Denver Native (Carol)
07-20-2009, 05:27 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9149
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- To defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, building an effective defensive unit starts by having a smart and trustworthy secondary.
"When you are building something, the most experienced group that you'd like to start with you'd like to have on the back end, in the secondary, because obviously when they make a mistake it's a touchdown as opposed to the front," he said. "From a secondary standpoint, it was critical that we get experienced guys. Not only good players but guys with experience."
For that reason, the Broncos made stockpiling their defensive back corps a priority this offseason - using free agency and April's NFL Draft to add experience, speed and depth at the cornerback and safety positions.
THE NEW GUYS
Arguably the Broncos' top big-name signing came in the secondary. On Feb. 28, the second day of free agency, the club made headlines across the league by inking seven-time Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins to a five-year contract.
Dawkins is one of only four players in NFL history with at least 33 interceptions and 20 sacks. Lining up next to Champ Bailey, one of the game's elite cornerbacks, the 13-year veteran will likely continue to give opposing offenses headaches week in and week out.
"I've had an opportunity to play with some pretty good cornerbacks," Dawkins said. "Good cornerbacks like that make my job a lot easier. He's definitely one of those great cornerbacks that I'll have a privilege of playing with."
After Dawkins joined the team, Broncos brass continued to upgrade the secondary through free agency. On consecutive days, safety Renaldo Hill and cornerback Andre Goodman -- both of whom helped the Miami Dolphins complete a turnaround from a 1-15 season to winning the AFC East last season -- signed free agent contracts with the club.
Goodman, an eight-year pro, totaled a team-high five interceptions in 2008 for the Dolphins. Hill, meanwhile, was a 15-game starter for Miami last season. The pair of former Dolphins should add even more depth to an already experienced secondary.
Even after making a big splash in free agency, the club also used the 2009 NFL Draft to further improve the unit. Management quickly identified Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith as an ideal fit for Nolan's system. With Smith still available five picks into the second round, the team traded up to grab the ACC playmaker.
Smith played in a similar defensive system at Wake Forest, which has made his transition to the pro game a bit easier through minicamps and organized team activities. Comfortable with the verbiage and style of the club's defensive scheme, Smith is looking forward to making an immediate impact during his rookie campaign.
"I'm trying to come in and start right away -- that's the way I'm going to approach this thing," Smith said after he was drafted. "I can promise that I'm going to play really hard and play like my hair is on fire. When you play like that, making plays just happens naturally."
To further bolster its defensive corps, the team keyed in on a pair of safeties in the draft, as well. In the second round, the club nabbed Texas Tech's Darcel McBath. McBath started 12 games for the Red Raiders in 2008, totaling 75 tackles and seven interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He also owns a share of Texas Tech history, recording a school-record three interceptions at Kansas on Oct. 25.
In the fourth round the Broncos selected another collegiate standout, Notre Dame's David Bruton. Bruton played in 48 career games for the Fighting Irish, starting 24 and totaling 214 tackles and seven interceptions. As a senior captain, Bruton posted a team-high four interceptions and earned All-America honorable mention.
Additionally, the club signed former Florida State cornerback Tony Carter and former Jackson State cornerback D.J. Johnson as college free agents on Apr. 27.
Throughout offseason workouts, the Broncos' rookie secondary players have been leaning on their veteran counterparts to adjust to the pro game. For instance, Bruton said he is always racking Dawkins' brain for tips on how he can improve his game.
"I sit next to him in meetings and I'm always asking him questions, talking to him," Bruton said. "He always gives me helpful hints about keeping my hips square or what I need to do or how I need to read -- the mentality you have to have when going in to sack the quarterback."
THE VETERANS
Without question, Bailey is the Broncos' most productive holdover from the team's 2008 defensive corps. The 11-year pro has eight Pro Bowl nominations to his name and is a four-time All-Pro selection. After missing seven games last season due to injury, one the NFL's elite shutdown defenders is back healthy and prime to make his presence known once again this season.
Through OTAs, Head Coach Josh McDaniels said Bailey has been as good as advertised.
"He's really stood out in the way that he has practiced," McDaniels said. "He has a great work ethic. Some of those things you don't get the opportunity to know before you get an opportunity to coach the player. For Champ to stand out like that as a veteran player like he is - it's just been great to see."
Adapting to Nolan's philosophy should be a bit smoother for Bailey than some of his teammates, as he worked with the Broncos first-year defensive coordinator his rookie season with the Washington Redskins.
