Spiritguy
03-20-2010, 01:13 PM
Several times during Justin Bannan's first eight years in the NFL, he thought of coming back to Colorado.
Bannan, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive lineman, looked into buying property in the Denver area and making this his offseason home, a respite from Buffalo and Baltimore, where he spent four years each. But with his football life located across the country, Bannan would always just rent. Now, finally, Bannan is going to get himself a house here.
But the prospect of returning to Colorado, where he played for the University of Colorado from 1997-2001, wasn't the biggest selling point. Here with the Broncos, Bannan will get to start.
He was the first of three defensive linemen signed by the Broncos
in the first week of free agency. Bannan is expected to start at one of the defensive end spots, opposite Jarvis Green (from New England), with Jamal Williams (from San Diego) at the nose tackle spot.
Bannan has made 27 career starts — including 15 for Baltimore in 2008 — but only two last season.
"I loved Baltimore, but we were so deep in D-line there that it was tough," Bannan said. "We had a rotation, but you definitely want to be that full-time starter, and it was tough over there to do that."
Bannan was already in the Denver area — and had been for a month — when free agency started March 5. Logistically, the Broncos made for an easy first visit, with a familiar locale and friendly faces, including tight end Daniel Graham, who was Bannan's teammate at CU those five seasons.
Yet it was the Broncos' 3-4 system and a pitch from new defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale that sold Bannan. He had drawn interest from other teams, but he never left Dove Valley.
"Business-wise, it has to be right, the style of defense, what Wink is trying to bring to the table, how he operates; it is right up my alley, so it was a bonus to be able to come back out here," Bannan said. "I think I'm in the right system, with the right people, and that's the important part."
When Bannan signed his five-year, $22 million contract, he thought he would be the new starting nose tackle. Then, less than a week later, the Broncos signed Williams, a 348-pound behemoth who played nothing but nose tackle for the Chargers for more than a decade.
"That's fine, it doesn't really matter. They brought me in and said it could be nose, it could be end," Bannan said. "I've played both. Doesn't matter to me. I'll do whatever they want me to do."
Graham and Bannan — along with many members of their CU class — have remained in close contact since they left Boulder in the spring of 2002 after a tumultuous five years. They were recruited by Rick Neuheisel, redshirted together in 1997, then were left behind when Neuheisel bolted for Washington. By their final season in Boulder, Bannan and Graham were leaders on the Buffaloes team that finally climbed back to the national stage by beating Nebraska and winning the Big 12 title.
"Don't remember me from college," Bannan said, laughing. "I grew up a little. I'm not a way different guy, I just grew up a little. I made some changes, I'm getting married soon, that kind of stuff. Looking to buy a house."
But Graham said Broncos fans can expect the same type of tough player Buffaloes fans remember from Bannan's days in Boulder.
"I think he can do a lot, just knowing what he's done in the past. I know he's going to be a good leader on this team, on this defense," Graham said. "Hopefully a lot of the younger guys can look up to him and see why he's been in this league so long. I'm glad he's here."
link (http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14713245?source=rss)
Bannan, a 6-foot-3, 310-pound defensive lineman, looked into buying property in the Denver area and making this his offseason home, a respite from Buffalo and Baltimore, where he spent four years each. But with his football life located across the country, Bannan would always just rent. Now, finally, Bannan is going to get himself a house here.
But the prospect of returning to Colorado, where he played for the University of Colorado from 1997-2001, wasn't the biggest selling point. Here with the Broncos, Bannan will get to start.
He was the first of three defensive linemen signed by the Broncos
in the first week of free agency. Bannan is expected to start at one of the defensive end spots, opposite Jarvis Green (from New England), with Jamal Williams (from San Diego) at the nose tackle spot.
Bannan has made 27 career starts — including 15 for Baltimore in 2008 — but only two last season.
"I loved Baltimore, but we were so deep in D-line there that it was tough," Bannan said. "We had a rotation, but you definitely want to be that full-time starter, and it was tough over there to do that."
Bannan was already in the Denver area — and had been for a month — when free agency started March 5. Logistically, the Broncos made for an easy first visit, with a familiar locale and friendly faces, including tight end Daniel Graham, who was Bannan's teammate at CU those five seasons.
Yet it was the Broncos' 3-4 system and a pitch from new defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale that sold Bannan. He had drawn interest from other teams, but he never left Dove Valley.
"Business-wise, it has to be right, the style of defense, what Wink is trying to bring to the table, how he operates; it is right up my alley, so it was a bonus to be able to come back out here," Bannan said. "I think I'm in the right system, with the right people, and that's the important part."
When Bannan signed his five-year, $22 million contract, he thought he would be the new starting nose tackle. Then, less than a week later, the Broncos signed Williams, a 348-pound behemoth who played nothing but nose tackle for the Chargers for more than a decade.
"That's fine, it doesn't really matter. They brought me in and said it could be nose, it could be end," Bannan said. "I've played both. Doesn't matter to me. I'll do whatever they want me to do."
Graham and Bannan — along with many members of their CU class — have remained in close contact since they left Boulder in the spring of 2002 after a tumultuous five years. They were recruited by Rick Neuheisel, redshirted together in 1997, then were left behind when Neuheisel bolted for Washington. By their final season in Boulder, Bannan and Graham were leaders on the Buffaloes team that finally climbed back to the national stage by beating Nebraska and winning the Big 12 title.
"Don't remember me from college," Bannan said, laughing. "I grew up a little. I'm not a way different guy, I just grew up a little. I made some changes, I'm getting married soon, that kind of stuff. Looking to buy a house."
But Graham said Broncos fans can expect the same type of tough player Buffaloes fans remember from Bannan's days in Boulder.
"I think he can do a lot, just knowing what he's done in the past. I know he's going to be a good leader on this team, on this defense," Graham said. "Hopefully a lot of the younger guys can look up to him and see why he's been in this league so long. I'm glad he's here."
link (http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14713245?source=rss)