Sam and others who know, help me out.

[Jonny_Quest]

Thankfully you don't have any input! Purposefully not playing our best DLman doesn't sound good to me.

Also, people are going to be surprised by Gotsis. He's a lock to be a starter I'd say, but that's because I'm expectING an improvement over his improvement from last year

Assuming he doesn't end up going to FPMITA prison.

[listopencil]

Hah, I like the feedback, it's been slow around here. I don't view a 4-3 alignment as 'starters'. I view it as one possibility among several fronts.

[Champ>NFL]

Derek Wolfe is done

[CanDB]

Derek Wolfe is done

Is that a fact?

[haciendadad]

All of what I'm about to post relies heavily on speculation, so I apologize if my surmising varies greatly from what you see the roster looking like on opening weekend.

If we stick to a base 3-4, I feel fairly confident in the following lineup: Wolfe, Peko, Harris (I know Gotsis gets some play, but it [I]felt[I] like Shelby did enough last year to get starting reps heading into camp), Chubb, Davis, Marshall, Miller. I'm hopeful Walker finds a way to supplant Harris/Gotsis and give the line back the dominant Ends we had when Malik was opposite Wolfe, but I'm realistic in thinking that could take time given the year he (Walker) spent trying to be an outside linebacker.

What does our 4-3 package look like? In my head, I have Miller and Chubb on the edges with Wolfe and Harris inside. I'm drawing a complete blank on linebacker though. Does Ray move to WLB, with Marshall (or Davis) in the Middle and Shaq at SLB? Or does Cravens slide up in the box somewhere?

I'm no defensive expert either but from what I've heard on 104 The Fan, the defense doesn't have to play every play in the same scheme, especially if they have the talent to do both and confuse the opponents. Seems to make sense to me, but we have an defensive coordinator that has little experience, I don't know if that is beyond his ability to think outside the box if he is barely holding on to his job, will have a lot of pressure this year just to use Chubb and all the rest just to meet the expectations given all his new talent.

[mile high mad man]

Defensive alignment is part of the defensive scheme, but what the players do from it is more important. The D lines up on the offensive formation and has run and pass responsibilities. The call includes alignment and coverage plus stunts and blitzes if used.

The Front Seven can tell from the first steps of the O-Line if the play is run/PAP or Pass/Draw. The reason PAP is effective is that defenses will always play the run first. There are two basic types of run D: one-gap control/spill runs to the sideline; and, two-gap/set the edge/funnel runs to the middle. One or two gap run D can be played from either a split front or an odd front. Two-gap is more common from an odd-front and one gap is more common from a split-front. Denver uses three down linemen in their base D and play one-gap run D.

Last I checked, the Broncos were still playing one-gap/spill especially from their base look which some consider a 3-4 but which is more of an overshifted split-front with a standup 5/9 on the split side. Or, call it a 50 D with the 0 Aggied to tight side 1, split side 5 Eagled to a 3, split side OLB at LOS in a standup 5/9 and 5 tech on the tight side.

On a run play, the Front Seven must fill the A-B-C gaps with pursuit to the sideline and backside defenders at ball depth and LOS. So far, Denver has chosen to put their down linemen in odd numbered techniques which commits them to that gap. For this, the D-Linemen and Backers must be quick off the ball into their gap assignment. Their first move is into the gap and they must not go upfield unless they read pass or see that they can make a play on the ball carrier.

I do not recall seeing Denver in a 4-3 alignment. The Nickel package they often use takes a down D-Lineman out and puts an extra DB in, usually a Corner, but could be a Safety. If a third Safety is in, it resembles a split-front 4-2-5 D with two 2/3 techs and the OLBs in 5/9 techs. Two Inside Backers stay in at Backer depth usually over the A Gaps to guard against a run and to cover a Back if the coverage is 1/0.

The Broncos currently have seven D-Linemen who seem like they will make the team: Derek Wolfe, Domata Peko, Clinton McDonald, Adam Gotsis, Shelby Harris, Zach Kerr and DeMarcus Walker. The base D will have them in a rotation. Peko will be in a 1 with either McDonald or Kerr rotating. The 3/5 techs would be Wolfe with the other guys playing opposite/rotating. They all seem suitable for the one-gap/spill run D. They all seem capable of generating pass rush/pocket push from their position if it's a pass.

When Denver is in their split-front Nickel package, they want two of their best pass rushing D-Linemen at 2/3 techs. The top candidates for that would seem to be Wolfe, Harris, McDonald and Walker. Looks like Denver will be at least two deep at OLB unless one is traded. That would be Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett. It is possible that Jeff Holland will make the team at that position. Miller must be on the field at all times. We will have to see how Chubb and Ray do and how much of a case Barrett can make for playing time on D.

