Inside the Denver Broncos’ Coaching Staff

After nearly a decade and a half, the Denver Broncos made one of the most surprising front office moves in franchise history when Pat Bowlen fired head coach/VP of player operations Mike Shanahan.

The firing was a huge surprise to many, while some others saw it coming.  In fact, this move was brought to my attention over a week prior to its occurrence when a former B/R writer Josh Vitale suggested the move be made on a Facebook discussion board.

To me, it was unheard of.

Shanahan led the Broncos to their only two Lombardi trophies in franchise history, and was undoubtedly the most successful head coach Denver has ever had.  He was so successful, in fact, that the Broncos only had two losing seasons under his tutelage.

When 2008 saw the Broncos miss out on playoff action for the third straight season, Pat Bowlen decided enough was enough.

After firing his good friend, Bowlen set up a host of head coaching interviews that included the likes of Raheem Morris, Steve Spagnuolo, Jason Garrett, Leslie Frazier, and Josh McDaniels.

After extensive interviewing, Bowlen hired McDaniels, who had been in the New England Patriots organization for the past eight seasons, most recently as an offensive coordinator.

This was a move that I expected and promoted from the start, and although many Bronco fans were lobbying for a more defensive minded head coaching prospect, the smart money was on getting a coach to develop Denver’s stellar offense, which at the time included quarterback Jay Cutler.

McDaniels is the youngest head coach in Broncos history, and is the second youngest in the NFL today right in front of Tampa Bay’s Raheem Morris.

Some have suggested that McDaniels is arrogant and has an ego to keep inflated, but I would contend he is the polar opposite.

For 15 years, the Broncos’ organization has been a “prison run by the inmates,” if you will.  There has been no discipline whatsoever.

When McDaniels was given free reign, he immediately revamped the Broncos’ roster and coaching staff to his liking, including trading his diva quarterback.

McDaniels is (or at least was) regarded as one of the best young offensive minds in the National Football League.

In 2007, he coordinated a Patriots offense that is arguably the best the NFL has ever seen, and followed in 2008 by molding Matt Cassel, a quarterback who had not started a single game since high school, into a $63 million man.

With the Patriots, McDaniels won three Super Bowls, four AFC Championship titles, and six division titles whilst leading the NFL in winning percentage over the course of the past eight seasons at 76.6 percent.

Of course, McDaniels should not be given all of the credit for the Patriots’ success, as he played a minimal role for a couple of those seasons, but he was there nonetheless—he has championship experience.

More than anything, this young Broncos team needed two things:

1.  Direction

2.  Championship Experience

While it could be argued, depending on whether or not you are talking to a Jay Cutler homer, McDaniels has provided the Broncos with both.

He learned a standard and protocol with the Patriots that has given the Broncos hope for 2009 and beyond.

McDaniels is regarded as a quarterback “guru” by his peers, and figures to do wonders with new quarterbacks Kyle Orton, Chris Simms, and rookie Tom Brandstater.  In fact, McDaniels has had such a solid track record for developing quarterbacks that many feel Kyle Orton is set to have a breakout season.

When McDaniels was hired, he completely cleaned house not only in terms of players, but he revamped his coaching staff as well.

He hired former Carolina Panthers passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Mike McCoy to be the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, although McDaniels will most likely be above him on both accounts.

McCoy has nice tenure with the Panthers, so the Broncos appear to be in good hands at the quarterback position.

Bobby Turner and Rick Dennison were the only two coaches retained from Mike Shanahan’s offensive staff, and both figure to continue to implement the zone blocking and running scheme that has made the Broncos the most successful rushing unit over the last 20 seasons.

Denver’s defense will be coached by 3-4 guru and long-time defensive specialist Mike Nolan, who has had a very decorated NFL career.

Nolan was most recently seen roaming the sidelines for the San Francisco 49ers as the team’s head coach, but he has spent 11 seasons at this level coaching defenses.

And coaching them well.

Under his tutelage, Nolan has seen two players win Defensive Player of the Year awards in Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, and coached 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year Patrick Willis, who is regarded as one of the NFL’s top middle linebackers.

He undoubtedly will have his hands full with the Broncos’ defense, which has been likened to Swiss cheese over the last two seasons.

One of the more underrated coaching acquisitions this offseason was the Broncos’ signing of Wayne Nunnely to coach the defensive line.

Nunnely has been coaching the San Diego Chargers’ defensive linemen for the last 12 seasons.

He has over a decade of experience coaching defensive linemen in the 3-4 scheme, and as the Broncos make a transition to that defense, he will be an enormous help.

The Broncos’ coaching staff appears to be one that can work together for a long time, and one that has a great mix of youth and experience.

Inside the Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Specialists

To conclude this series, we will finally dissect one of the most overlooked but most important areas of any and every NFL team:  the special teams unit.

In 2008, Denver Broncos fans looked at this area of the team with an eye of uncertainty. Not only were the Broncos going to feature a brand new punter, but longtime kicker and future Ring of Famer Jason Elam bolted town for the Atlanta Falcons.

Since the rest of Denver’s 2008 squad had the youth theme in common, Mike Shanahan must have seen fit to hire two very youthful replacements at the kicker and punter positions, so he did.

Late in the 2007 season, the Broncos brought in rookie Matt Prater to be their kickoff specialist since clearly Jason Elam’s leg had lost some power. 

The rookie out of Central Florida had spent time with the Falcons and Dolphins, and while he was a fairly quiet acquisition late in 2007, he was expected to resume kickoff duties with the Broncos for a while.

After the departure of Elam, the Broncos felt as though they had a nice prospect in the second year kicker, so they kept him around to be the featured man at the position. 

Little did he know what kind of roller-coaster ride he was in for.

In his second NFL season, which turned out to be his first as a full-time player, Prater definitely had his share of moments—both bad and good.

After nailing all but one of his first 14 attempts, something horrendous happened to Prater.

Nobody knows if it was mental or if perhaps the physical toll was something he had never previously endured, but what started off as a Pro Bowl caliber season quickly turned into a downward spiral.

