2011 Denver Broncos Preview: Defensive Ends
by Sayre Bedinger on Aug 15, 2011 10:01 AM MDT
in 2011 Denver Broncos Season Preview
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Could this year finally be the year the Broncos' defensive line puts it together? I didn't see what I wanted to see against the Dallas Cowboys, but this still might be the most talented group of defensive ends the Broncos have had in a long, long time.
The return of Elvis Dumervil obviously seriously upgrades the Broncos' defense, regardless of whether he was playing outside linebacker or defensive end like he is now. Dumervil is a superstar, and often a forgotten star pass rusher around the league.
Dumervil is joined by a couple of first round picks in Robert Ayers and Derrick Harvey, a second round pick in David Veikune, and a few other familiar faces like Jason Hunter and possibly even at times--Mario Haggan?
The Broncos also added one of the top pass rushers in the Big 12 over the last four years in Jeremy Beal in the seventh round, but he faces a real uphill climb to make this team as it currently stands. Jeremy Jarmon, acquired from the Redskins in the Jabar Gaffney trade (you can read about him in the defensive tackles preview) will also play some strong-side defensive end for the Broncos.
This is one of the deepest groups the Broncos have had in a while, but you can bet they aren't done looking for talented players. The competition over the last three pre-season games will be fierce, and hopefully the Broncos will wind up keeping eight, nine, or maybe even 10 solid defensive linemen when the season begins.
Elvis Dumervil
1984/01/19 27
5-11 248
Miami, FL
4
the Denver Broncos in 2006 (4th round)
I couldn't be more ecstatic to have Dumervil back this season. I think back to last year at all the games we could have and should have probably won, where hypothetical wins and losses and the absence of Dumervil on the defensive side of the ball haunt my Denver Broncos dreams. I think back to the game against the New York Jets, how having Dumervil pin his ears back on that fourth and long prayer that Mark Sanchez threw up would have had absolutely no chance...Well, you get the picture.
Dumervil is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, bar none. The last time he was on the field for meaningful games, Dumervil led the NFL with 17 sacks, and really had a breakout season. He's not great against the run, but when it comes time to rush the passer, he has been so valuable for the Broncos, so much so that they handed him a giant contract extension last offseason. Here is his scouting report from SB Nation:
Scouting Report
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Robert Ayers
1985/09/06 25
6-3 274
Clio, SC
2
the Denver Broncos in 2009 (1st round)
Right now, the Broncos are just waiting for Robert Ayers to put it all together. We know he plays with a fire, we all know he can hit people, and we all know he is a big, strong guy. What we don't know right now is if he can put that all together for a whole season, and translate his intensity to the field in terms of pass rush. I'm not talking about him getting "close" to the quarterback--Ayers was the 18th pick in the draft and we need him to start putting up double-digit sack totals or he is going to be looking for a job sooner rather than later.
This season needs to be a break-out year for Ayers. It's not "I hope Ayers can have a great season," or, "I think this year is the year for Robert." This HAS to be the year for Ayers, or I think he will be fighting for a roster spot, possibly even before season's end.
Ayers is a solid run defender, as he showed in spurts last year, but he has barely even gotten a legitimate NFL sack, and has already missed six games. He was starting to emerge in college at Tennessee as a 4-3 defensive end in Monte Kiffin's scheme, so hopefully Ayers' first year in the 4-3 alignment can be the first year he shows to Broncos fans why he was selected so high in the draft, rather than in the 2nd or 3rd round where I thought he would go.
Scouting Report
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Jason Hunter
1983/08/28 27
6-4 271
Fort Bragg, NC
5
Hunter came to the Broncos last season after he was cut by the Detroit Lions in the pre-season, and he wasted no time making his presence felt. He worked his way into the starting lineup at outside linebacker for the Broncos and finished the year with 60 tackles, three sacks, and an interception.
Hunter's statistics aren't huge by any means, but he is a rotational defensive end who can make an impact for your team off the bench both against the run and as a pass rusher. I am excited to have him back with the Broncos, and as you all saw in the first pre-season game, he still has some serious pass rush skill, netting two sacks already.