Thank You for the insight

[Butler By'Note]

Defensive alignment is part of the defensive scheme, but what the players do from it is more important. The D lines up on the offensive formation and has run and pass responsibilities. The call includes alignment and coverage plus stunts and blitzes if used.

The Front Seven can tell from the first steps of the O-Line if the play is run/PAP or Pass/Draw. The reason PAP is effective is that defenses will always play the run first. There are two basic types of run D: one-gap control/spill runs to the sideline; and, two-gap/set the edge/funnel runs to the middle. One or two gap run D can be played from either a split front or an odd front. Two-gap is more common from an odd-front and one gap is more common from a split-front. Denver uses three down linemen in their base D and play one-gap run D.

Last I checked, the Broncos were still playing one-gap/spill especially from their base look which some consider a 3-4 but which is more of an overshifted split-front with a standup 5/9 on the split side. Or, call it a 50 D with the 0 Aggied to tight side 1, split side 5 Eagled to a 3, split side OLB at LOS in a standup 5/9 and 5 tech on the tight side.

On a run play, the Front Seven must fill the A-B-C gaps with pursuit to the sideline and backside defenders at ball depth and LOS. So far, Denver has chosen to put their down linemen in odd numbered techniques which commits them to that gap. For this, the D-Linemen and Backers must be quick off the ball into their gap assignment. Their first move is into the gap and they must not go upfield unless they read pass or see that they can make a play on the ball carrier.

I do not recall seeing Denver in a 4-3 alignment. The Nickel package they often use takes a down D-Lineman out and puts an extra DB in, usually a Corner, but could be a Safety. If a third Safety is in, it resembles a split-front 4-2-5 D with two 2/3 techs and the OLBs in 5/9 techs. Two Inside Backers stay in at Backer depth usually over the A Gaps to guard against a run and to cover a Back if the coverage is 1/0.

The Broncos currently have seven D-Linemen who seem like they will make the team: Derek Wolfe, Domata Peko, Clinton McDonald, Adam Gotsis, Shelby Harris, Zach Kerr and DeMarcus Walker. The base D will have them in a rotation. Peko will be in a 1 with either McDonald or Kerr rotating. The 3/5 techs would be Wolfe with the other guys playing opposite/rotating. They all seem suitable for the one-gap/spill run D. They all seem capable of generating pass rush/pocket push from their position if it's a pass.

When Denver is in their split-front Nickel package, they want two of their best pass rushing D-Linemen at 2/3 techs. The top candidates for that would seem to be Wolfe, Harris, McDonald and Walker. Looks like Denver will be at least two deep at OLB unless one is traded. That would be Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett. It is possible that Jeff Holland will make the team at that position. Miller must be on the field at all times. We will have to see how Chubb and Ray do and how much of a case Barrett can make for playing time on D.

Adding to this excellent post, I believe defensive coaches teach the bolded as "hard hat, high hat, hide hat" or at least some do.

Linebackers are reading the lineman and their helmets, a hard hat means they're getting involved in a run block immediately. Hide hat means the lineman is pulling and has gone behind the o-line to do so, thus "hiding" their helmet from view. And high hat means they've gone into a pass pro set and the lineman's helmet is somewhat high, at least in comparison to the hard hat of run blocking.

And on play action passes the o-line is trying to present the hard hat and in some cases hide hat scenarios for the linebackers to see which tells them it's a run play. So they step up and it creates a void right behind them to hit passes.

[Letswinplz77]

Derek Wolfe is done

I don't necessarily have an argument for this, because you haven't really laid out your reasoning. Why is Wolfe done, in your opinion?

[broncos SB2010]

I don't necessarily have an argument for this, because you haven't really laid out your reasoning. Why is Wolfe done, in your opinion?

It's hard to say one way or another until preseason starts but it is possible he never plays as well as he once did.

[Houshmazode]

Wolfe said his neck feels better than it ever has and he's healthy finally.

[Letswinplz77]

It's hard to say one way or another until preseason starts but it is possible he never plays as well as he once did.

Granted, but not as well as he once did isn't the same as done. I was just curious why Champ>NFL made the statement that Wolfe is done.

[maaskesr]

Has there been any Gotsis news lately?

[TheAsianPA]

Has there been any Gotsis news lately?

Not that I know of. These things generally take time and can be drawn out. It's been speculated that it'll take until some time in June to know for sure what happens to him.