After the Broncos’ bye week in week eight, Prater only made 12 of his next 20 field goal attempts.

He finished 2008 hitting 73.5 percent of his attempts, which is mediocre at best.

Prater heads into 2009 as the lone kicker on the entire Broncos roster, meaning the coaching staff has given him a huge vote of confidence for next season.

There is no doubt he has serious talent, as many Bronco fans who attended a particular session of 2008 training camp will attest to the fact that Prater nailed a 70 yard field goal with plenty of room to spare.

Was it the grueling 16 game schedule that got to Prater, or did he just simply lose confidence after a couple of clutch missed attempts?

Nobody knows for sure, but my guess is that if it were an issue of confidence, Prater would be looking for a job right now.

Bronco fans should rest easy knowing they can rely on the leg of Prater, for he is not the only kicker to have troubles in his first full NFL campaign.

As an article on MileHighReport points out, Jason Elam, Adam Vinatieri, and Morten Anderson all had field goal percentages of 74.3, 77.1, and 75 percent respectively.

As for the punter position, the Broncos have a pretty good young option in 2008 undrafted free agent Brett Kern from Toledo.

Kern had a very respectable rookie season for the Broncos, earning All-Rookie team selections by Pro Football Weekly and The Sporting News.

He ranked fifth in the NFL in yards per attempt with 46.7 on 46 punts, which is the third highest number by any punter in Broncos history.

Out of his 46 punts, he was only able to pin his opponents inside the 20 yard line 13 times.  That number figures to increase with experience.

Kern has a very strong leg, which can often result in bigger returns, but if he can improve his hangtime and accuracy, he will give the Broncos yet another weapon on special teams.

The Broncos also added undrafted free agent Britton Colquitt of Tennessee, who is the brother of fellow NFL punter Dustin Colquitt. 

Colquitt will not be able to make this team based on family NFL pedigree alone, but he is also a solid punter in his own right.

The special teams unit is led by long-time coordinator Mike Priefer, who brings the Broncos seven years of experience in this field from the Kansas City Chiefs.

Inside The Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Strong Safeties

As it was explained in my previous article about free safeties, the Broncos’ group of safeties as a whole just may have been the worst in team history.

There was not an ounce of passion, poor tackling, and a complete lack of effort on the part of Denver’s safety group in 2008.

The unit head coach Josh McDaniels, has put together for 2009 seems to be the polar opposite of that, and may be the deepest group of safeties on paper that the Broncos have had in a very, very long while.

That depth appears to be most prevalent at the strong safety position, where the Broncos made their biggest splash in the free agent signing period by signing future Hall of Fame selection Brian Dawkins from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Dawkins joins a Broncos team that has had a storied history of successful safeties including Steve Atwater, Dennis Smith, and John Lynch.

One of the most decorated safeties in NFL history, the thirteen year veteran has played in seven Pro Bowls, which is fourth most among any player at his position.  He has also been selected four times by the Associated Press as a first team All-Pro.

He has started 182 games in his career, and has played in 183 overall including eighteen post-season contests which are both Philadelphia Eagles’ records.

Over his career, Dawkins has recorded 898 tackles, 153 passes defensed, thirty four interceptions, thirty three fumbles forced, and twenty one sacks.

Last year, he completed one of the most prosperous seasons statistically that he has ever had, finishing with seventy five tackles, six fumbles forced, three sacks, and an interception.

Sure, Dawkins is not the “speedster” he once was, but he is undoubtedly an upgrade over Marquand Manuel at the strong safety position for the Broncos.

There is no denying what he has accomplished on the field is special, but Dawkins hopes to make an even more prominent impact off the field.

He is unquestionably a great leader, and he is a man of faith that Eagles fans, players, and coaches alike are going to sorely miss for this season and beyond.

Dawkins brings the Broncos the vocal leader they have lacked for a couple of years as well as significant experience in post-season play.  He has played in five NFC Championship games, including last season.

It could be stated that Dawkins legitimizes Denver’s defense to a degree, as he makes everyone around him that much better. 

He sets the tone, and while he is known as a man of faith off the field, Dawkins is not afraid to lay the wood on an opposing player.

Hauling in Dawkins this offseason was key to Josh McDaniels’ offseason plan, as he continued to revamp this defense the right way.

Now, instead of learning the ropes from sub-par athletes, the young defensive backfield prospects in Denver will have Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey, two Hall of Fame caliber players to gain knowledge from.

While each player on the defense will be learning from Dawkins and the excellent leadership he provides, the two players that may benefit most from their experience around “Weapon X” are fellow strong safeties Josh Barrett and David Bruton.

Barrett was acquired in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Arizona State, and many felt he was an absolute steal where the Broncos obtained him.

He has ideal size at 6’2″ 225 pounds, and runs a blazing 4.36 second 40-yard dash.  The knock on Barrett has always been that he is lazy, but he proved to the Broncos’ staff last year that those accusations were not true, working his way up from practice squad to the active roster, and now a significant contributor on special teams.

Despite playing in only five games last year, Barrett recorded twenty three tackles and an interception, and gave Bronco fans hope for the future at the strong safety position.

Perhaps his most significant contribution came in a week fourteen match-up against the Kansas City Chiefs when he was given the daunting task of covering All-World tight end Tony Gonzalez, and Barrett was able to hold his own against the future Hall of Famer.

Thanks to his superb size and speed combination, the Broncos and their fans fully expect this youngster to be a consistent contributor for a long time.  He has the frame to be an excellent tackler, and the speed to be an excellent ball-hawk.

While Barrett is the heir apparent at the strong safety position to Dawkins, the Broncos have high expectations for 2009 fourth round draft pick David Bruton.

Bruton spent the past four seasons playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and was an absolute machine.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, he ran the second fastest 40-yard dash time at 4.46 seconds, but he has a lot of work to do with his coverage skills before the Broncos thrust him into a prominent defensive role.

