I'm sorry, I don't understand this one. Not only is Shannon Sharpe a slam dunk hall of famer, but he is a first-ballot inductee by pretty much any measure. Yet, he has gone through the process twice and has not been voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

I don't understand how there could be an argument against Sharpe. He retired with the most receptions, yards and touchdown catches for any tight end in NFL history. He obviously has better numbers in each one of those categories than any other hall-of-fame tight end. He won three Super Bowls, two with the Broncos and another with the Ravens. If the argument is that he is a glorified receiver - well, Terrell Davis still rushed for 2,000 yards with Sharpe on the line, and Jamal Lewis had some big years running the ball behind Sharpe in Baltimore. He made signature plays, especially during the Ravens' playoff run in 2000. And while Kellen Winslow might take offense, Sharpe revolutionized the tight end position. He might not have been the first tight end who was much more a receiver than a blocker, but he was the best, at least before Tony Gonzalez came along. Gonzalez has broken Sharpe's records, but is that really a reason to deny Sharpe his rightful place in Canton?

“I’m very disappointed about Shannon not getting in because there’s not a more deserving person for his position," said Rod Smith, via Pro Link Sports' blog. "I know it’s inevitable that he will be enshrined in Canton one day, because that’s the class of player he was, but I don’t think he should have to wait long.”

Receiver Ed McCaffrey agreed that Sharpe should have been voted in.

“Shannon was one of the hardest-working guys I ever played with, and is unquestionably one of the greatest tight ends to play this game," McCaffrey said, via Pro Link Sports. "I’m sorry to see he did not make this year’s class. He is very deserving, and belongs among the game’s very best.”

I also will not buy the argument that Sharpe will eventually get in, so it's OK. That should not be the point of the hall of fame. With all due respect to Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson and John Randle (Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith were obvious picks), they did not have a bigger impact on the game and weren't better than Sharpe. It's almost impossible to make an argument they were.

Yet, Sharpe waits to get in the hall. And here everyone thought the hall of fame was about including the greatest players ever (and we can't pretend the best eligible players are in with Sharpe and Cris Carter still on the outside), not waiting turns while less deserving players get their busts.

The next position to break down is outside linebackers, where the Broncos have plenty of questions to answer this offseason:

Will Elvis Dumervil return? The short answer would appear to be yes. There's much more debate about fellow free agent Brandon Marshall, given Marshall's off-field problems and the 2009 distractions, and one could even argue about his true worth if you believe that catches are an overrated statistic. But Dumervil is a perfect player to invest in. When he was asked to move to outside linebacker he did so without complaining and worked extremely hard to master the position. He has not caused the Broncos any awkward moments off the field and has been a model teammate in the locker room. In fact, he won the Darrent Williams Good Guy Award for his cooperation with the media this season. And he was the top playmaker on the defense. He was dominant on third down and almost all of his league-leading 17 sacks were key plays. Dumervil didn't put up great tackle numbers - the outside linebacker position in the defense wasn't asked to make tackles, however - but if you can't rush the quarterback in the NFL your defense will struggle. Denver had 40 sacks this season: 17 from Dumervil and 23 from everyone else. Dumervil's pressure is also a major reason the Broncos didn't give up many long pass plays.

So there doesn't seem to be any reason for the Broncos to sign Dumervil to a long-term deal. Although former Broncos defensive coordinator Mike Nolan would surely like to sign Dumervil in Miami, the Broncos don't have to let Dumervil go. He is restricted unless there's a new collective-bargaining agreement. If he is unrestricted, the franchise and transition numbers for linebackers will be $9.68 million or $8.373 million, according to the Star Ledger. That's a reasonable rate for a player as good as Dumervil.

