ENGLEWOOD, Colo. –When linebacker Von Miller proclaimed on Twitter that the Broncos were going to win the Super Bowl in 2013, he wasn't the only player with lofty goals and expectations for the upcoming season.
The Broncos have inked four players to contracts so far during the 2013 offseason and each of those players said they were drawn to the orange and blue thanks to those high expectations.
"Basically winning was most important to me, honestly," said defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, who signed with Denver on Wednesday. "There was no way I'd leave this building without a contract and I wanted to win."
The Broncos finished tied for the best record in the NFL and earned the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed with a 13-3 record a year ago.
Then, the season ended abruptly in the Divisional Round against the eventual Super-Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens.
Still, the 11-game win streak that the team ended the regular season on showed signs of the club's potential.
"You always want to be on a winning team," said safety David Bruton, who re-signed with the team prior to the start of the free agency period. "We have had two consecutive seasons where we made the playoffs and I was able to experience that. I love the taste, but also have that foul taste that we didn't make it to the Super Bowl. I feel as though the opportunity to make it there was a lot stronger here."
Defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson was drawn to re-sign by the growth he saw from the team as they rebounded from a 2-3 start to win the last 11 games of the regular season.
"The things we accomplished last year within the year of putting it together – I think with another year under the same defensive head coach we can flourish," he said. "I think we were a top-five defense this year. It can only get better."
"We're a contender," he continued. "I think we have a chance to do something special. That's really where I'm at, and that is why I signed back."
Stewart Bradley signed with Denver on Thursday and cited the team's success in 2012 as a factor in his decision.
"I think that they have high expectations here, which I think breeds good football," he said. "Obviously they have the pieces in place to win football games. They showed they could do it last year."
Vickerson and Bruton were both part of last year's success.
Stewart and Knighton on the other hand both came from last place teams that combined for seven wins in 2012.
Though all teams are 0-0 at the moment, the opportunity to play for a team with lofty aspirations like the Broncos have appealed to the new signees.
"There are a few teams in the league that you could say actually have a chance of playing in the Super Bowl," Knighton said. "This is definitely one of those places. That's basically the ultimate factor."