Scouting Report
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Derrick Harvey
1986/11/09 24
6-5 268
Greenbelt, MD
3
the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2008 (1st round)
Derrick Harvey is really in the same boat as Robert Ayers right now, though he was drafted a year earlier and has already been cut by the team that used a high draft pick (traded up, in fact) to get him. The biggest thing Harvey has going for him right now is his age--he doesn't turn 25 until almost mid-season, and the Broncos are banking on the fact that his immaturity as a player and his being so "green" for Jacksonville will pay dividends for them, as he sort of comes into his own as a player.
Harvey only has eight sacks in his NFL career, and has only missed one game. He is known more for his ability against the run, but again, as a top ten pick in the draft, there are a lot of expectations. With his size and athletic ability he can play inside, he can play outside, he can play strong-side or weak-side. Hopefully Harvey can break out and be the type of pass rusher he was drafted to be for the Broncos.
Scouting Report
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David Veikune
1985/12/12 25
6-2 257
Anchorage, AK
2
the Cleveland Browns in 2009 (2nd round)
Veikune was a guy I really liked coming out of college two years ago, but he was vastly mis-cast in the Cleveland Browns' 3-4 defense. They tried him as an inside linebacker, and that failed miserably, and he was never really given a chance to make an impact as a pass rusher, which is what he was known for coming out of Hawaii.
You can see on his college tape that Veikune is relentless. He's got a fire about him, and he's a hard worker. He is a good athlete who can contribute on special teams, and I really hope the Broncos get a good look at him as a defensive end. I am really going to be watching him against the Buffalo Bills, and I will go back and see what he did against Dallas as well, but I think he has loads of potential. We'll see if he can tap into it.
Scouting Report
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Jeremy Beal
1987/12/02 23
6-2 262
0
the Denver Broncos in 2011 (7th round)
I am not quite sure why the SB Nation site still has most of our defensive ends as linebackers, but that is not the issue at hand here. Beal was one of the best pass rushers in the Big 12 over the last four years, and he comes to the Broncos with a chip on his shoulder. He's not a good athlete. In fact, he didn't even initially make the team in Oklahoma because he failed their conditioning tests.
Still, this guy is a gamer, and he has the heart that you look for in a young prospect, and he can get to the quarterback. I have not seen or heard much about Beal coming out of training camp, but hopefully the Broncos can get a good enough look at him in the pre-season to be able to keep him on the practice squad for a year.
Mario Haggan
1980/03/03 31
6-3 267
Clarksdale, MS
8
the Buffalo Bills in 2003 (7th round)
Haggan has been moved to inside linebacker for the Broncos, which I think is a much better fit for him, but that doesn't mean he won't see time at defensive end. Haggan showed last year that he could be a good pass rusher, netting 99 tackles and five sacks on the season. He is one of the team's most valuable reserve players, and he hits like a ton of bricks.
He will be another valuable piece to this defense this year as a LB/DE and one of the team's more solid veteran reserve defenders. I really like Haggan and I think he deserves a spot on this team.
Scouting Report
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35 comments
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Comments
@Sayre..thanks Totally agree about the talent competition
As of today (I really love being in #2 for waivers) my DL men would be;
Ayers, Warren, Thomas, Dumervil
Hunter, Bunkley, Vickerson, Harvey
Jarmon is my 9th who can play both
IMO Beal and Unrein go to PS
Hunter looked fantastic vs Dallas. He looked like an NFL player working over camp fodder. I’d love to see another game like that from him. Kind of reminded me of the game where Haggen went ape sh## on the Chefs last year when Mario had three sacks and five QB hits.
Kyle Orton + red zone = FG
A game where Hunter also had a 75 yard TD return.
Where did that game come from BTW. This one random game where we played like Super Bowl champs in between terrible losses to a bad San Fran team and a mediocre San Diego squad.
Maybe we were filming Haley and Co.
Kyle Orton + red zone = FG
by McGeorge on Aug 15, 2011 10:55 AM MDT up reply actions 2 recs
I think
It was just the perfect storm. KC was one of the youngest and most inexperienced teams in the league, and they just had a total meltdown game. Happens when you start as many rookies as they did.
This
You take a young squad like KC, add in an awful team like last year’s Broncos, give us a little luck, and have guy in the zone and you get a game like that.
