After what seems like a never-ending amount of games of watching teams run all over the Denver Broncos, rightfully earning them nicknames like "Swiss Cheese," it was nice to see that the team was serious about upgrading the defensive line this off-season, particularly at the defensive tackle position.
The Broncos didn't upgrade by using a draft pick on a defensive tackle, which made a lot of fans very nervous. Then, they essentially passed on all of the top free agents available to upgrade the beef on the front four. In fact, heading into training camp, there was only one defensive tackle on the roster with actual NFL experience, and it was Kevin Vickerson, a veteran who signed a two year extension before the lockout went into place.
Needless to say, many Broncos fans--including myself--were terrified of the defensive tackle situation. When I first saw this team at training camp, Louis Leonard was running with the first-team, and not to knock on Big Lou, but it wasn't exactly ideal depth that you would look for from the league's worst run defense.
So, in what seemed like no time, the Broncos acted quickly and made some moves at the defensive tackle position to give the squad some actual depth--depth that we haven't seen in quite some time. It took until August, but the Broncos may finally have a competent defensive tackle rotation, and possibly even more than that.
Warren has not been a Denver Broncos defensive tackle for long (he signed a two year deal on August 2nd), but he immediately becomes the team's most experienced and decorated player at that position. After playing his entire career with the Patriots in a 3-4 scheme, Warren was released in 2011 and joins the Broncos with the hope that he can help bring this team from being the worst run defending team in the league to one of the better ones, but he's going to need some help.
The former All-Pro and Super Bowl champion has 373 career tackles and 20.5 career sacks, and was really a key part of New England's defense when he was healthy. He is known around the league as a good run stuffer, which is the main reason the Broncos brought him on board. Here is a scouting report on Warren from the folks at SB Nation:
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And from the New England Patriots official team site:
- In seven NFL seasons, Warren has started 92 of 105 games while recording 496 tackles (292 solo), 20.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, four forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries.
- In his seven seasons in New England, Warren has been a part of six division championships, three
conference titles and two Super Bowl crowns.
Since Warren joined the Patriots in 2003, the team has finished in the top ten in total defense five times: 2003 (7), 2004 (9), 2006 (6), 2007 (4) and 2008 (10).
Vickerson was signed by the Broncos in 2010 after being traded by the Tennessee Titans and released by the Seattle Seahawks in the same offseason. It didn't take long for "Big Vick" to generate interest on the open market, as he signed with the Denver Broncos just one day after being released.
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• A fifth-year defensive lineman who has played in 24 regular season games (2 starts) and two postseason contests (0 starts) during his NFL career.
• A fourth-year player who joins Rubin Carter (1975-77) as one of two interior defensive linemen in Broncos history to play every game during his first three professional seasons.
• Started 21 games during his NFL career, opening all 16 games for the Broncos in 2008 after starting five contests for the club as a rookie in ‘07.
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Jarmon is a hybrid defensive tackle/defensive end prospect who came over to the Broncos from the Washington Redskins in the Jabar Gaffney trade. He is still a very young player at 23 years old, but has been in the league for three years already and was a good low risk, potentially high upside acquisition by the Broncos.
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Leonard (6-foot-4, 325 pounds) is a fourth-year player who has played 25 career games (5 starts) for New England (2010), Carolina (2009-10) and Cleveland (2007-08), totaling 46 tackles (27 solo) and one sack (9 yds.). He originally entered the NFL as a college free agent with San Diego after attending Fresno State University.
He played 43 games (23 starts) for the Bulldogs and recorded 68 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks.
A first-team All-CIF selection at Verbum Dei High School in Los Angeles, he was born on July 16, 1984.
When the Broncos picked up Ryan McBean in 2009, it seemed he was a long shot to even make the roster. After a strong camp and a good pre-season, McBean found himself starting 14 games for Denver in 2009, and then returning the next season to play in all 16 games and start four.
