Defensive tackle not as weak as we thought?

[Jsteve01]

I know I know there's no one on this roster that I'd push as a top level player at their position but let's be honest. Bunjley, Thomas and McBean have played much better than any of us expected this year. Thomas looks rejuvenated in this scheme and is thriving as a penetrating UT. Bunkley is extemely solid at the POA. He may not put up huge numbers but the kid flat anchors which allows the Woodyards, Williams, Millers, and Mays of the world to fly around a make plays.

The big surprise for me? McBean. The guy has quietly had a very good season as a backup. He's leading Broncos DTs in tackles and sacks.

I say Fox, allen and Nun deserve some big props for getting this type of production out of this group. Add a healthy Warren and Vickerson and a nice young brute and this unit could end up being pretty solid.

[rationalfan]

totally agree. lost in the tebow mania is how improved this unit has become. they're as big a reason for the team's success as the QB.

[Jsteve01]

Bunkley needs to see his contract extended asap. I was in Philly during his years there and watched him do the same thing he does here hold POA and allow his linemates and backer to make plays. He aint flashy by any stretch of the imagination but he does exactly what a NT is supposed to do.

[Agent of Orange]

I know I know there's no one on this roster that I'd push as a top level player at their position but let's be honest. Bunjley, Thomas and McBean have played much better than any of us expected this year. Thomas looks rejuvenated in this scheme and is thriving as a penetrating UT. Bunkley is extemely solid at the POA. He may not put up huge numbers but the kid flat anchors which allows the Woodyards, Williams, Millers, and Mays of the world to fly around a make plays.

The big surprise for me? McBean. The guy has quietly had a very good season as a backup. He's leading Broncos DTs in tackles and sacks.

I say Fox, allen and Nun deserve some big props for getting this type of production out of this group. Add a healthy Warren and Vickerson and a nice young brute and this unit could end up being pretty solid.

Thomas was a disruptive menace in college. Thomas' time as a professional player has been an odyssey of going between an incompetent DC as a rookie to solid player in a scheme that didnt suit him the past few years.

He's finally healthy and its starting to pay huge dividends. He played really well against the Jets.

[silkamilkamonico]

Defensive coaches/scheme >>>>> individual players anytime of the week and twice on Sunday

[Elevation inc]

Bunkley needs to see his contract extended asap. I was in Philly during his years there and watched him do the same thing he does here hold POA and allow his linemates and backer to make plays. He aint flashy by any stretch of the imagination but he does exactly what a NT is supposed to do.

he did things to mangold last game that DT's never can do....I was blown away...the great thing is this is only year 5 in the league for him and his upsdie is pretty good. If its me I lock him up ASAP and see if Mcbean and Thomas will come back on 2 year deals.....

[titan]

he did things to mangold last game that DT's never can do....I was blown away...the great thing is this is only year 5 in the league for him and his upsdie is pretty good. If its me I lock him up ASAP and see if Mcbean and Thomas will come back on 2 year deals.....

Agreed. Use that 2.6 million you just saved today, Bowlen, to lock up Bunkley for a few years.

[Dzone]

Voted Bunkley , Thomas and Mcbean for the Pro-Bowl. Might as well. Wth, I went thru that pro bowl ballot and voted for every Bronco. I even voted for Orlando Franklin...haha

[Superchop 7]

Which is why my number 1 draft prospect (for us based on where we should draft) next year is DeCastro, that kid flat out stopped Ta'amu on a bullrush. This is no small feat, this kid is a beast. With a monster o'line....with DeCastro blowing holes open in the run game.....and don't forget.....we are a running team first......3rd downs start clicking......our QB has extra time to throw......teams like Detroit can no longer dominate the LOS.....red zone efficiency improves.

I know your saying....great Chop.....how is one guy supposed to make such a huge difference? Well.....my plan is 2 phased......we also get Zeitler....(3rd rd).....that makes 2 absolute road graders at the guard position.

If we wanna win ugly......thats what you need...... a beautiful o line.

[Joel]

If you wanna win running you need road graders at guard, which we haven't had under the ZBS. Don't get me wrong, I like ZB, but since it doesn't look like what we'll be doing going forward I am mainly hoping Kuper can adjust to a more straightforward power style and that we find someone over 320 to can NTs for our backs.

The D has played outstandingly well, no question, and, no, DT is not nearly as weak as I or a lot of other people thought. Maybe we just got used to the Broncos having NOTHING in the middle and trying but failing to shore that up with the cheapest scrubs we could find from other teams. Bunkley is clearly more than that, and if expecting double digit sacks cost the Eagles a great NT who forces backs to go elsewhere and guards to help centers block him, it couldn't happen to a better bunch of :censored:s. A solid NT was the one thing we'd been so long missing to give our LBs, DEs and the UT so highly touted out of college a path to the QB; now we've got him and the D has done a 180. In the LB corps, Doom is healthy again, Miller is a beast, DJ is steady, Woodyard is coming right along and Mays is as big and pleasant a surprise as Bunkley.

The one caveat to all this: Even since we've started winning games we have not faced many great or even good offenses. The Chiefs are nearly as big a joke as Miami and the Jets offense will never be anything with Sanchez under center, making the two best offenses we've faced under Tebow the Raiders minus McFadden (not that Bush is bad) and a Lions team that led us by 42 before they gave up a "so what?" TD at the end. If they can shut down SD next week, and the Pats when they come to town, then I'll really be impressed, and my only concern will be finding two or three great young DBs (though Harris has shown some good to go with the rookie bad) to replace our aging secondary. I could still totally see moving Champ to FS in a few years, but that still won't fill his CURRENT position.