The Broncos are expecting Bruton to contribute immediately on special teams, and for good reason.  He appeared in 596 special teams plays over the course of his career in South Bend, and led the team with 182 tackles over the last two seasons.

As a senior in 2009, his ninety seven tackles ranked third in Notre Dame history for a defensive back, and the team captain was rewarded for his efforts by being named as an honorable mention All-American by The NFL Draft Report.  He also had four interceptions and two forced fumbles.

The defensive backs will be led by 18-year coaching veteran Ed Donatell, who is in his second stint with the team.

This is shaping up to be one of the more talented defensive units the Broncos have had in quite some time.  While the results may not be as immediate as the fans desire, it is no fault on the managements part, for they have done all they can to add talent, experience, athleticism, size, and leadership to this unit.

Inside The Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Free Safeties

In 2008, there is no doubt that the Denver Broncos possessed the worst group of safeties in the National Football League, possibly in team history.

For a franchise that has been graced with the likes of Steve Atwater, Dennis Smith, and John Lynch, last season’s group that included Marlon McCree, Marquand Manuel, and Calvin Lowery was among the most embarrassing Mike Shanahan could have possibly assembled.

To rectify this problem, head coach Josh McDaniels brought in four new safeties to compete for roster spots with the Broncos, and to help create turnovers for a secondary that has been likened to Swiss cheese in recent years.

I will admit, the safety positions are some I had difficulty assessing.  What constitutes a “free” safety? 

Any casual NFL fan knows that the free safety can be favorably compared to a center fielder in baseball.

Still, I was unsure of which safeties on the roster should be considered the free safeties, so I consulted the ever reliable website Wikipedia for a definition, and here is what I came up with:

The free safety tends to be smaller and faster than the strong safety. His job tends to be to stay back a bit, watch the play unfold, and follow the ball. On pass plays, the free safety is expected to close down the receiver by the time the ball gets to him.

Offenses tend to call play-action passes, specifically to make the free safety expect a run play, which would draw him closer to the line of scrimmage and reduce his effectiveness as a pass defender.

If the offense puts a receiver in the slot, then the free safety may be called upon to cover that receiver.

Free safeties occasionally blitz as well. When this happens, the pressure is often very severe since a blitz by a defensive back is not usually anticipated.

Thanks to this definition, I have come to a conclusion as to which three safeties of the six on Denver’s roster should be labeled “free”.

One of the first moves the Broncos made this off-season was to sign former Miami Dolphins safety Renaldo Hill to a four year, $10 million contract, which is extremely modest considering Hill is fully expected to be the opening day starter.

Hill joins the Broncos after spending three years in Miami where he undoubtedly revived his career.

In three seasons with the Dolphins, Hill recorded 195 tackles and six interceptions, three in 2008. 

Hill is a ninth year player out of Michigan State who has played virtually every position in the defensive backfield, including cornerback, which is the main reason I believe he will be the Broncos’ starting “free” safety.

He has more speed than his safety counterpart in Brian Dawkins, and probably is not as good of a tackler, although Hill is no slouch in that area.

Hill has only started all 16 games in a season once in his career, so the Broncos decided insurance was needed.

To spell Hill at free safety as well as eventually take over as the full-time starter, Denver used one of three second round draft choices on former Texas Tech All-American Darcel McBath.

McBath measures out at 6’1″ 198 pounds, so he has the ideal size and speed combination to excel at this position.

In his 45 games as a Red Raider, McBath recorded 214 tackles and 12 interceptions, including seven as a senior in 2008.

McBath gives the Broncos a playmaker and ball-hawk at the free safety position.  He does not have blazing speed, but he has a nose for the ball and his two interceptions for touchdowns last season prove that he knows what to do once he has the ball in his hands.

Providing depth along with McBath is eighth-year veteran Vernon Fox, who was acquired in 2008 as a free agent.

Fox had arguably the most exciting defensive play for a Bronco in 2009 when he recovered a fumble against the New York Jets and returned it 23 yards for a score, the first of his career.

There is really nothing that Fox is great at, but he does everything well, which is probably why he has played in 96 career games.

For a position that severely lacked in 2008, Josh McDaniels has definitely given fans a hope for the present and future by making very smart acquisitions at this position over the course of the off-season.

Inside the Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Cornerbacks

In 1983, the Denver Broncos traded for arguably the best quarterback in NFL history, some guy named Elway.

21 years later, they traded for the greatest cornerback of all-time, and there is no argument about it.

In 2004, the Denver Broncos unloaded running back Clinton Portis to the Washington Redskins in exchange for cornerback Champ Bailey and a second-round draft pick, which turned out to be the Broncos’ most recent 1,000-yard rusher in Tatum Bell.

That is what they call in the business industry a “steal.”

To begin the preview of the Broncos’ cornerback unit, I would like to offer a disclaimer:

The following statements I am about to make are not to disrespect Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha in any way, shape, or form. He is an excellent player with superb abilities, size, and athleticism, and I would welcome him to the Mile High City any day with open arms.

Despite the picture ESPN or NFL Network may be trying to paint, the title of “NFL’s best cornerback” belongs to Denver’s own Champ Bailey, no doubt about it.

If you do not wish to take my word for it, take a look at the facts.

Since he was drafted seventh overall in 1999 by the Washington Redskins, not a single cornerback in the NFL has as many interceptions as Bailey. He h as picked off 43 passes in that timeframe, 45 if you include the post-season.

As if that were not enough, Bailey has proven in that time period to be one of, if not the very best tackling cornerback in the NFL, recording 696 stops in all.

Thanks to that absolutely superb play, Bailey has all but guaranteed himself a shrine in Canton.  For his efforts, Bailey was selected to eight consecutive Pro Bowls from 2000-2007, and is a six-time All-Pro.

As a comparison, Asomugha has made two Pro Bowl appearances, and is a two-time All-Pro.

So why has he seemingly taken Bailey’s “crown”?

Aside from many national media outlets’ apparent hatred toward the Broncos, one has to imagine that the seven games Bailey missed last season would have to have something to do with it.