After falling out of favor with the coaching staff in Pittsburgh, he was let go and subsequently signed by the Broncos. He had 25 tackles in 2009 and 19 this past season, but he is probably most well-known and infamous for his two facemask infractions this past season, which came in one game at a critical juncture. I'm sure McBean felt the weight of the world at that point, but nonetheless, the Broncos have stuck with him and he signed his restricted free agent tender, and will return to practice as soon as the new CBA is finalized. Perhaps a change in scheme can alter McBean's fortunes with the team. Here is a scouting report from SB Nation followed by his bio from the official team site:
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McBEAN AT A GLANCE:
• A third-year defensive lineman who emerged as a full-time starter for the first time in his career in 2009, starting 14 games and registering 25 tackles (18 solo) for the Broncos.
• Spent the entire 2008 regular season on Denver’s practice squad after competing in Pittsburgh’s training camp to begin the year.
• Made his NFL debut as a rookie in the Steelers’ 2007 regular-season finale at Baltimore (12/30/07) after spending the majority of the year on their practice squad as a rookie.
• Played two seasons at Oklahoma State University, starting 23-of-24 games played, after beginning his collegiate career at Hinds Community College in Hinds, Miss.
• Joined the Broncos as a practice-squad signee on Sept. 1, 2008.
• Selected by Pittsburgh in the fourth round (132nd overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Unrein was an undrafted free agent who signed with the Houston Texans last year, and was cut prior to the start of the season. The Broncos signed him to their practice squad last October, and he has yet to see any action in the orange and blue. Perhaps the pre-season will be Unrein's time to shine after a solid career at Wyoming. Here is his bio from the official team site:
Unrein is rookie defensive lineman who spent the 2010 preseason with Houston after being signed by the Texans as a college free agent from the University of Wyoming.
He was a three-time All-Mountain West selection at Wyoming, where he started every game during his final two seasons for the Cowboys.
A first-team all-state selection following his junior and senior at Eaton High School in Eaton, Colo., he was born on March 25, 1987. His last name is pronounced UN-rhine.
62 Ronnell Brown - 6'2" 270
The only rookie at the defensive tackle position for the Broncos, Brown was signed as one of the team's 17 undrafted rookie free agents in 2011 out of James Madison. He is an undersized tackle who will look to make his presence felt in the pre-season. Here is his official bio from the James Madison site, which is slightly dated:
At JMU: Fifth-year Duke and a returning defensive tackle starter… performer with the potential to be among top players in the conference at his position, said defensive line coach J.C. Price.
2009: Defensive tackle starter throughout the season… played in each JMU game and was third-team All-CAA… took part in 26 tackles, including 15 unassisted, 8.5 for loss and 3.5 quarterback sacks… third on the team in tackles for loss and fourth in sacks… vs. Villanova had career bests of seven total tackles, four solo stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks… had six stops, including two solo and one for loss at William & Mary… had sacks at Hofstra and Delaware… set up a JMU field goal with an 11-yard interception return vs. Maine… also had two solo stops vs. Maryland, VMI and Hofstra.
2008: Appeared in each JMU game and was in the team’s playing rotation at defensive tackle throughout the season… took part in 22 tackles, including nine unassisted stops, three tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks… involved in a season-best four tackles, including three solo stops, at Duke… took part in three tackles vs. North Carolina Central and Hofstra and two vs. Appalachian State, at Villanova, and vs. William & Mary… had sacks vs. Massachusetts and William & Mary… returned an interception 44 yards for a touchdown vs. Hofstra.
2007: Played in five games as a reserve defensive lineman after sitting out 2006 as a freshman redshirt… had a shared sack vs. Towson.
High School: Three-time All-District defensive end at Hickory… First-Team All-Tidewater and Second-Team All-Region as a junior and Second-Team All-Tidewater as a senior… Second-Team All-District tight end as a junior… had a school-record 21 sacks as a sophomore.
Personal: Kinesiology major with a sports management concentration… brother of former JMU tight end Marvin Brown and current fullback Donnell Brown… son of former major league baseball player Bobby Brown.
Final Analysis
The Broncos' defensive tackle position is a work in progress, but it is significantly upgraded from a year ago. If the Broncos can get good production out of some of the cast-offs they have brought in this offseason, they should be in pretty good shape, and well-equipped to turn around the league's worst run defense.