[sneakers]

I guess they knew what they were doing when they didn't draft any DTs last april

[sneakers]

Ayers is also been playing very solid this year.

[BigDaddyBronco]

I hsave been really happy with McBean this year (Bunkley and Thomas as well but they have shown flashes in the past of being decent). McBean has really rejuvenated himself this year, vut down on dumb penalties, and is flat out showing great effort and a good motor. I would like to keep these guys around and draft a DT or two over the next couple of years.

[Simple Jaded]

Lock them up, aside from Ty Warren they are young and experienced. I'd like to see the Broncos go after Calais Campbell to round the DT position out with some pass rush ability. He can collapse the pocket from the 5-tech next to Von Miller or even kick inside, as l don't think much of Ayers as a pass rusher.

You gotta hand it to the FO, they passed on the best DT and drafted the best player in the draft instead, l am more than happen to admit that l was dead wrong.

QB is by far the most glaring weakness, imo.......

[Superchop 7]

If you wanna win running you need road graders at guard, which we haven't had under the ZBS. Don't get me wrong, I like ZB, but since it doesn't look like what we'll be doing going forward I am mainly hoping Kuper can adjust to a more straightforward power style and that we find someone over 320 to can NTs for our backs.

The D has played outstandingly well, no question, and, no, DT is not nearly as weak as I or a lot of other people thought. Maybe we just got used to the Broncos having NOTHING in the middle and trying but failing to shore that up with the cheapest scrubs we could find from other teams. Bunkley is clearly more than that, and if expecting double digit sacks cost the Eagles a great NT who forces backs to go elsewhere and guards to help centers block him, it couldn't happen to a better bunch of :censored:s. A solid NT was the one thing we'd been so long missing to give our LBs, DEs and the UT so highly touted out of college a path to the QB; now we've got him and the D has done a 180. In the LB corps, Doom is healthy again, Miller is a beast, DJ is steady, Woodyard is coming right along and Mays is as big and pleasant a surprise as Bunkley.

The one caveat to all this: Even since we've started winning games we have not faced many great or even good offenses. The Chiefs are nearly as big a joke as Miami and the Jets offense will never be anything with Sanchez under center, making the two best offenses we've faced under Tebow the Raiders minus McFadden (not that Bush is bad) and a Lions team that led us by 42 before they gave up a "so what?" TD at the end. If they can shut down SD next week, and the Pats when they come to town, then I'll really be impressed, and my only concern will be finding two or three great young DBs (though Harris has shown some good to go with the rookie bad) to replace our aging secondary. I could still totally see moving Champ to FS in a few years, but that still won't fill his CURRENT position.

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Joel.....my second rd pick is Cliff Harris from Oregon......do yourself a favor and "you tube" this kid. (3rd is Zietler)

BTW.......DeCastro and Zeitler are athletic enough for ZBS.

[Superchop 7]

I hsave been really happy with McBean this year (Bunkley and Thomas as well but they have shown flashes in the past of being decent). McBean has really rejuvenated himself this year, vut down on dumb penalties, and is flat out showing great effort and a good motor. I would like to keep these guys around and draft a DT or two over the next couple of years.

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I was pretty high on Ta'amu until DeCastro stonewalled him.

It was a "who the hell is that guy" moment.

I would probably just get his jersey number on a jersey......then change the name on the back to "pancake".

[Simple Jaded]

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I was pretty high on Ta'amu until DeCastro stonewalled him.

It was a "who the hell is that guy" moment.

I love DeCastro for LG, also like Cordy Glenn for LG or Fluker for RT and Franklin for LG. Moving Beadles to C and Walton to the bench.

I'm just excited about this brand of football, l love the ZBS but for far too long the Broncos have been candy asses up front. Nothing says you can't run a lot of zone with these guys too.......

[BeefStew25]

I hsave been really happy with McBean this year (Bunkley and Thomas as well but they have shown flashes in the past of being decent). McBean has really rejuvenated himself this year, vut down on dumb penalties, and is flat out showing great effort and a good motor. I would like to keep these guys around and draft a DT or two over the next couple of years.

All symptoms of coaching we all wanted, IMHO.

[Joel]

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Joel.....my second rd pick is Cliff Harris from Oregon......do yourself a favor and "you tube" this kid. (3rd is Zietler)

BTW.......DeCastro and Zeitler are athletic enough for ZBS.
Will check it out this weekend in between our delayed Thanksgiving festivities (and a Happy Turkey Day to all ya'll Stateside.) Much as I love the ZBS, I'd still rather trade power for agility at guard if I have to pick, partly because we've done the opposite for so long (and traded agility for power at tackle the past few years, which I strongly dislike; it doesn't matter how fierce a tackle is if he can't play in space, because elite pass rushing DEs and LBs will blow right by him, ala George Foster.) That said, obviously if there's a guy out there who's got great power AND agility at guard we should snatch him up immediately. Even with a standard power running game we will still need guards who can pull on sweeps and tosses.

The one good thing about the Leagues increasing focus on passing, and thus pass protection from tackles, is that a lot of teams seem to be overlooking the quality power guards essential to any successful running game. Foxs history does not suggest he's prone to that, so I'm optimistic he can and will do what he's said with our running game. He may be ahead of the curve in that, too; as passing comes to dominate more and more teams go to the 3-4 to deal with it, sooner or later most people are going to figure out that an extra LB allows more flexibility in covering TEs, RBs and check down men in the intermediate passing game, not just extra blitzers, and teams will find it increasingly difficult to have consistent success with spread passing. At that point, the pendulum will swing back to the running game and our run oriented offense and classic 4-3 will be uniquely positioned to succeed for many years.

[xzn]

This thread was a good read, thanks for the solid takes and food for thought.