What to make of Ayers? For the record, 384 NFL players had at least half of a sack in 2009. So any Broncos fan who claims Robert Ayers had a good rookie season and made an immediate impact can't see past their orange and blue tinted glasses. Ayers played just about every snap in the Broncos nickel defense in 2009 and didn't have a sack. While some of that had to do with his role and setting the edge while DUmervil rushed the passer, the fact that he didn't get a sack all season is not a great sign. He has a lot of room to improve, which Josh McDaniels alluded to after the season.

"He did a lot of things that we asked him to do," McDaniels said. "He certainly wants to be more productive and we want him to be as productive as he can possibly be, but he has to take the competition to them. You can’t just hand a guy the job because he walks in the door. He’s got to earn it and he’s got to do the most with his opportunities and take advantage of those. He knows that he’s no longer a rookie, so we will look for bigger things from him next year."

Ayers did show some explosiveness in training camp and made a few plays during the season. Some players don't look like they belong from their first rookie minicamp - Ayers does not appear to be one of those players. He needs to learn and gain experience, but he still has a chance to be a good player for the Broncos. However, if he doesn't win a starting job going into the 2010 season, that isn't a very good sign.

Will the Broncos add anyone? Assuming Dumervil returns, there doesn't appear to be much reason to invest in an outside linebacker. Mario Haggan was solid and Darrell Reid played well in a reserve role. The Broncos have to assume Ayers will be more productive in his second season. So unless Dumervil isn't brought back, this position appears to be pretty well set.

Onto the defense as we look at the major offseason questions for each of the Broncos' position groups:

Will it be a priority? Last year I was convinced the Broncos were going to hit the defensive line hard in free agency and the draft. Then they made one mid-level free agent signing (Ronald Fields) and didn't use one draft pick on a lineman. So, going into another offseason in which defensive line appears to be a top priority, it's tough to predict if the Broncos will invest in the defensive line this year. Their philosophy last year was to be wary of 4-3 college linemen, because Josh McDaniels wanted players that could come in and contribute quickly. If that's the philosophy again, it will cut down the talent pool because most colleges use a 4-3. If the Broncos do use their first pick on a lineman that could switch to the 3-4, Tennessee's Dan Williams might be a possibility (and remember, the Broncos used a first-round pick on Tennessee linebacker/end Robert Ayers last year, and their other first-round pick on Knowshon Moreno, another SEC player).

How did they do? Although the Broncos gambled by not making any major acquisitions along the defensive line last year, the line probably exceeded expectations. They seemed to wear down late in the season, which is probably one reason the coaches relied more heavily on the rotation as the year went on. Fields was a good pickup, Kenny Peterson had his moments and Ryan McBean was solid as well. Four of the Broncos' top six defensive linemen are under contract for 2010 (Le Kevin Smith will be a restricted free agent if there is no new collective-bargaining agreement and Vonnie Holliday will be a free agent), so there might not be a massive overhaul of this group, even though there could be some additions.

Did anyone stand out? Judging 3-4 linemen can be difficult - their entire job revolves around taking up blocks and letting others make plays, so stats don't tell much of a story. One young player and one veteran were pleasant surprises, however. McBean started all year, except games he missed due to a knee injury. Pittsburgh - which knows about 3-4 linemen - used a fourth-round pick on him in 2007 but he didn't pan out there. Coaches say he is still raw, which means he could have a lot of room to improve after a solid first season as a starter. Also, Holliday played well. He is a free agent but is a good leader in the locker room, was statistically Denver's best pass-rushing lineman despite limited playing time and there isn't any reason for the Broncos not to bring him back for another year as part of the rotation.

Let's combine offensive line with tight end becuase, in Josh McDaniels, I don't think there's going be be a huge difference:

Will the Broncos be better off without zone blocking? This question deserves two answers. First, I really don't understand those who rip the zone-blocking scheme. I think the argument that no zone-blocking team since the 1998 Broncos has won the Super Bowl is borderline delusional. The Broncos ran the ball very, very well under Mike Shanahan. Despite many different tailbacks, Denver always had success on the ground. The Broncos had more yards per carry than every single Super Bowl championship team in the 2000s except in 2007, when they tied the Giants. And that season, Denver had more yards per carry than the Patriots, one of the best teams ever. The zone-blocking scheme may have struggled a bit in short yardage, but it's impossible to argue the results.

