When Pat Bowlen was asked why he fired Mike Shanahan after once proclaiming the two-time Super Bowl winner could be the franchise’s coach for life, the Broncos’ owner put the official stamp on the upcoming season. Without hesitation, he simply said: “Things change.”

And change they have for the Broncos, in a tidal wave of cuts, signings and an offseason of turmoil. Shanahan — gone. Pro Bowl quarterback — gone.

Welcome, Josh McDaniels, to the toughest job you’ve ever had. McDaniels is now on the spot, facing a football-mad city full of raised eyebrows to see if the 33-year-old first-time head coach can get the franchise out of its recent doldrums without the guy many considered the team’s most important player, quarterback Jay Cutler.

The Broncos have missed the playoffs three consecutive years and have won only one playoff game since the second of back-to-back Super Bowl titles to close out the 1998 season.

There’s plenty of work to do and plenty of questions that need to be answered.

COACHES 

McDaniels got the job based on his offensive chops — his work with Patriots quarterbacks Tom Brady and Matt Cassel. He wants the Broncos to be more physical up front on offense and will move toward a power running game and away from the team’s signature zone blocking scheme. On defense, he’s installing a 3-4 as the team’s base look. He is hoping to re-create the Bill Belichick roster model of having versatile players who will allow him to change his game plan from week to week. He will not have the personnel to do everything he wants this season, but he’s hoping to get to that point pretty quickly. Former 49ers coach Mike Nolan is running the show on defense, and he wants to be able to play 3-4 or 4-3 based on weekly needs. Some of Nolan’s former 49ers players say it was a difficult thing to do each week, that it was a confusing approach that yielded poor results. McDaniels will call the plays on offense and coordinate the game-planning, but Mike McCoy will have the title of offensive coordinator and work with the quarterbacks day-to-day.

QUARTERBACKS 

McDaniels first contemplated trading Cutler, then said he would keep him but ultimately shipped the strong-armed quarterback to the Bears when the relationship completely deteriorated. That leaves Kyle Orton, who came as part of the Cutler deal, and Chris Simms fighting for the starting job. McDaniels is not looking for a risk taker in the pocket, and Cutler would have had to adjust his game had he stayed. The Broncos like Orton’s winning record, and he has demonstrated decent arm strength in workouts, but he’s going to have to show he can get the ball out quickly and take fewer hits. He cannot take unnecessary sacks and surrender field position the Broncos may not be able to get back. In his final months with the Titans, Simms was throwing with the type of velocity he showed when he came into the league. His shoulder, which he injured back in 2004, is no longer an issue. Simms is going to be the underdog in this quarterback battle, but the player who makes the fewest mistakes will win the job. McDaniels is looking for someone to play it by the numbers and do what he’s told.

RUNNING BACKS 

The backfield is crowded, but rookie Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter and LaMont Jordan figure to fight it out for the most carries. Buckhalter is always going to be limited in his workload because of previous knee troubles, and Arrington was still on crutches from an offseason knee surgery when he made his free agent visit. Moreno’s total package gives him the best chance to be the starter. He has a better chance to play three downs than most rookies because of his pass-protection skills. He’s a willing blocker who will step in and drive through the target. That gives him the potential to clear one of the biggest hurdles for plenty of playing time. But even with him in the mix, the Broncos are missing a home run threat at this position. The Broncos will employ more of a two-tight end look in the run game — McDaniels doesn’t use two backs all that often in his scheme — and will certainly be looking to play with less finesse as well. That also means the fullbacks on the roster such as Peyton Hillis will have to catch the ball with some consistency and offer something on special teams or they won’t be around for long.

RECEIVERS 

Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal give the team a productive duo at the top of the depth chart, with Brandon Stokley still looking like he will be the slot receiver much of the time. The Broncos also added Jabar Gaffney to the mix because of his familiarity with McDaniels’ offense and Brandon Lloyd for depth. Royal had a breakout year as a rookie in ’08, and his precise route-running, as well as his ability to get in and out of his breaks with some pop, will be what McDaniels is looking for on the outside. Marshall will likely face some scrutiny from the new coach. Despite making a trip to the Pro Bowl in ’08, Marshall was not the most reliable route-runner; he tended to freelance too often. McDaniels is looking for precision. Marshall, who’s had some off-the-field scrapes, is in a contract year and will have to show he’s one of the “tough, smart, competitive” players McDaniels says he wants. There’s also a possibility he won’t be with the Broncos when the season begins due to trade demands. At tight end, bigger is better in McDaniels’ offense, so Daniel Graham and rookie Richard Quinn are the most desirable options. Tony Scheffler, who was the topic of some trade talks in the offseason, may be looking at situational duty if he can’t show more power in the run game.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN 

