DJ Williams: Paradigm Shift

When it was learned that DJ would move away from his WILL LB spot, the move went almost unnoticed. Perhaps this was because of major concerns elsewhere around the team, especially the defense. The team leader in sacks, Reggie Hayward, took his 10.5 sacks to Jacksonville, and the teams backup strong safety, Kenoy Kennedy, left for greener pastures on the astroturf in Detroit. As the entire Cleveland Browns starting defensive line arrived in town, it was forgivable if one's attention wandered from a LB corp that regained one of its most dangerous veterans, in Ian Gold, and which had linebacking studs Williams and Wilson returning. Attention was needed elsewhere and the unit looked solid.

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Meanwhile, the Broncos were grasping at their defensive identity. Trevor Pryce, initially rumored to be on the trading block to start 2005, was returning from an injury plagued 2004, and was expected to lead the way for what was believed to be a talented but perenially unmotivated defensive line from the Browns that included Warren, Ekuban and Myers. That move alone signalled the distance the team was from building the defense of their dreams. The free agent departures of the last two years were gutting their depth, and the drafts leading up to 2004 had added next to nothing to compensate. In some ways they seemed to be turning the corner, with the additions of DJ, Foxworth and others, but when the Browncos arrived in town, alongside Gold and his demands for his old number and position, it became clear that they were clutching at "familiarity" as the defensive identity that would get them through a tough spot.

It almost worked.

Most grievous among these decisions was to stick with the decision to move DJ to SAM. He was not a liability in coverage, but he referred to the work at the position as a grind, due to not practicing coverage skills for over a year, having been told to sit in nickel situations. When asked if he would prefer to be back at WILL, he replied "I would have remained at weak side because it comes naturally but if it makes our three-man corps better as a whole, than that's what I've got to do."

DJ logged 86 tackles and 2 forced fumbles for the season, but in a testament for how far the Broncos were moving a playmaker from what came naturally to him, he failed to log a sack until the final home game against San Francisco, in an effort of too little too late for the Broncos playoff chances.

And so the 2006 season ended much as it had started, with too many mistakes, not enough opportunities, and no idea where they were heading. When Al Wilson went limp with a devestating neck injury, the reality of what Denver had created was exposed. Many things of value had been put at risk to overcome bumps in the road to a Championship, and now it was time to try and salvage what was left. It was obvious that the next season would see Plummer let go, and Wilson let go.

The only thing left to find out: What would they try and hang onto?