That said, McDaniels is obviously not comfortable with the zone-blocking scheme, so it's best the Broncos move on. On Twitter this week I compared the zone-blocking scheme to Syracuse basketball's 2-3 zone - it's very successful, so why don't more teams use it? Well, simply, neither scheme is something that a coach can pick up overnight. If a coach like McDaniels doesn't buy into it and isn't an expert in it, there's not much point in sticking with it.

The hybrid of the zone-blocking scheme and a power-running scheme last season wasn't the answer. With offensive line coach Rick Dennison and running backs coach Bobby Turner moving on to Houston and Washington, the Broncos can move on to a power-running scheme, for better or worse.

Who will be back? Changing the line scheme means changing some linemen. The Broncos need more size up front. Tackles Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris can block in any scheme (it became apparent how valuable and underrated Harris is when he was out of the lineup with a toe injury). Assuming Harris can rebound in 2010 - McDaniels said he will have to undergo extensive rehab - the Broncos are set at tackle.

The middle of the line is up for grabs, especially with left guard Russ Hochstein's late-season knee injury and free-agent status. Right guard Chris Kuper is also a free agent, although restricted without a new collective-bargaining agreement. Guard Ben Hamilton is a free agent and it would be a shock if he returned. Center Casey Wiegmann is signed through next season, but the Broncos could also explore other options. There really aren't any other options on the roster to play center, which could mean Wiegmann returns. Kuper is one of the most interesting cases for the offseason - a good player that could attract interest on the free-agent market. Denver also has guard Seth Olsen, a fourth-round pick in 2009, if needed.

What becomes of the tight end position without Scheffler? I don't assume anybody expects Tony Scheffler to be back in 2010. His season ended on a sour note with a deactivation, and he wasn't a fit in McDaniels' offense either. Fans are fair to wonder if he wasn't used enough, but McDaniels' offense does not cater to receiving tight ends like Scheffler. The Broncos will have to add to the position in the offseason, but players will probably look more like Daniel Graham, Richard Quinn and Patriots like Ben Watson and Kyle Brady - who can block and occasionally catch a pass - rather than a fleet-footed tight end like Scheffler.

What about Quinn? None of the Broncos' five first- or second-round picks made a huge impact in 2009, but Quinn is probably the one with the most incomplete grade (safety Darcel McBath also didn't get a lot of playing time, but did look good in limited duty at safety and was very good on special teams). Quinn didn't play much, which helps explain his zero-catch rookie season. A two-catch, 23-yard preseason wasn't a fantastic sign, however, especially considering he caught only 12 passes in college. He should have a chance to take a big step forward in 2010, and has a lot to prove as well.

When I initially posted a blog on the Broncos who have made a NFL all-decade team through the years, I only included Rick Upchurch on the 1980s team, but he was also part of the 1970s team. I wondered how many players have been on two all-decade teams, and luckily Broncos public relations staffer Erich Schubert was wondering the same. He sent me the list of 13 players (and what a list it is). Gary Zimmerman obviously benefited from the two-time honor when he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

Rick Upchurch, KR, 70s/80s
Mike Webster, C, 70s/80s
Walter Payton, RB, 70s/80s
Ted Hendricks, LB, 70s/80s
Jack Lambert, LB, 70s/80s
Jerry Rice, WR, 80s/90s
Gary Zimmerman, T, 80s/90s
Bruce Smith, DE, 80s/90s
Reggie White, DE, 80s/90s
Ronnie Lott, S, 80s/90s
Sean Landeta, P, 80s/90s
Morten Anderson, K, 80s/90s
Gary Anderson, K, 80s/90s

The Broncos sent out a couple of quotes from cornerback Champ Bailey and safety Brian Dawkins regarding their inclusion on the NFL's all-decade team for the 2000s.

