Weighty matters - The front 7 in 2008 vs. 2009

What have the Denver Broncos done this off-season to improve the defensive front seven?  Last year this was the most obvious weakness with the Broncos as they had difficulty stopping both the run and getting sacks. 

Switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 with one less defensive lineman and one additional linebacker might give the impression that the front seven as a whole would get lighter and quicker since linebackers are lighter and quicker than lineman.  Of course a Nose Tackle to clog up the middle would be heavier, so maybe on average there wouldn’t be much difference between last years horrible defense and this years, right MSM?

The Broncos 2008 opening day defensive line and linebacker's with listed weight.

 

Moss, Jarvis                   DE     265
Crowder, Tim                 DE     275
Dumervil, Elvis               DE     260
Engelberger, John        DE     260
Ekuban, Ebenezer        DE     275
Clemons, Nic                 DT     300
Thomas, Marcus           DT     305
Peterson, Kenny            DT     300
Robertson, Dewayne   DT     308
McKinley, Alvin               DT     294  
===========================
Average 2008 Lineman         284.2

Woodyard, Wesley    LB         230
Koutouvides, Niko    LB          238
Williams, D.J.            LB          240
Green, Louis             LB          237
Bailey, Boss              LB          232
Winborn, Jamie        LB          230
Webster, Nate           LB          232
===========================
Average 2008 LB's                  234.1

Average 2008 Front Seven    263.6

Now before we look at the 2009 players battling for a spot on the 2009 opening day roster, I must say that this isn’t really an "apples to apples" comparison.  We don’t yet know if the lightest or heaviest players will be cut, but with the mantra coming from the new regime being "Bigger, stronger, smarter, … it may be that the opening day roster’s average may be more than the current competition.  So how much different do you think the current competition compares with last years? 

Is the per person average –

Lighter?
About the same?
Five to Ten pounds heavier? 
Ten to Fifteen? 
More than Fifteen?

The Broncos 2009 training camp defensive line and linebacker's with listed weight.

 

Thomas, Marcus        DL         316
McBean, Ryan             DL         297
Clemons, Nic              DL         300
Powell, Carlton           DL         312
Peterson, Kenny         DL         295
Fields, Ronald            DL         314
Baker, Chris                DL         329
Pedescleaux, E          DL         312
Davis, Rulon               DL         283
Askew, Matthias         DL         292
Parker, J'Vonne          DL         338
===========================
Average 2009 Lineman          308.0

Williams, D.J.             ILB          242
Davis, Andra               ILB          251
Woodyard, Wesley    ILB          222
Haggan, Mario           ILB          267
Greisen, Nick             ILB          242
Robinson, Lee           ILB          256
Larsen, Spencer     ILB/FB       243
Dumervil, Elvis        OLB/DE     248
Ayers, Robert           OLB/DE     274
Moss, Jarvis            OLB/DE      257
Crowder, Tim          OLB/DE      260
Reid, Darrell            OLB/DE      270
============================
Average 2009 LB's                     252.7

Average 2009 Front Seven       279.1

Totals

2009 Lineman       308.0 (11 players)
2008 Lineman       284.2 (10 players)
===================
2009 Gain                 23.8


2009 Linebackers 252.7 (12 players)
2008 Linebackers 234.1 (7 players)
===================
2009 Gain                 18.6


2009 Average         279.1 (23 players)
2008 Average         263.6 (17 players)
===================
2009 Gain                 16.5

Surprised? 

One more way to look it this is the average weight of the whole front seven is 5 pounds lighter then last years defensive line and 35 pounds heavier than last years linebackers.

This alone doesn't mean that the Broncos defense will be better than last years, but it does prove that it is no where near the same defense that stunk up the league last year.  It much bigger, stronger and I'd wager smarter as well.

I wonder if LJ and LT will feel the difference?