Is it fair to remove a player of his title because of injury? 

Should Tom Brady not still be considered the best quarterback in the NFL?

It should be noted that of Nnamdi Asomugha’s 10 career interceptions, eight of them came in one season.

Bailey can completely take over a game defensively.  In fact, I would challenge any doubter to find the last player to record four or more receptions against him in a single game since he has become a Bronco.

Heading into 2009, I firmly believe that the Broncos are blessed with the best cornerback to grace an NFL field, past or present.

Did I mention there are other cornerbacks on the Broncos’ roster as well?

After trading for Dre’ Bly, it was said that the Broncos would feature the best cornerback tandem in the NFL.

Little did we all know that Bly would turn out to be a mediocre acquisition at best, one who did not provide leadership or tackling abilities to go along with his horrendous one-on-one coverage skills.

Acquiring Bly definitely proved how good Champ Bailey really is, because opposing teams picked on Bly worse than any player I have ever seen.

Despite his best efforts, Bly was shown the door by the Broncos, and now resides in San Francisco.

To replace the veteran presence of Bly on the Broncos’ roster, Josh McDaniels recruited and signed former Miami Dolphin and Detroit Lion Andre’ Goodman, who had the best season of his career in 2008 with Miami.

Goodman led the Dolphins with five interceptions, which ranked sixth in the NFL.  He also ranked seventh in the NFL with a very respectable 19 pass break-ups.

Lindy’s NFL preview magazine felt that Goodman’s 2008 performance was good enough to the point that they rate the Broncos’ current duo of cornerbacks as the best in the entire NFL.

While many felt the Broncos failed to address their biggest need of the off-season by reaching for defensive linemen, I would contend that signing Goodman was the beginning to replenishing the Broncos’ “biggest” need.

In 2008, Denver was tied for last in the NFL with a turnover ratio of -17, which makes it even more unbelievable that they were able to win eight games.

Goodman will not only provide the Broncos with a legitimate threat to pick off passes, but he provides much needed veteran leadership.

In addition to Goodman, the Broncos brought in cornerback Alphonso Smith, who has been a controversial topic of this off-season among Denver fans.

Smith was selected by the Broncos with the 37th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, and to obtain that choice, the Broncos traded away their own first round pick in the 2010 draft.

Many feel that was a foolish choice by the Denver front office because Smith stands at only 5’9″, but was it really?

In my “You Make the Call” mock draft series, the fans voted that the Broncos should select Smith with the 12th overall pick in the draft prior to them even having two first-round choices.

Couple that with the fact that if Smith were an inch or two taller, he would have been a lock for a top ten pick in the draft anyway.

In his career at Wake Forest, Smith became one of the better college cornerbacks in NCAA history.

He finished his career with the Demon Deacons with 174 tackles, a Wake Forest-record 21 career interceptions, four forced fumbles, eight sacks, five blocked punts, and four interceptions returned for touchdowns.

Because Smith’s career was so prosperous, he was named first team All-ACC twice in his tenure, numerous All-American honors, and Nagurski Award Semi-Finalist honors.

Smith’s 21 career interceptions are good for 10th All-time in NCAA history at any level, and are an Atlantic Coast Conference record.

Many seem to disregard his talent because of his stature and the fact that the Broncos gave up so much for him, but nearly half of last season’s Pro Bowl selections at cornerback were under six feet tall, so who is to say Smith cannot be the next?

It is likely that Smith will begin his career with the Broncos as a “nickel” cornerback, but this college star will soon find himself in the starting rotation.

Behind Smith on the depth chart is really anyone’s guess.

Second-year player Joshua Bell started five games in 2008 in place of the injured Champ Bailey, and although he did not record any interceptions, he played very well.

Bell was acquired off of waivers from the San Diego Chargers, and in nine games for the Broncos he recorded 43 tackles and four pass break-ups. 

Pushing Bell for a roster spot will be Jack Williams, a fourth-round draft pick in 2008 out of Kent State.

Williams came to Denver in 2008 with high expectations after he showed great play-making ability in the pre-season, and especially after he drew favorable comparisons to the late Darrent Williams.

Williams will undoubtedly be in the mix for the Broncos’ “dime” package cornerback spot as well as a key player on special teams thanks to his exceptional speed.

Another intriguing player who could potentially make the final roster is undrafted free agent D.J. Johnson.

Johnson played college ball at Jackson State, and has prototypical size at 6’1″ 191 pounds.  He was one of the many projected players I had going to the Broncos in my mock drafts, so there is no doubt I would love to see this kid succeed.

Another player who the Broncos added via the college free agent route was former Florida State Seminole Tony Carter, who will be tough to let go of thanks to his great tackling ability, speed, and potential special teams prowess.

This is the best group of cornerbacks the Broncos have had since 2005 when they featured Bailey, Darrent Williams, Domonique Foxwoth, and Karl Paymah. 

Denver has added a veteran ballhawk in Andre Goodman, and arguably the best cornerback in NCAA history statistically in Alphonso Smith.

Whenever your unit is led by a player of the caliber of a Champ Bailey, you have to know you are sitting pretty.

Inside The Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Middle Linebackers

Because the Broncos’ defense was porous in 2008, it is very difficult for those not close to the organization to see any type of silver lining with the unit. 

Often, every player on the defense is guilty by association, but that would be unfair for the Denver middle linebackers.

For a unit that ranked nearly last in every major category, they surely do not lack talent or experience at this particular position.

For the first time in 2009, many Broncos fans will experience the 3-4 defense led by two captains at middle linebacker, and possibly the best overall leadership since Al Wilson donned the Bronco on his helmet.

Still, with the amount of talent the Broncos boast at this position, it will be tough to find room for many of these players.

How will the coaching staff choose?

Here is an in-depth look at all of the inside linebackers on the Broncos’ roster.

 

1.  D.J. Williams

Williams is one of the most underrated players not only on the Denver Broncos, but in the entire NFL.

