2014 Denver Broncos season
Position Player Tag 2014 Team Notes
S Mike Adams UFA Indianapolis Colts signed with the Colts on June 14
DE Robert Ayers UFA New York Giants signed with the Giants on April 2
G Zane Beadles UFA Jacksonville Jaguars signed with the Jaguars on March 11
LB Stewart Bradley UFA None
WR Andre Caldwell UFA Denver Broncos re-signed March 11
CB Tony Carter ERFA Denver Broncos assigned tender on March 7 , re-signed April 21
CB Marquice Cole UFA None
WR Eric Decker UFA New York Jets signed with the Jets on March 12
CB Chris Harris , Jr RFA Denver Broncos assigned tender on March 7 , re-signed April 1
WR/ RS Trindon Holliday UFA New York Giants signed with the Giants on March 7
S Michael Huff UFA None
S Duke Ihenacho ERFA Washington Redskins assigned tender on March 7 , re-signed April 21 , waived August 30 , claimed by the Redskins on August 31
CB Quentin Jammer UFA None
OT Winston Justice UFA None re-signed March 28 , released August 24
C Dan Koppen UFA None
LB Paris Lenon UFA None
LB Brandon Marshall ERFA Denver Broncos assigned tender on March 7 , re-signed April 21
DE Jeremy Mincey UFA Dallas Cowboys signed with the Cowboys on March 12
RB Knowshon Moreno UFA Miami Dolphins signed with the Dolphins on March 27
DE/LB Shaun Phillips UFA Tennessee Titans signed with the Titans on March 27
Roster changes -- Free agents
The 2014 Denver Broncos season was the franchise's 45th season in the National Football League and the 55th overall. It also marked the third season with Peyton Manning as the team's starting quarterback. The Broncos entered the 2014 season as the defending AFC champions, hoping to compete for another Super Bowl run, following a 43-8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII. The offseason was dominated by numerous roster changes, including the retirement of longtime cornerback Champ Bailey. One day before the start of the team's training camp, the Broncos announced that owner Pat Bowlen relinquished control of the team due to his battle with Alzheimer's disease. Like the previous two seasons, the Broncos set numerous individual, league and franchise records, including wide receiver Demaryius Thomas setting a new franchise record for receiving yards in a single season, despite the team's offensive philosophy changing toward a run-oriented offense in the second half of the season. Manning threw a total of 40 touchdown passes, but only four came in the last four games of the regular season and the playoffs. In addition, Manning achieved only one 300-yard passing game within the team's last seven games (including the playoffs), courtesy of the emergence of running back C. J. Anderson, who achieved 1,282 all-purpose yards, the majority of which came in the second half of the regular season and the playoffs. One day after the Broncos' 24-13 playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the Divisional round of the playoffs, media reports indicated that Manning had been playing with a strained quadriceps since a Week 15 game against the San Diego Chargers. The Broncos clinched their fourth consecutive AFC West division title, a first-round bye and the AFC's No. 2 seed, but lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. This was also John Fox's final year as the Broncos' head coach after four seasons, as he mutually agreed to part ways with the team on January 12, 2015, possibly due to poor playoff performances during his tenure, including no playoff wins in 2012 and 2014, as well as suffering a blowout loss in Super Bowl XLVIII.