“This is one of the greatest honors that you can have in this league other than team things,” Bailey said in the release. “As far as personal goals, this one never really crossed my mind. You always try to be the best you can be. I would like to thank my family, teammates and coaches for helping me achieve this tremendous award. I would not be where I am without them.”

“This is a tremendous honor for me to be recognized as one of the best out of all the safeties who have played in the NFL this decade,” Dawkins said in the release. “To know I’ve been able to do the things I’ve been able to do, with the help of my teammates, to earn a spot on the league’s all-decade team means a lot.”

The Broncos had two players on the 1970s team (cornerback Louis Wright and returner Rick Upchurch) and one on the 1980s team (Upchurch). Six were named on the 1990s team (quarterback John Elway, running back Terrell Davis, safety Steve Atwater, tackle Gary Zimmerman, tight end Shannon Sharpe and defensive end Neil Smith).

A lot to discuss with this position group, isn't there? Let's get to it:

What about Marshall? Make no mistake, this is the No. 1 issue for the Broncos this offseason. If the Broncos decide to cut ties with Marshall - and it seems like a likely outcome after a controversial end to the season - they need to find a trading partner. No matter how talented Marshall is, that might not be a slam dunk. After a very public spat between McDaniels and Marshall in Week 17 the Broncos might have lost some leverage, and Marshall already had some well-documented baggage. A team would not only have to trade Denver some valuable draft picks, but any team has to know Marshall won't be happy without a long-term contract. Getting full value for Marshall - which could happen if a couple of receiver-hungry teams get in a bidding war, much like last year's Jay Cutler situation - could be a challenge for the team.

Is there a chance Marshall could return? That can't be completely ruled out if Marshall is a restricted free agent (he will be if there's no new collective-bargaining agreement) and the Broncos don't find a willing trade partner. It would be another odd season, but so was 2009 after what happened in training camp. The way the Broncos relied on Marshall - he had 68 catches over an eight-game stretch before the final game, and no other Bronco had more than 19 - says that Denver needs Marshall more than it would probably like to admit.

Losing Marshall would mean a gaping hole in the offense. Keeping Marshall, especially without a long-term extension, would make for - at best - an uncomfortable relationship. That's why it is absolutely crucial for the Broncos to make the right moves when it comes to Marshall this offseason.

What to make of Royal? There's been plenty of debate on Twitter about Eddie Royal. One thing I will refuse to argue: Royal had a shockingly unproductive year as a receiver in 2009. He had 345 yards, which ranked 125th in the NFL, with no touchdowns. He averaged 9.3 yards per catch, which is really low for a receiver. Jabar Gaffney had 282 yards and two touchdowns in just two games (which Royal missed) to end the year, which should bring some context to Royal's season, and make one wonder why Denver let Royal cut into Gaffney's playing time. What might be worse is Brandon Lloyd, inactive for 14 games to start the season, had 95 yards in the finale with a long gain of 44. Royal's season high in a game was 90 yards (he had only two games of more than 32 yards), and his longest gain was just 20. Ouch.

Josh McDaniels tried explaining Royal's inactivity this season by blaming himself.

"I know that I’m frustrated and disappointed that we couldn’t do more in terms of using Eddie Royal," McDaniels said. "I’ve been asked that question a bunch. I know Eddie is frustrated with it, too. I’m not happy with that, and I don’t want that to be the case. That’s not stereotypical of Eddie this year. We’re going to work hard to try to fix that and get that to change dramatically going into next season."

That rings a bit hollow - it's not like McDaniels didn't know Royal was rarely being used, considering that was a common question from the media all season. But, the Broncos apparently still think he can be a big part of the offense. Royal will be watched closely again this season, especially if Marshall leaves. Either his 2008 season was an outlier (and perhaps his low 10.8-yard average was obscured by his 91 catches, which is possible considering how overrated catches has become for measuring a receiver's worth) or he will become the next Wes Welker in McDaniels' offense, a year later than expected.