According to the team’s official Web site, there is no player in the AFC and only one player in the rest of the league who has averaged more tackles per contest than Williams, who averages 8.7.

The Broncos selected Williams in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft out of the University of Miami, and the former Hurricane superstar has quietly become one of the better linebackers in the league.

For Denver, he has played the “Mike,” “Will,” and “Sam” linebacker positions, and now will take on the role of “Jack” linebacker, as one of two inside starters for the Broncos.

In 2008, Williams only played 11 games because of an injury, but he was on a record-setting pace.

He led the NFL in tackles through Week Nine with 75, and he finished the year with 93 total stops. Normally I am not one for hypotheticals, but had Williams kept that pace through the entire season, he would have finished the year with 133 tackles.

Williams was signed early last season to a five-year, $30 million extension, and for good reason.  If not for some guy named Champ, Williams would be the best player on the Broncos’ defense, and may be the most physically gifted anyway.

One thing Williams brings to the Broncos is durability. Until this past season, he had not missed a start from 2004-2007.

Williams is a captain who leads by example, and Bronco fans can expect a big season from him under the tutelage of defensive genius Mike Nolan.

 

2.  Andra Davis

Davis was brought to Denver early on in the offseason as an unrestricted free agent who had spent the last seven seasons with Cleveland.

In the last six seasons, you would be hard-pressed to find a more consistent tackler than Davis. Since 2003, he has averaged 103 tackles per season.

Did I mention he has only started all 16 games three times in his career?

Perhaps he has some injury concern attached to his price tag, but there is no doubt that when healthy Davis is a run-stuffing force at middle linebacker. 

Listening to the offseason interviews with the defensive players of the Broncos, it sounds as though Davis is well on his way to becoming a captain of this young Broncos’ defense.

A great leader on and off the gridiron, Denver seems to have a bargain on their hands in Davis, the former fifth round draft pick out of Florida.

The knock on Davis is that he is not great in pass coverage, a statement that seems a bit odd considering he has eight career interceptions—a very respectable total for a 3-4 linebacker.

Davis will pair with D.J. Williams to form one of the NFL’s better 3-4 inside linebacker duos.

 

3.  Wesley Woodyard

Not much needs to be said to Bronco fans about this kid.

Woodyard was signed out of Kentucky as an undrafted free agent in 2008, and many figured since the Broncos were already fairly deep at the linebacker position, he would get his opportunity for playing time as a safety or on special teams.

Little did they know they would get a taste of all three.

Because of injuries to Boss Bailey and D.J. Williams, the Broncos were forced to thrust Woodyard into the starting outside linebacker role, and he did not disappoint.

Woodyard started six games for the Broncos and finished eighth on the team with 55 tackles, and first on the team with 11 special teams tackles.

He quickly became a fan favorite for his passion and versatility, and figures to be an even more important part of the Broncos’ defense for 2009.

Because of his great speed and athleticism, it is not out of the question that the Broncos could use Woodyard as a middle linebacker, outside linebacker on passing downs, special teams gunner, and “rover” or safety in goal line situations.

 

4.  Spencer Larsen

Speaking of versatility, have you ever heard of Spencer Larsen?

If not, he is the first player in Broncos’ history and the fourth in NFL since 1990 to start a game on both offense and defense, when he opened the game as the starting fullback and linebacker.

It should also be noted that he also began the game on kick coverage.

Larsen was picked by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Arizona, and instantly became one of the key players on the Broncos’ special teams unit.

Some feel he has the potential and the intelligence to eventually be a starter at middle linebacker, but with Wesley Woodyard and D.J. Williams in the mix long-term, it could be hard for him to be anything more than a rotational player.

Larsen’s duties on offense did not go anywhere beyond throwing blocks as the fullback, but he did finish third on the team with nine special teams tackles and 22 tackles overall.

 

5.  Nick Greisen

Greisen joins the Broncos after seven seasons playing for some pretty notable defenses that included Baltimore, Jacksonville, and the New York Giants.

He is a career special teams player and backup, but he has been solid in whatever role he has played.

For his career, he has 255 total tackles and hopes to potentially provide the Broncos with a big-hitter on special teams, where he has 63 total career stops.

He always seems to find his way to an NFL roster, but he may have a tough time cracking the final list here in Denver with so much depth at this position.

 

6.  Mario Haggan

Haggan is not a well-known player in this league, but for what it’s worth, he made the most significant contribution of his NFL career in 2008 with the Broncos.

In only half a season in 2008, he set a career high with 20 total tackles and over the last five years he has established himself as a top special teams player at this level.

From 2004-2006, he recorded 49 special teams stops, which was good for seventh in the NFL over that time period.

 

7.  Lee Robinson

Robinson is a rookie linebacker prospect who went undrafted in 2009 and was signed by the Broncos as a college free agent out of Alcorn State.

Many Bronco fans are really pulling for Robinson to make the final roster, but that seems like a pipe dream at this point. He has a very good chance at making the practice squad and possibly as a special teams player down the road.

He was absolutely dominant for Alcorn State, recording 334 tackles, 18.5 sacks, three interceptions, and seven forced fumbles in his collegiate career.

The middle linebacker position is one that Bronco fans can head into the season knowing exactly what they are going to get: consistency. This group of linebackers will be coached by Don Martindale, who has been coaching the stellar group out West with the Oakland Raiders for the last five seasons.

He will be assisted by three-time Super Bowl champion and former New England Patriot Roman Phifer.

Inside The Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Hybrid Linebackers

As the Broncos transition to the 3-4 defensive scheme, one of the major differences is going to be the switch for some players from defensive end to a hybrid defensive end/rush linebacker.

One of the great debates of this offseason was who the Broncos would recruit to play such positions, and which players already on the roster would make the switch.

When dissecting Denver’s previous group of defensive ends, it seemed that many, if not all of them, were qualified and perhaps better fit to play as rush linebackers in a 3-4 scheme.

