With potentially all three Week 1 starters sidelined, the Broncos defensive line will look a lot different this Sunday.
Defensive end Jurrell Casey suffered a season-ending biceps injury in Week 3, nose tackle Mike Purcell had a season-ending foot injury in Week 7 and coach Vic Fangio said Friday that end Shelby Harris, who’s been on the COVID/Restricted list since Wednesday, has “below a 50/50” chance to be available in Atlanta.
That new-look line means extended opportunities for defensive ends Dre’Mont Jones and DeMarcus Walker, both of whom were hurt in Week 2 and returned in Week 7 off injured reserve. Those players, highly acclaimed at the time of their drafting — Jones in the third round last year, Walker in the second round in 2017 — have an opportunity to take a career step forward as well as alleviate Denver’s depth concerns at the position.
“I thought DeMarcus had a very good game last week in the snaps that he did get,” Fangio said. “He made some good plays for us, and had a sack that got taken away by a bad penalty called in the secondary. We need him to build on that game and continue to get better and I think he can. Same thing with Dre… He’s definitely improved each and every game. You can see him getting his strength and his confidence back.”
Jones has played 140 snaps in four games, with nine tackles, three run “stuffs”, one sack and one quarterback knockdown. Walker, meanwhile, has played 69 snaps in four games — but 48 in the last two — with four tackles and a half quarterback pressure.
For Jones, the second half of 2020 sets up as a litmus test to prove to the Broncos he can be a starting, every-down defensive lineman. He admits he still has “a lot to improve on in run defense.”
“It really just depends on me focusing up and watching the film some more,” Jones said. “Just really concentrating on the little things in the run game. I don’t feel the pressure of trying to keep it up more (against the run). I think I just have to go out there and play normal football that I’ve been playing, and just reminding myself that I can play.”
For Walker, it’s the final season of a four-year deal before he hits free agency. But he’s not focused on that — he’s “controlling what I can control.”
“Everybody keeps looking at it as my contract year, and my need to perform,” Walker said. “But all that (talk) is just water running down my back. This is an opportunity right in front of me, and I’m ready for this weekend and I can’t wait.”
The turnover up front hasn’t seemed to negatively affect the pass rush. Bradley Chubb has 5.5 sacks in the last four games, while no one in the NFL had more sacks through Weeks 6-8 than fellow outside linebacker Malik Reed’s five. The Broncos rank tied for 7th with 20 sacks overall, but 18th in rushing yards per game allowed at 123.4 following a season-high 210-yard ground performance by Los Angeles last week.
And correspondingly, the turnover up front hasn’t caused the linebacking corps to lose faith.
“I see what they do every day — the energy they bring, the intensity they bring,” Chubb said. “We’ve got (defensive line) guys hungry for the opportunity to get the chance.”
The second part of Chubb’s statement was also in reference to nose tackle Sylvester Williams and defensive end DeShawn Williams, journeyman veterans who are both projected to play alongside Jones on Sunday. Sylvester started 15 games for the Broncos at nose tackle in their 2015 title season and took the long road back to Denver after stops in Tennessee, Detroit, Miami and Los Angeles. DeShawn, meanwhile, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and is in his third stint with Denver.
“It’s real feel-good story with (DeShawn),” Fangio said. “I don’t know if we could ask for more from him than we’ve gotten. And Sly, he’s a guy who’s been a player in this league — and ex-high pick (in the first round in 2013), played here before and with other teams. He’s loving his second opportunity to come back here, and he’s making the most of it.”
DeShawn’s played 153 snaps in five games with 13 tackles, two run “stuffs”, a quarterback knockdown and an acrobatic interception off a tipped pass against New England. Sylvester’s played 31 snaps in two games, with two tackles.
If Harris can’t play on Sunday — he has continued to test negative, but hasn’t been cleared by the league — Fangio said the team would call up rookie McTelvin Agim from the practice squad as the team’s fifth defensive lineman. It would be Agim’s third game this season.
feeds.denverpost.com/~r/dp-sports/~3/b2GpQunfFZA/Follow Tyler T. Tysdal Online
Check out the latest articles from Tyler Tysdal.Follow Tyler Tivis Tysdal on Twitter.com
Take a look at the bio for Tyler Tysdal Crunchbase.com to see experience.
Follow Tyler Tysdal on Linkedin.com
No comments:
Post a Comment