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Derek Wolfe isn’t the first guy you think about on the Denver Broncos’ defense. He’s probably not second or third and maybe not even seventh or eighth.
And Wolfe was just named the AFC defensive player of the week.
This is why the Broncos have the best defense in the NFL, and arguably the NFL’s best defense in many years (of course, the 2013-14 Seattle Seahawks might say there is no argument). Broncos general manager John Elway put great thought and effort into assembling a defense that doesn't have a weak link among the starters and plenty of starting-level players coming off the bench. Elway, one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, is credited for landing Peyton Manning in one of the great free-agent coups in NFL history, but he has done some of his best work assembling Denver's defense. Elway used all of his available resources, whether it was high draft picks, finding undrafted stars, getting players who came cheaper because of off-field issues, spending big money in free agency or getting a free-agent bargain.
Here's how the best defense in football was built by one of the greatest quarterbacks ever (all quotes from the Broncos' transcripts):
2009: S David Bruton (fourth-round draft pick)
Bruton is the only player on the 2015 defense who Elway inherited. Mostly a special teams player through his career, Bruton has excelled this season in his role as a safety/linebacker in the dime package. Elway is responsible for retaining Bruton, signing him to a three-year, $4.5 million deal before the 2013 season.
2011: OLB Von Miller (second overall draft pick) and CB Chris Harris (undrafted free agent)
In many ways it shouldn’t be surprising that Elway has built arguably the NFL’s best set of cornerbacks and the league-leading defense in sacks. When Elway played he studied cornerbacks and pass rushers during the week. And at the 2011 combine he admitted cornerbacks and pass rushers are the positions he felt most comfortable scouting.
“I know what I liked to go against and I know what I did not like to go against,” Elway said. “The way I thought about guys and when I was watching film, was more about playing against them.”
When the Broncos had the second pick in 2011, many thought they’d go with defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. Defensive tackle was a huge need. Instead, Dareus went No. 3 to the Buffalo Bills and has been an excellent player there.
Instead, Elway went with a player who might have reminded him of Kansas City Chiefs foe Derrick Thomas: Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller.
“Dareus is going to have a long career and a great career and he is a great player,” Elway said after that draft. “I really think that we looked at Von and the difference to me was that he is one of those guys that comes along once in 10 years and a guy that has a chance to be dynamic on the football field. He is a guy, as I have said so many times, when you turn on the film you do not need to know what number he is.”
Miller might not be Thomas — few in NFL history have been — but he’s one of the best pass rushers in the league, a former All-Pro and a foundation player of the Broncos’ defense. Elway couldn't have made a wrong call between Miller and Dareus, but he likely has no regrets about his decision.
Harris came at a much different price. He was an undrafted free agent. And you have to get a little lucky with those players. If the Broncos really thought Harris would blossom into one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks, they would have drafted him. Instead they gave him a $2,000 signing bonus after he wasn’t picked. But credit the Broncos’ brass for this — they saw right away that Harris was one of those rare undrafted free agents.
“I can still remember the first time we took the field, and the first two practices, he stood out. And I said, ‘We have something here,’” Elway said when Harris signed a $42.5 million extension last year. “I think it’s about the mentality. A lot of times you get in those first couple practices, especially those young guys, you see them, they get intimidated by all of a sudden being here and they’re on the field with the Denver Broncos. And Chris was not a guy who looked out of place out there.”
2012: DE Derek Wolfe (second-round pick), DE Malik Jackson (fifth-round pick), ILB Danny Trevathan (sixth-round pick)
The Broncos’ 2012 draft shows the value of late picks in building a defense from top to bottom.
Wolfe was a second-round pick, Denver's first pick after Elway traded back and out of the first round. Then with Denver’s last two picks they nabbed Jackson in the fifth round and Trevathan in the sixth. And in the fourth round the Broncos took Omar Bolden, who has been a contributor at safety (though he has been injured much of this season).
Elway talked about being more comfortable in his second draft. That led to a few very good picks.
Wolfe was considered a bit of a reach in the second round. But he had the mentality Elway liked, spending his teenage years working on a farm in a tiny Ohio town.
“You can see that’s what makes him the player that he is, and that’s what will make us hungry on defense,” Elway said after the draft. “He’s going to rub off on a lot of guys, because he’s got a motor that doesn’t stop.”
Trevathan was considered undersized, and was working through an injury in the pre-draft process, which didn’t help his stock. The Broncos got great value on him, and Jackson too.
Trevathan, when healthy, has been a tackling and play-making machine. Wolfe and Jackson are both similar players: fantastic run defenders at about 290 pounds who are also athletic enough to also provide a pass rush. None of these three are superstars, but they’re good players who contribute in a big way to the depth and overall strength of the defense. This was a crucial draft for Elway and the defense.
2013: NT Sylvester Williams (first-round pick), ILB Brandon Marshall (free agent)
It is probably safe to say Williams has been a bit of a disappointment, given his draft status. But he does fill a role as a big, 313-pound run-stuffing interior defender. Nose tackle was a need and at least the Broncos got someone who can contribute there.
“He was a guy that we’ve been looking for, a young anchor in the middle of the defensive line, for some time and were able to find a good one that has a chance to be a great one,” Elway said after the draft.
Marshall was a nice find. A 2012 fifth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had been waived three times by the Jaguars when the Broncos signed him to their practice squad at the start of the 2013 season. He spent almost the entire 2013 season on Denver's practice squad before being signed to the active roster in Week 17. Then last year, Marshall was Denver’s leading tackler. Elway talked about how well he thought Marshall would fit in the defense. It was another no-cost find that paid off big.