Is Gaffney better than everyone thought? I left the Broncos' season finale wondering if Gaffney is a real sleeper for 2010. One could easily argue Gaffney had the Broncos' best receiving day of last season, even better than Marshall's NFL-record 21-catch effort. Gaffney had 213 yards to Marshall's 200. Gaffney had five 20-yard catches (and an 18-yarder); Marshall had only one 20-yard catch. Gaffney came 1 yard short of Shannon Sharpe's Broncos record for receiving yards in a game. That performance, after he had a pair of touchdowns against Philadelphia, made me wonder if he could be a true No. 1 if given the chance.

Perhaps Gaffney was underutilized. According to footballguys.com, before the final two games of the season Gaffney had 60 targets in 14 games (Royal had 79 and Marshall had 154 for the season). Only once did Gaffney start over a healthy Royal, and that came against New England. Gaffney will turn 31 next season and there's little evidence over his career that he can be a standout No. 1 receiver in the NFL, but I'm interested to see what he could do with a bigger role in 2010.

What about the rest? With or without Marshall, the Broncos probably need to make receiver a priority in the offseason. Fans liked to criticize the playcalling or Kyle Orton for the lack of downfield passes, but the receivers share the blame too. There's not one great deep threat on the roster - the best one is probably Marshall, who is at his best when being used as a possession receiver. Denver should look long and hard at signing or drafting someone who can stretch the field. Acquiring one or more receivers would make sense considering McDaniels likes to use multiple receivers. He kept six on the roster this year.

One interesting case will be Brandon Stokley, a reliable veteran who didn't play much in 2009. However, in limited time he did have four more touchdowns and only 17 fewer yards than Royal. Depending on what the Broncos do at the receiver position this offseason, Stokley could be on the roster bubble in 2010.

Let's take a close look at some of the biggest offseason questions for the Broncos at running back:

Is Moreno an elite back? The correct answer on Knowshon Moreno is "too soon to tell," and the team seems to believe he can live up to his draft status. But, it's fair to say the Broncos need more out of the 12th pick of the 2009 draft than what they got last season. Moreno had only two 20-yard runs and a 3.8-yard average, both of which ranked pretty low among the league leaders in carries.

That doesn't mean Moreno can't be an elite back - Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson are two backs that had similar rookie profiles and became all-pro players. But Denver needs him to have a good, healthy offseason and make a nice step in 2010. The Broncos could have a shot at Clemson's C.J. Spiller, the top running back prospect this season, but investing their first-round pick on him seems a bit wasteful. Their best bet is to hope Moreno becomes a star in his second season. He needs to be more explosive and provide some big plays. He can't be an elite player getting a 20-yard run once every eight games.

Where's the depth? Correll Buckhalter had a very good season. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry and was a fantastic second back in the offense. There's no reason to believe he won't be effective again in 2010. But, at some point he will slow down (he turns 32 in October) and the NFL is a multiple-back league. The roster is pretty thin after Buckhalter (we'll get to Peyton Hillis in a moment) and it would make sense for the Broncos to draft a back this season in the middle to late rounds, or get a young free agent with some upside - which is what they tried to do with J.J. Arrington last season. McDaniels likes having depth at tailback and adding to that position has to be on his radar this offseason.

What about Hillis? While Josh McDaniels said the right things about Hillis, Denver's leading rusher in 2008, everyone is well aware that Hillis didn't play nearly enough to satisfy fans this season. And, there's not much reason to believe that will change in 2010. When coaching staffs change, they have very little loyalty to old players. Yes, standouts like Ryan Clady and Daniel Graham won't be cast aside, but this coaching staff wasn't around for Hillis' solid stretch of games at tailback in 2008. All they have seen from him is a player who didn't get much playing time and, understandably, seemed to press when he did. McDaniels joked to the media about nobody asking him about Hillis after he failed to pick up a third-and-1 attempt against Philadelphia, and that says what you need to know. This staff's impression of Hillis is more the guy who got stuffed at Philadelphia and less of the rookie who ran so powerfully down the stretch two years ago.