The only problem is, these players will not only have to develop their craft as pass rushers standing up; they will have to learn how to excel in pass coverage.

For what the Broncos may lack in some other areas on defense, they definitely do not have a shortage of high-profile players who will transition to rush linebackers.

Among this group are the players who have led the Broncos in sacks over the last three seasons, two top-20 draft picks, a second-round pick, and a YouTube legend.

One starting spot at this new position will be filled undoubtedly by former fourth-round draft pick Elvis Dumervil.

Dumervil was taken in the 2006 NFL Draft out of Louisville following a stellar collegiate career where he was named first team All-American, Bronko Nagurski Award recipient, and finished his senior season with 20 sacks—second all-time for a single-season NCAA total.

Why was he picked in the fourth round?

Despite Dumervil’s superior skill as a pass rusher, he stands at only 5’11” and 248 pounds.

In three seasons with the Broncos, Dumervil has 26 sacks, which are the 13th highest total in the NFL during that time frame. He has started every game for the Broncos over the last two seasons, and is an impact player on this defense.

Despite Dumervil’s career success, many vastly underrate his abilities, especially the people at Madden NFL ’10, who gave the Broncos’ pass rusher a sub-70 overall rating. 

In case one is not in the know—that is horrible.

Even though Dumervil was not carrying a large enough chip on his shoulder for being passed on for over three and a half rounds of the 2006 NFL Draft because of his size, he now has this to use as motivation.

Dumervil was quoted earlier this offseason as saying this year’s Denver defense will be “nasty.” He needs to get a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback in order for that prediction to hold true.

The biggest asset to Dumervil’s game is his long arms. In fact, the length of his arms can often off-set his shorter stature to get separation from bigger offensive tackles.

Lining up on the opposite side of Dumervil could be rookie Robert Ayers, a first-round draft pick out of Tennessee who was one of the pieces in the Jay Cutler trade.

The 6’3″ 274 pound Ayers has drawn comparisons to fellow AFC West hybrid linebacker Shawne Merriman. The Broncos hope to get Merriman-like production out of the second team All-SEC selection.

Ayers has an excellent combination of size and speed, and although he was not a superstar for the Volunteers, he led the conference with 15.5 tackles for loss, which will help the Broncos tremendously.

Many scouts believe Ayers is in the beginning stages of showing what he is capable of doing, and the Volunteers’ Most Improved Defensive player from 2008 needs to make great strides in the Mile High City to help this porous defense.

There were some in NFL circles who felt Ayers improved his draft stock dramatically with one of the best performances at the Senior Bowl. Too be honest, there were too many red flags for this Bronco enthusiast to get excited about the prospect of Ayers joining this team.

I felt he was a better fit for a 4-3 defensive end, but what did I know?

An NFL.com top-five list ranked Ayers as the top impact rookie in the entire NFL, and he was called the “best defensive prospect in the draft” by NFL and NCAA football analyst Mike Mayock.

Ayers has worked on his game, especially standing up and improving in pass coverage over the last few months. He has also spent a ton of extra time in Denver doing so this offseason.

In addition to Ayers, Broncos fans will be able to look forward to another new face at this position: former Indianapolis Colts special teams ace Darrell Reid.

Reid is the biggest hybrid linebacker on the Broncos’ roster, where they list him at 6’2″ 288 pounds.

I stated in the opening that Reid is a YouTube legend, and you can view that clip here.

Reid has been the leader of the Colts’ special teams over the last four seasons, ranking first on the team with 45 special teams tackles over that time span.

The former undrafted free agent out of Minnesota provides the Broncos with an extremely athletic option at this position, especially for his size.

Reid started the offseason as one of the first team rush linebackers with Denver, and could be a dark-horse to start the season in that role.

One player who surprisingly is seemingly on the bubble heading into training camp is former first-round draft pick Jarvis Moss.

Moss is entering his third season out of Florida, and it was rumored that the Broncos were attempting to deal him for a seventh-round pick in April’s draft. However, those reports were never confirmed by the Broncos.

If one thing is for sure, it is that Moss absolutely looks the part of a pass rushing phenomenon. He stands at 6’7″ and checked in to minicamps at 257 pounds. Moss compares very favorably in size to the great Jason Taylor, but he has yet to live up to his lofty potential.

One thing Broncos fans learned about Moss is that he does not fit into a conservative defense, which the team has run for as long as I can remember.

Now, the fans are expecting a more aggressive approach to the defense, especially via the pass rush.

Many feel and have felt since Moss entered the league in 2007 that he was best fit for an aggressive defense where he can utilize his quickness. He is not a run-stuffer by any means, and the Broncos would love to have six, seven, maybe eight sacks out of him as a third down specialist.

In two seasons with Denver, Moss has recorded only 3.5 sacks, but he has only played in a total of 18 games over that time frame. However, the jury is still out on him. He is not yet a “bust”, but he is flirting with the fine line between prospect and failed project.

Another player who is in the same boat with Jarvis Moss is former Texas Longhorn product and 2007 second-round draft pick Tim Crowder.

Crowder had high expectations for his sophomore campaign after a rookie season where he recorded four sacks.

Instead of bringing hope to the Broncos’ pass rush, Crowder was only penciled in for six games in 2008. 

Still, head coach Josh McDaniels has seen enough from him that the third year player has seen time in mini-camps as the first string outside linebacker.

Because he has played in only 19 career games, the jury is still out on this kid.  He has great potential with his combination of size, speed, and strength, and perhaps like many of the other Broncos’ defensive linemen, he could just be a better fit for the 3-4 scheme.

The biggest part of the defensive transition for the Broncos, these linebackers in particular, will be the challenge of standing up and defending the pass.  

If these young kids can bring some “heat”, shades of defenses past will re-surface in the Mile High City.

Inside the Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Nose Tackles

In 2008, the Denver Broncos ranked 27th against the rush, allowing 146.1 yards per game on the ground.

The only teams who were worse (Cleveland, St. Louis, Kansas City, Oakland, and Detroit) all ended up with selections in the top seven of the 2009 NFL Draft.