Did we mention McDaniels likes big? So the movement-heavy system the Broncos used up front under Shanahan that favored plenty of quick, undersized linemen is no longer in style. It’s a power game now, and a line that played with very few 300-pounders under Shanahan will gradually add more beef over the next few seasons. Guards will pull more, and the guys up front will have to lock on and drive. It’s a transition, especially for the returning guards — Chris Kuper and Ben Hamilton — and the center, Casey Wiegmann. McDaniels inherited a quality tackle tandem in Ryan Harris and Ryan Clady. Clady was dominant throughout his rookie season at left tackle and will be there for quite some time. This team could not pound out the short-yardage plays in ’08 and suffered in the red zone because of it.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN 

The defensive line is the biggest question mark on a team full of issues. The linemen haven’t consistently rushed the passer in years, and they have been dismal against the run as well in the past two seasons. The Broncos figure to play plenty of the 3-4 without a front line well-versed in the defense. They may have to put their nosetackle offset, in the gap between the center and guard, because they don’t have a guy who will consistently command the double team in the middle of the field. The Broncos opted not address this position in the draft because they weren’t impressed with the quality of defensive tackles on the board. As a result, Marcus Thomas and Ronald Fields will head into camp as the top two options. Kenny Peterson, Matthias Askew and Nic Clemons will be in the mix at end. The Broncos also added rookie Robert Ayers, who will serve as a hybrid end/outside linebacker.

LINEBACKERS 

In the change to the 3-4, former defensive ends such as Elvis Dumervil and Jarvis Moss are trying to learn the outside linebacker position. Moss struggled some in early workouts, especially with getting back in the passing lanes. Dumervil’s big reach and ability to consistently get leverage on bigger players gives him a chance to play at least on passing downs. Darrell Reid, a quality special teams player, will also get his shot on the outside. The Broncos won’t know what they’re going to get from Boss Bailey until training camp as he continues to recover from microfracture surgery on his left knee. The team hopes Ayers, who was an end at Tennessee, can emerge as a pass-rushing threat, something the Broncos have lacked out of this position for years. D.J. Williams will play the weak-side inside linebacker spot, with Andra Davis getting the first look on the other side. Without a true nosetackle in front of them, the inside backers will be required to make a lot of plays in the running game.

DEFENSIVE BACKS 

The first nine seasons of Champ Bailey’s career were relatively injury-free, but the All-Pro corner has dealt with hamstring, groin and elbow injuries over the last two seasons. Despite these various maladies, he’s still the team’s top corner. Look for him to get challenged more and more, though, as opposing quarterbacks test his health. The Broncos signed Andre’ Goodman to replace Dre’ Bly at the right corner spot. Rookie Alphonso Smith, a second-round pick out of Wake Forest, will get a long look as the nickelback. The Broncos believed they upgraded the safety position by signing veteran Brian Dawkins, who made seven Pro Bowls in 13 seasons with the Eagles. He will team with Renaldo Hill, signed away from Miami in the offseason. Facing little rush, quarterbacks have picked on this secondary plenty over the last two seasons.

SPECIALISTS 

Matt Prater has a powerful leg, but he struggled with his accuracy from 40-49 yards last season (he hit 5-of-11 from this distance) and let the criticism — from his coaches and the fans — get to him. He’s valuable because he can kick off as well, but if he can’t regain his confidence, the Broncos will be looking to make a change at some point. Punter Brett Kern, when he’s consistent with his ball drop, can do the job. Now in his second year, Kern must show the consistency that could keep him in the league for a while. Royal will return punts — he’s gifted in traffic and reliable to the ball — but the kickoff return job likely won’t get worked out until the preseason. Arrington is certainly a candidate, but beyond him the Broncos will be taking auditions.

This preview appears in the 2009 Athlon Sports Pro Football Magazine. Click here to purchase your copy.

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