And Wolfe was just named the AFC defensive player of the week.
This is why the Broncos have the best defense in the NFL, and arguably the NFL’s best defense in many years (of course, the 2013-14 Seattle Seahawks might say there is no argument). Broncos general manager John Elway put great thought and effort into assembling a defense that doesn't have a weak link among the starters and plenty of starting-level players coming off the bench. Elway, one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, is credited for landing Peyton Manning in one of the great free-agent coups in NFL history, but he has done some of his best work assembling Denver's defense. Elway used all of his available resources, whether it was high draft picks, finding undrafted stars, getting players who came cheaper because of off-field issues, spending big money in free agency or getting a free-agent bargain.
Here's how the best defense in football was built by one of the greatest quarterbacks ever (all quotes from the Broncos' transcripts):
2009: S David Bruton (fourth-round draft pick)
Bruton is the only player on the 2015 defense who Elway inherited. Mostly a special teams player through his career, Bruton has excelled this season in his role as a safety/linebacker in the dime package. Elway is responsible for retaining Bruton, signing him to a three-year, $4.5 million deal before the 2013 season.
2011: OLB Von Miller (second overall draft pick) and CB Chris Harris (undrafted free agent)
In many ways it shouldn’t be surprising that Elway has built arguably the NFL’s best set of cornerbacks and the league-leading defense in sacks. When Elway played he studied cornerbacks and pass rushers during the week. And at the 2011 combine he admitted cornerbacks and pass rushers are the positions he felt most comfortable scouting.
“I know what I liked to go against and I know what I did not like to go against,” Elway said. “The way I thought about guys and when I was watching film, was more about playing against them.”
When the Broncos had the second pick in 2011, many thought they’d go with defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. Defensive tackle was a huge need. Instead, Dareus went No. 3 to the Buffalo Bills and has been an excellent player there.
Instead, Elway went with a player who might have reminded him of Kansas City Chiefs foe Derrick Thomas: Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller.
“Dareus is going to have a long career and a great career and he is a great player,” Elway said after that draft. “I really think that we looked at Von and the difference to me was that he is one of those guys that comes along once in 10 years and a guy that has a chance to be dynamic on the football field. He is a guy, as I have said so many times, when you turn on the film you do not need to know what number he is.”
Miller might not be Thomas — few in NFL history have been — but he’s one of the best pass rushers in the league, a former All-Pro and a foundation player of the Broncos’ defense. Elway couldn't have made a wrong call between Miller and Dareus, but he likely has no regrets about his decision.
Harris came at a much different price. He was an undrafted free agent. And you have to get a little lucky with those players. If the Broncos really thought Harris would blossom into one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks, they would have drafted him. Instead they gave him a $2,000 signing bonus after he wasn’t picked. But credit the Broncos’ brass for this — they saw right away that Harris was one of those rare undrafted free agents.
“I can still remember the first time we took the field, and the first two practices, he stood out. And I said, ‘We have something here,’” Elway said when Harris signed a $42.5 million extension last year. “I think it’s about the mentality. A lot of times you get in those first couple practices, especially those young guys, you see them, they get intimidated by all of a sudden being here and they’re on the field with the Denver Broncos. And Chris was not a guy who looked out of place out there.”
2012: DE Derek Wolfe (second-round pick), DE Malik Jackson (fifth-round pick), ILB Danny Trevathan (sixth-round pick)
The Broncos’ 2012 draft shows the value of late picks in building a defense from top to bottom.
Wolfe was a second-round pick, Denver's first pick after Elway traded back and out of the first round. Then with Denver’s last two picks they nabbed Jackson in the fifth round and Trevathan in the sixth. And in the fourth round the Broncos took Omar Bolden, who has been a contributor at safety (though he has been injured much of this season).
Elway talked about being more comfortable in his second draft. That led to a few very good picks.
Wolfe was considered a bit of a reach in the second round. But he had the mentality Elway liked, spending his teenage years working on a farm in a tiny Ohio town.
“You can see that’s what makes him the player that he is, and that’s what will make us hungry on defense,” Elway said after the draft. “He’s going to rub off on a lot of guys, because he’s got a motor that doesn’t stop.”
Trevathan was considered undersized, and was working through an injury in the pre-draft process, which didn’t help his stock. The Broncos got great value on him, and Jackson too.
Trevathan, when healthy, has been a tackling and play-making machine. Wolfe and Jackson are both similar players: fantastic run defenders at about 290 pounds who are also athletic enough to also provide a pass rush. None of these three are superstars, but they’re good players who contribute in a big way to the depth and overall strength of the defense. This was a crucial draft for Elway and the defense.
2013: NT Sylvester Williams (first-round pick), ILB Brandon Marshall (free agent)
It is probably safe to say Williams has been a bit of a disappointment, given his draft status. But he does fill a role as a big, 313-pound run-stuffing interior defender. Nose tackle was a need and at least the Broncos got someone who can contribute there.
“He was a guy that we’ve been looking for, a young anchor in the middle of the defensive line, for some time and were able to find a good one that has a chance to be a great one,” Elway said after the draft.
Marshall was a nice find. A 2012 fifth-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had been waived three times by the Jaguars when the Broncos signed him to their practice squad at the start of the 2013 season. He spent almost the entire 2013 season on Denver's practice squad before being signed to the active roster in Week 17. Then last year, Marshall was Denver’s leading tackler. Elway talked about how well he thought Marshall would fit in the defense. It was another no-cost find that paid off big.
Part 1.
Fantastic, in depth read. Enjoy.
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