That’s part of the whole “on any given Sunday…” thing.
"Bombs dropping down overhead. Underground. It's instilled to want to live." -EV
There has been speculation
and don’t quote me on this, but I think Dustin Colquitt said Todd Haley thought we had cheated, that resulted in the finger pointing at the end of that game.
Follow me on Twitter: @SayreBedinger
by Sayre Bedinger on Aug 15, 2011 12:04 PM MDT up reply actions
I read that too
I think it was actually BW with the find
Raiders suck
Chargers are whiny douches
Chiefs are meh
Yup...Hunter looked superb
Like Brady Quinn, I’d really like to see him working with the first team just so we know more about what he’s capable of.
"Bombs dropping down overhead. Underground. It's instilled to want to live." -EV
I've always liked Hunter
there’s just something really exciting to me about I-AA college football players doing well in the NFL. I guess greats of the game such as Shannon Sharpe, Darren Sharper, Andre Reed, etc. didn’t need I-A BC$ college football after all!
Brad James
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With Coach Zorro on our side, we will slice opponents to ribbons. Tim Tebow gives me hope and I already have faith and charity in my heart! I see a propitious future rife with Lombardis for our Broncos!
by the new Bradfather on Aug 15, 2011 12:24 PM MDT up reply actions
Don't forget Lyle Alzado
Yankton college, South Dakota
Personal relations consist of an uneasy truce between powerful, solitary fantasy systems.
Janet Malcolm
by bradley on Aug 15, 2011 12:28 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yea!
Lyle Alzado!
Brad James
Follow me on Twitter
With Coach Zorro on our side, we will slice opponents to ribbons. Tim Tebow gives me hope and I already have faith and charity in my heart! I see a propitious future rife with Lombardis for our Broncos!
by the new Bradfather on Aug 15, 2011 12:36 PM MDT up reply actions
Great work Sayre. I enjoy this site because of the things you learn and the interesting dialogue from you and others. I have hopes for this defence.
by broncolaz on Aug 15, 2011 11:25 AM MDT via mobile reply actions
Im excited about this position!
i can see us keeping 5-6 guys. Fox loves pass rushers.
I forgot how much doom meant to our D, and his presence alone will help out the whole line. Ayers will be a great edge setter and is back at his natural position. I think ayers will do great this year.
Now how nice is this to say? We have young depth along our D-Line. Harvey and Jarmon are young and full of potential. Jarmon has looked impressive in camp, and looked good against the cowboys. I always want to give former 1st round picks another chance, Harvey probably has a chip on his shoulder now and fox and allen hopefully can bring the best out of this guy.
Hunter looked great and will probably make the roster. Now the question is, do we keep 6 DE’s and Von or does Von count as a DE and we carry an extra Linebacker? Id like to see beal stay, but he might be a practice squad guy. Not sure if Veikune makes it.
Ayers will never get 10+ sacks
he’s just not that type of DE… I’d be astonished if he pulled double-digit sacks.
But he can, and should get 6-8… with what he showed when healthy last year, and with Doom/Miller flushing the QB from the outside, 6 to 8 is totally doable.
I don’t particularly like our DE depth, but if Harvey/Hunter/Jarmon/Ayers continue to develop, we’ll hopefully be okay. Having Miller play DE on pass plays helps too, as he has the passrush upside Ayers/Jarmon/Harvey lack…
Thanks Sayre!
It could happen, but it would involve a lot of luck
The average sacks # last year was 35/team. Let’s assume the Broncos get slightly above that in 2011 – 40 (PIT lead the lead with 48 in 2010). I would wager that more than half of those would come from VonDoom (let’s say 22). So that leaves 18 sacks for the rest of the guys on the D. I figure DJ for 3 (his average is 2). Mays for 1. Dawk for 2. Vickerson for 1. Thomas for 2. Warren for 3. So that leaves 6 sacks for the rest of the guys. Ayers most likely gets 4 or 5 of those, but the really depends on how the DE rotation works. Hunter and Harvey both have shown better NFL pass rushing ability than Ayers. For Ayers to get double digits, he would have to luck into 4 or five of the sacks the should have gone to another player (based on who caused the pressure)
Ding Dong the lockout's dead
by DE_BroncoFan on Aug 15, 2011 12:16 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Seriously though
If Ayers gets 5 – 6 sacks he is doing well. People that rave about him needing to put up big sack numbers just don’t understand that DEs do more than make sacks. And with a player like Ayers, his value at run containment and pocket collapsing is what makes him shine. I haven’t seen enough speed from him to make me think he’ll be a big sack guy.