Assuming the Broncos add a tailback behind Moreno and Buckhalter, Hillis could be on his way out. In fact, after how he was used in 2009, I'd be a bit surprised if he was back for another season in Denver. And, I'd assume there's at least one coach who will be very interested in his services.

The Broncos face a lot of interesting decisions this offseason, so for the next couple weeks I'll blog on the team's question marks at each position group. First up, the quarterback spot:

Is Kyle Orton the answer? Orton started the season very well, and some prematurely wondered if he would be in the Pro Bowl. Well, the AFC has picked through eight quarterbacks because of replacements for injuries and the Super Bowl, and Orton wasn't among them. The Pro Bowl voting is flawed, but there really hasn't been a "What about Orton?" outcry as Jacksonville's David Garrard got picked for the game (although, in fairness, Orton probably would have been a better pick). Orton's stats show his strengths and weaknesses: He won't make many mistakes and the Broncos can win with him, but unlike the top quarterbacks in the game, there aren't many times when he will take the team on his back and win a game by himself - he didn't have any transcendent performances during either of Denver's four-game losing streaks, for example. And the problem for the Broncos is that they have to figure out what that is worth.

Orton is one of the players affected by the unrestricted/restricted free agency issue. If there's no new collective-bargaining agreement, he will be restricted. If Orton is restricted they could put off the decision on offering a long-term contract for another year. But the Broncos will ultimately have to decide if they want to play it safe with Orton, a good but not great quarterback, or gamble they can find an elite-level quarterback.

What about the backup? For Broncos fans that don't think Orton is the answer, there's a small problem: It doesn't appear anybody on the roster is the answer. Chris Simms didn't play well when he got his chance and he might not be back. Having Tom Brandstater as the No. 2 would be risky. He looked good in his last two preseason games, and became quite popular among Broncos fans, but he still has a lot to prove considering his good games came in exhibitions against second- and third-stringers. Having some veteran stability behind Orton is probably prudent.

Will Denver draft a quarterback? Denver will have the 10th or 11th overall pick. What if one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft, Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen or Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, slip? Or what if Denver likes one of the second-tier quarterbacks a round later? After the season, coach Josh McDaniels didn't rule out investing a high pick on a quarterback.

"Would I be opposed to drafting any position inside the top 10? If that’s the question, the answer is no," McDaniels said. "Whoever the best player is for our team at that position, if we feel like that’s what we need, then we would do it."

There are risks with that. Highly drafted quarterbacks have a notorious track record. And, as the Broncos found out in 2006 with Jake Plummer and Jay Cutler, having a veteran starter looking over his shoulder while being backed up by a big-name rookie can have a terrible impact on a season. While the Broncos will certainly do their homework, and most likely Clausen and Bradford will be drafted in the top nine picks anyway, if either one falls it will trigger a very interesting (and long-lasting) debate among Broncos fans.

The Broncos sent out a few quotes from coach Josh McDaniels regarding the team's three AP All-Pro selections, outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil (first team), offensive tackle Ryan Clady (first team) and safety Brian Dawkins (second team):

"It's always nice to see your players receive national recognition for their play," McDaniels said. "Ryan, Elvis and Brian are a big part of our football team and certainly proved this past season that they are among the league's best at their respective positions. I'm happy for them.

"Defensively, few players in the NFL made as much of an impact as Elvis did, and Brian brought such an attitude to our locker room while continuing to play at the highest level. For Ryan to be named a first-team All-Pro at such a young age is a rare thing for a tackle and speaks volumes for his play."