala: "A productive pass rusher and consistent run-stopper, Casey is one of only four defensive linemen to have at least 40 tackles, five sacks and 10 quarterback hits in each of the last seven seasons. The Broncos needed help with their interior pass rush last season, and Casey's presence should not only create trouble for quarterbacks, but also more opportunities for Von Miller and Chubb."

Jones: "The Broncos' defensive line will be different without Derek Wolfe, but I think Casey will be a huge presence as an interior pass rusher and I think he'll pretty quickly join Von Miller as the leader of the defensive side of the locker room."

Koenigsberg: "While Derek Wolfe had a great career in Denver, he never made the Pro Bowl. With Wolfe now a Baltimore Raven, the Broncos are replacing him with a guy who has five Pro Bowls to his name. It's not a stretch to say that Casey very well may be the best player Von Miller has ever worked with on the left side of the line. Watch out, offenses."

Krisztal: "It's not often you hear players openly talk about the Hall of Fame, but that's exactly what Jurrell Casey did the first time he met the Denver media. He mentioned that playing next to Von & Chubb will make it that much easier, telling me on KOA the day he was traded, 'The talent that those guys posses is gonna open up the game for me a whole lot, and that's all I can ask for. At this time in my career [I'm] looking to take off and be a Hall of Fame Player!' Casey has gone to five straight Pro Bowls, so there's no reason to think, playing next to those pass rushers and in Vic Fangio's defense, that he won't be headed to a sixth straight Pro Bowl."

Legwold: "It's close between Melvin Gordon and Casey, but I give the nod to Casey and he remains potentially as one of the best steals of the offseason anywhere in the league — to secure a five-time Pro Bowl selection who is healthy, playing at a high level in exchange for a seventh-round pick."

O'Halloran: "A Pro Bowl selection the last five years, Casey will make it eight consecutive seasons with at least five sacks as he works with outside linebackers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb (translation: plenty of 1-on-1 matchups)."

Renck: "He is disruptive, a wrecker of game plans. He will play well, while also providing DeMarcus Ware-type leadership in the locker room."

Spencer: "Any time you can add a Pro Bowler to a good defense it is a major win. Casey's experience and talent will prove to be a big boost to the Broncos' D, and could allow for big years from Von Miller and Bradley Chubb."

James Palmer and Peter Schrager also selected Casey for the award.

G Graham Glasgow: 2 votes

Klis: "He got the richest contract. Always follow the money."

Logan: "Expected to solidify the interior [offensive line]. Has multiple NFL starts at guard and center."

RB Melvin Gordon III: 1 vote

Levy: "This too feels like chalk, but Melvin Gordon has plenty to prove and a lot left in the tank to do it. Drew Lock will count on Gordon to take some of the pressure off of him and Gordon's success running will open up the passing game. Staying in the division, without having a lot of outside offers, will make for a motivated Mel."

FAN PICKS FOR THE BRONCOS' TOP VETERAN OFFSEASON ADDITION

The following is a sampling of responses from members of Broncos Country.

"Let's not sleep on Graham Glasgow. Man is about to help our offensive line out tremendously. He has had 2 holding penalties in 2 years and doesn't allow sacks." - @DGilbert3

"Easily Jurrell Casey" - @CaroinaDNA

"Most important was A.J. Bouye" - @JoeJube

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