Here’s the thing – we have a DE like him that collapses the pocket with a LB like Miller next to him. Ayers will be the reason Miller shines most of the time. And it certainly won’t hurt Doom’s numbers either.
"Bombs dropping down overhead. Underground. It's instilled to want to live." -EV
That's what I'm thinkin'
If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!
by Trinidad Jack on Aug 15, 2011 4:35 PM MDT up reply actions
excellent analysis, DE_BroncoFan
What used to annoy me with the old 4-3 (Ekuban, Engelberger, etc.) was the lack of containment. The point of the pass rush is to create an organized collapse that doesn’t allow the QB to escape and affects his thinking when stays. Sacks are occasionally produced when the DL is doing its job but not necessarily. Oddly, the “pressures” or “hurries” are as important or moreso even though sacks are over-relied upon as the metric for measuring pass rush performance.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to measure the pass rush without relying on these somewhat subjective metrics. It’s not that coaches can’t see them nor use them in their evaluations but the fuzzy nature of a pressure or hurry makes them esoteric metrics used somewhat inclusively by coaches.
What’s currently annoying me is the vacillation between complaining about run defense and pass defense. It’s as if run defense doesn’t count when we talk about pass defense, and vice versa. This is where the team issue is most salient because it requires DL coordination to effectively collapse the pocket just as it requires the entire team’s execution for proficient run defense. Dumervil and Miller will be stars in the pass rush but the rest of the team provides a foundation to support this. Both pass defense and run defense rely heavily on team support, which often isn’t acknowledged by fans. My current pet peeve is the run defense amnesia that strikes whenever pass rush enters the discussion. I’d be quite happy if our run defense becomes solid and our sack total is only average. That would be a tremendous improvement.
******* George Santayana described fanaticism as -- "redoubling your effort after you've forgotten your aim"
I really like this group
I am hoping Ayers does break out. I guess the same ass all those years wishing Jarvis would bust it out too. I can say that this Defense has me more pumped than anything Broncos of late. Thanks again for the post.
For the love of the animals. 24
ps3 handle KINGbaboon
On Ayers
We know he plays with a fire
Really? Did you mean he was on the field lighting matches when I saw him standing around during plays several times over the past few seasons? Honestly, he may have some talent and may still turn into something (so far he hasn’t), but I haven’t seen him play with the passion I would expect from someone who could still become Jarvis Moss part II.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Aug 15, 2011 12:29 PM MDT reply actions
He's already done more then moss in his career
i just dont think he has been properly used in the 3-4. He’s a good run stopper with some pass rush ability.
This is a make or break year for him.
by Scotty Payne on Aug 15, 2011 12:57 PM MDT up reply actions
That's not saying much considering Moss accomplished absolutely nothing
besides robbing Pat Bowlen
this is true.
but he showed some flashes with the faiders. I just think ayers will prove to be a solid D-Linemen.
by Scotty Payne on Aug 15, 2011 1:07 PM MDT up reply actions
it's a pain in the rear end
sharing an office with my company’s version of Jarvis Moss, I don’t know why management crushes on him, pretty gross. He’s not the only one who makes money
Brad James
Follow me on Twitter
With Coach Zorro on our side, we will slice opponents to ribbons. Tim Tebow gives me hope and I already have faith and charity in my heart! I see a propitious future rife with Lombardis for our Broncos!
by the new Bradfather on Aug 15, 2011 1:14 PM MDT up reply actions
wait...wasn't there a guy who broke his foot in a game and played the rest of the game anyway (and played well).
He really played with a fire.
Oh wait, that was Robert Ayers.
Check out my blog about undergraduate science research
by black_knight101 on Aug 15, 2011 2:50 PM MDT up reply actions
My bad. Don’t mess with the legend of Robert “one sack” Ayers.