In this league, success usually goes hand-in-hand with two things: effective running, and stopping the run effectively. The Denver Broncos have struggled mightily with the latter over the past two seasons.

For what it’s worth, the lack of success stopping the run cannot be attributed to lack of personnel and coaching change, as the Broncos have had three different defensive coordinators in the past three seasons, and thus, three new defensive schemes.

The newest defense will be coordinated by former San Francisco 49ers head coach and longtime defensive guru Mike Nolan, who will implement the first 3-4 system the Broncos will have had in over two decades.

For this particular scheme, it’s well-documented that arguably the most important position is the nose tackle.

Having one of the top six worst run defenses in the NFL, one would imagine the Broncos’ new management would go after an “elite” nose tackle talent to help rectify the problem, but Josh McDaniels and company had another plan.

Instead of spending unnecessary amounts of money on Colin Cole, Albert Haynesworth, or trading too many draft picks in order to move up and select B.J. Raji, the Broncos went out and acquired what they hope is a gem.

To hopefully start at nose tackle, the Broncos brought in free agent defensive tackle Ronald Fields, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers.

Fields signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Broncos early in the off-season, and he may have been a steal at that price. 

Don’t believe me?

Greg Rosenthal of ProFootballTalk.com points out that at his low price, Fields already knows Nolan’s scheme from his days with the ‘Niners, he is the ideal size at 6’2″-321 pounds, and he can hold the line of scrimmage.

In five seasons, Fields has 97 tackles, one sack, and has participated in 49 games, starting nine.

Obviously, his statistics are not unbelievable, but if he can be efficient for the Broncos and take on double teams, he will be the best acquisition of an off-season that has seen many new faces come to the Mile High City.

Another player who hopes to make the final roster with the chance to play nose tackle is undrafted free agent Chris Baker.

Baker started his collegiate career with Penn State, and later transferred to Hampton after some off-field issues arose.

At 6’2″, 326 pounds, Baker has played both defensive tackle and, quite surprisingly defensive end in his collegiate days, and many fans are hoping the Broncos can use the versatile big man in multiple roles.

I was lurking around the comments on an article written at Mile High Report, and I saw a comment that intrigued me very much. I do not have the exact link, so I will paraphrase what it said: “Like the center in basketball, many people feel the nose tackle in football has to automatically be the biggest guy, which is not true.”

I could not agree more.

The Broncos have several players who were mentioned in my previous Defensive Ends article such as Carlton Powell and Marcus Thomas, who both have the chance to play nose tackle because of their abilities to take on double teams.

While Thomas and Powell could be nose tackles playing in defensive ends’ bodies, Baker could very well be a defensive end playing in a nose tackle’s body.

Surely the Broncos will appreciate the versatility and athleticism, something they have severely lacked for a very long time.

In addition to Fields and Baker, the Broncos brought in former Carolina Panthers nose guard J’Vonne Parker, who is the biggest of the bunch at 6’4″, 325 pounds.

Parker seems like a long shot to make the team with the amount of youth the Broncos have brought in on the defensive line, but if he can put it together in training camp, he definitely looks the part.

Many felt the Broncos made a huge mistake by not using more/higher draft picks on this position, and I will disagree with that statement completely.

Why should Denver have reached for a mediocre talent in B.J. Raji, who would have cost far more than any of the three players who were brought in for similar production?

Should the Broncos have pursued the $100 million man in Albert Haynesworth instead of filling more pressing needs on the defensive side of the ball?

To me, it’s a myth that the Broncos’ No. 1 off-season task was to upgrade their defensive line.

In 2008, the Broncos were one of the very worst teams in the NFL in turnover ratio at -17, which was clearly the main focus of McDaniels and company this off-season.

The Broncos’ defensive line is nothing to write home about—yet.

They have much to prove as a young unit with minimal experience, but this group is already shaping up to be much more formidable than the one thrown together in 2008, and Broncos fans and critics alike could be silenced for their harsh evaluations of the Denver “bigs.”

Inside the Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Defensive Ends

At long last, this series has finally reached the defensive side of the ball, where we will begin by dissecting the Denver Broncos’ defensive line.

The defensive lines Denver has put out in recent years have been absolutely horrendous, and have been a real Achille’s Heel for the defensive unit.

The Broncos were constantly changing personnel, coaches, and alignments to rectify their problems up front, but absolutely nothing was working.

The team even devoted 75 percent of its 2007 draft class to the defensive line, and the results have been less than impressive, to say the least.

New head coach Josh McDaniels has been absolutely hammered by fans, media, and critics alike for seemingly avoiding upgrading the Broncos’ defensive line via free agency and the NFL Draft, but I would contend that the new regime in Denver has significantly upgraded this area of the team, particularly at defensive end.

In 2008, the average size for a Broncos’ defensive end was 6’3″ and 268 pounds, which includes the 6’6″, 298-pound Nic Clemons.

For 2009, the average size for a defensive end in Denver heading to training camp is 6’4″ and a whopping 298 pounds. That is a difference of 30 pounds for those keeping track at home. 

I know, it does not necessarily mean that the talent has been significantly upgraded, but it cannot get much worse than the 2008 unit, and the Broncos have beefed up their frontline significantly. The run defense will be improved, and this crop of defensive ends will be a huge reason why.

According to McDaniels, there are no clear cut starters along the defensive line, which would explain why the Broncos will likely go into camp with eight players vying for a job.

One has to imagine that third year player Marcus Thomas will have a roster spot locked in thanks to his consistent play over the last two seasons.

Thomas has been one of the very few bright spots along the Denver defensive line, and may be the most versatile lineman the Broncos currently boast. 

He started five games in his rookie campaign of 2007, and was penciled in as the starter for all 16 regular season contests in 2008. In that time frame, Thomas has 53 tackles and two interceptions.

Coming out of Florida three years ago, Thomas had his share of off-field issues, but scouts felt that the Broncos had nabbed a first round talent with their fourth round pick acquired from the Minnesota Vikings.