We see a wonderful sun-soaked city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Enos sees nickels and dimes.
by Bob in Boulder on Aug 15, 2011 3:26 PM MDT up reply actions
I am rooting for both Hunter and Haggan
Last year when our D crapped the bed, it was these guys that seemed to overachieve. They are not stars but they came to play every game. Haggan has done nothing but surprise since he has come here, I would not be shocked if he grabs a spot. I am not ruling out Hunter starting opposite Doom either. Hopefully its a credit to him and not a discredit to Ayers.
Ayers
I am not so sure that Ayers getting sacks is the only way for him to keep his job. If he can disrupt pass protection, hold the line against the run and cover when needed, his value will be astronomical with Batdoom and Robin being able to use Ayers as their rock.
by Mhantra on Aug 15, 2011 2:21 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
Expecting Ayers to get double digit sacks is like expecting Prater to lead Special Teams in tackles
That’s just not who they are. Ayers is a strong side end – the run side. He wasn’t a sack artist ever in his life and I don’t expect him to suddenly turn into one.
Ayers doesn’t have to live up to his draft status (18th pick) for him to be useful to our team as a run stopper. DEs don’t play every down, not even close. And not every down is a passing down, not even close. There is plenty of room on this team for a guy that can stop running backs from the DE position.
Robert doesn’t have to notch double digit sacks for us to keep him. Now I agree that he has to improve in that area this year for him to keep his starting job at DE, but certainly not double digits. I’d say that if he notches five sacks this year, it will have been a great success and he can keep his job security.
The other thing to look at here is that if Ayers never breaks through as being solid enough off the edge, I think the next natural step would be to play him more in the middle next year. He’s already got the strength for it and has the build to bulk up some more. I think Ayers at 295 pounds at RDE could really have some teeth to it.
OK, so Brian and The Johns really did very well at the Defensive Tackle position, especially considering the limited cash budget they likely had to work with. I no longer hear laughter from opposing RBs in my nightmares!!!
Great article Sayre. Thanks!
"I actually watched the World Cup. I HATE baseball. Hockey’s over. Hey, at least we have the WNBA. Oh, man. I’m making a noose. Want one?"
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Is it Free Agency yet? Wake me up when it starts!
The Broncos have a terrible track record about actually getting a defensive line of players who does something good for the team. Apparently this year they did their homework and managed to get some experts to join their bedraggled ranks.
Halloween world
I actually thought that the preseason game showed our DE's suck outside of Doom and Ayers
All the backups besides Hunter i’d have concern putting on the final roster.
Harvey is trash and there’s a reason he got let go and signed for so little with no competition.
Veikune is trash and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon in this league.
Haggan was already asked to move to a different position where the coaches looked him all game on thursday, and i’d be shocked if they really liked what they saw.
Beal showed he can atleast play special teams AND another position, i think he makes the team if he can get a sack or two over the next couple games. People don’t realize how the PS works a lot of times imo, and i don’t think he’d last on our practice squad all season.
I tend to agree
Jarmon apparently has looked solid in the “Ayers” role (run stuffer and outside anchor), and Hunter looked decent as a passrusher against scrubs, but otherwise didn’t see a lot of pressure from the DE depth. I can see jarmon as a solid LE backup.
I’ve never been a fan of Harvey’s game (I think he plays soft and gets pushed around too much in run plays, but doesn’t have the outside explosion like Doom to make him worth keeping on the field as a passrusher). Is he better than Hunter? who knows… those 2 guys to me are the bubble backing up Doom at RE. Can they provide anything in rotation… they haven’t much yet in their careers….
Beal hasn’t shown much at all as a DE… we’ll see if he can up his game and earn a 53 man spot. I can also see him developing for a year on the PS… he’s a 7th round pick… expecting much immediately is probably unrealistic.
Haggan is a jack of all trades…. which means he’s a master of none. Generally he’s a poor fit for a 4-3 scheme, but perhaps his versatility lets him hold on to a depth spot and he could take a “poor man’s Miller” role if Doom goes down again (with Miller moving to RDE).
Having Miller play DE on passing downs helps tremendously with our depth. That gives us another dominant edge rusher to compliment Doom. But yeah, otherwise I’d be worried as any injury to Doom/Ayers would be tough to fill.
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