Thomas has yet to live up to that lofty potential, but he is steadily growing as a player, both figuratively and literally.

He had been checking in at around 290 pounds over the last couple of seasons before growing to 300 at the end of the 2008 campaign, and now he is all the way up to 305 pounds.  Some feel the reason for this is that the Broncos would like to use his versatility at nose tackle, which is definitely a possibility if he can get up to 310 or 315 pounds by the time training camp begins.

Thomas will compete for a starting spot with Ryan McBean, a fourth round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft who was taken 11 picks after the Broncos selected Thomas.

McBean began his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers who were absolutely loaded at the defensive end position, and he was placed on their practice squad.

He had a couple of stints on Pittsburgh’s active roster, but has only seen game action once in his short career. The Broncos feel he has potential to make an impact at defensive end, but the jury is still out.

One of the more intriguing players at the defensive end position for the Broncos is 26 year old undrafted rookie free agent and Iraq veteran Rulon Davis.

Davis, formerly of the Cal Golden Bears, joins the Broncos with a decorated background, one that includes being named after former Denver defensive lineman Rulon Jones.

Many fans are pushing hard for Davis to make the final roster, and for good reason. He has displayed great athleticism and versatility in his days at Cal, and the Broncos feel he can play at defensive end or possibly even outside linebacker in their new 3-4 defensive scheme.

Another rookie defensive lineman fans are excited about is former Northern Iowa star Everette Pedescleaux.

Pedescleaux is a giant of a man at 6’6″ 305 pounds, and he has proven to be a very valuable asset throughout his football career in college, racking up 112 tackles, 11 sacks and six blocked kicks. He was also a part of the UNI basketball team early in his college days.

One familiar face along the defensive line and at defensive end will be seven year veteran Kenny Peterson, the eldest of the Broncos’ defensive bigs.

Peterson, often referred to as “Patterson”, was the only notable defensive free agent retained by the Broncos’ new staff, and he appears to be an ideal fit for a 3-4 defensive end.

He has played both end and tackle in his three seasons with the Broncos, and last season played in all 16 games while recording 24 tackles, three sacks, and one fumble forced. 

Peterson could very easily be one of the opening day starters at defensive end for Denver.

One player Broncos fans are most excited to get the chance to see play is second year pro Carlton Powell, a fifth round pick last season out of Virginia Tech.

Powell stands at 6’3″ 300 pounds, and the former Hokie is regarded as a run-stopping specialist by scouts, so one can imagine why Broncos fans are eager to get this kid on the field.

He was placed last season on the physically unable to perform list, and never made it to the Broncos’ active roster.

Another former mid-round draft pick that will compete for a defensive line spot is Matthias Askew, a fourth round pick of the Bengals in 2004. 

Askew has spent two seasons out of football, and seems like a long-shot to make the Broncos’ final roster.

Rounding out the list of defensive ends is the third-year pro Clemons, who saw his most significant playing time last season for the Broncos, recording 13 total tackles.

The enormous Clemons was signed to a future contract in 2008 by the Broncos after spending 2006 and 2007 out of football altogether.

He played in a career-high 10 games last season, and hopes to make the Broncos’ final roster for the second straight year.

The defensive end position for the Denver Broncos is by no means flashy, but there is no doubt this unit is a significant upgrade over last season, especially when considering the hiring of former San Diego Chargers defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely, which cannot be overlooked.

Inside The Denver Broncos’ Roster: The Right Tackles

With this article, we will finally conclude the first half of the Denver Broncos’ 2009 preview which has dissected and analyzed every aspect and every player part of this offense.

The offensive line was simply too deep and had too much to talk about to fit in one article, so if you would like a recap of the entire line thus far, you can find information about the left tackles, left guards, centers, and right guards by following the links.

This article will focus on the second of the Broncos’ two bookend tackles, third year player Ryan Harris.

Harris began the 2008 season as essentially a rookie.  He saw little to no action playing right tackle in his rookie campaign of 2007, and Broncos fans really questioned whether former head coach Mike Shanahan made the right choice by letting veteran tackle Erik Pears leave Denver for the Oakland Raiders.

Lucky for Denver fans, Shanahan is an offensive genius, and as he proved multiple times during his tenure with the Broncos, he was not steering this team into murky waters.

Harris had an All-Pro caliber season for the Broncos in 2008, allowing only 2.5 sacks over the entire year.  Pretty unbelievable considering the Broncos dropped back 620 times all of last season, good for second in the NFL.

What is even more impressive is that the former Notre Dame star helped his Broncos rank 12th in the entire NFL in rushing despite going through a plethora of running backs over the 2008 season thanks to injury.

Harris plans to pair with fellow tackle Ryan Clady on the Broncos’ offensive line for a decade to come.

He joined the Broncos as a third round draft pick in 2007 out of Notre Dame, and was featured on an episode of MTV’s True Life as a high school senior training to become the starting left tackle for the Fighting Irish.  Harris is only the third lineman in Notre Dame’s storied history to start on the offensive line as a true freshman.

In addition to Harris, the Broncos feature veteran Brandon Gorin, a free agent acquisition from the St. Louis Rams.

Gorin has spent time in the NFL with the Rams, Cardinals, Patriots, and Chargers.

He has started 26 games in his career, and could be a very valuable backup for the Broncos if he makes the final roster.

Gorin is joined by third year pro Clint Oldenburg, a former fifth round draft pick out of Colorado State by the New England Patriots.

Many who follow the Broncos closely feel Oldenburg has a good chance of making the final roster if not at least the practice squad because of his experience in the New England offense.

The Broncos also signed the very athletic Stanley Bryant of East Carolina as a rookie free agent in 2009 to compete at right tackle.

The Denver offensive line is an extremely deep unit, and Bronco fans should be very excited about the direction they are heading, especially under the tutelage of longtime offensive line guru Rick Dennison, who has been orchestrating the Broncos’ offensive line for over a decade.

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