"One thing about him, he's straight to the point. He's a guy that's going to make sure you understand what you're doing," Bailey said of Nolan. "I learned a lot from him (in Washington). The young guys are really going to benefit from having him around."
Once inexperienced rookies in 2008, a number of Broncos secondary players return this season with a year of NFL knowledge under their belts.
Joshua Bell made his NFL debut against the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 2, and then proceeded to start five games at cornerback for the team due to Bailey's injury. In total, Bell finished his first year with 43 tackles and four pass breakups.
Safety Josh Barrett found himself in a similar position with the team last year. He spent the first 11 weeks of his rookie campaign on the Broncos' practice squad, before signing to their active roster for the final six weeks of the season. Barrett went on to start the team's final three games in 2008, finishing the year with 23 tackles and one interception.
Second-year pro Jack Williams, who played in 14 games for the club last season, and eight-year veteran safety Vernon Fox also provide depth in the secondary. During his first season with the Broncos, Williams totaled nine defensive tackles, while tying for sixth on the squad with five special-teams stops.
Fox saw playing time in 10 games for the Broncos last season, starting three contests and finishing the season with 20 tackles and one fumble recovery, which he returned for a touchdown.
So far, the Broncos' secondary holdovers appear to be meshing quite well with the team's new defensive back components. With a mixture of proven veterans and young but enthusiastic backs, expect this unit to cause havoc across the field this season.
"I feel good about the guys we have back there," Goodman said. "I think every day we've been progressing and I think that is what we try to accomplish at OTAs every day, just trying to get better, and I think we've been doing that."
MEET THE PLAYERS
Cornerbacks
* Champ Bailey ranks second in the NFL with 25 interceptions since joining the Broncos in 2004 and is tied for second in the league with 43 interceptions since his rookie season in 1999.
* Joshua Bell began his Broncos career on the team's practice squad before finding a starting role for five games during the 2008 campaign.
* Tony Carter started all 50 games he played at Florida State, totaling 139 tackles and nine interceptions as a Seminole.
* In 2007, Andre' Goodman received Miami's nomination for the Ed Block Courage Award.
* After starting his collegiate career at Missouri, D.J. Johnson played in 24 games at Jackson State, totaling 66 career tackles and 10 interceptions.
* Alphonso Smith set a Wake Forest record with eight interceptions in 2008. The ACC standout returned three of those picks for touchdowns, one shy of the NCAA Division I record.
* Jack Williams grabbed two interceptions for 121 return yards in the 2008 preseason, including an 89-yard touchdown return to seal a win at Arizona.
Safeties
* Josh Barrett snagged the first interception of his career at Carolina on Dec. 14.
* Brian Dawkins has been named to the Pro Bowl four of the past five seasons. He finished his 13-year tenure with the Eagles as the franchise's all-time leader in regular season games played (183), postseason starts (18) and overall wins (109).
* In Week 13 last season, Vernon Fox scored his first career touchdown on a 23-yard fumble return in a win against the New York Jets.
* For his career, Renaldo Hill has started 84 games - 42 at safety and 42 at cornerback.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- To defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, building an effective defensive unit starts by having a smart and trustworthy secondary.
"When you are building something, the most experienced group that you'd like to start with you'd like to have on the back end, in the secondary, because obviously when they make a mistake it's a touchdown as opposed to the front," he said. "From a secondary standpoint, it was critical that we get experienced guys. Not only good players but guys with experience."
For that reason, the Broncos made stockpiling their defensive back corps a priority this offseason - using free agency and April's NFL Draft to add experience, speed and depth at the cornerback and safety positions.
THE NEW GUYS
Arguably the Broncos' top big-name signing came in the secondary. On Feb. 28, the second day of free agency, the club made headlines across the league by inking seven-time Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins to a five-year contract.
Dawkins is one of only four players in NFL history with at least 33 interceptions and 20 sacks. Lining up next to Champ Bailey, one of the game's elite cornerbacks, the 13-year veteran will likely continue to give opposing offenses headaches week in and week out.
"I've had an opportunity to play with some pretty good cornerbacks," Dawkins said. "Good cornerbacks like that make my job a lot easier. He's definitely one of those great cornerbacks that I'll have a privilege of playing with."
After Dawkins joined the team, Broncos brass continued to upgrade the secondary through free agency. On consecutive days, safety Renaldo Hill and cornerback Andre Goodman -- both of whom helped the Miami Dolphins complete a turnaround from a 1-15 season to winning the AFC East last season -- signed free agent contracts with the club.
Goodman, an eight-year pro, totaled a team-high five interceptions in 2008 for the Dolphins. Hill, meanwhile, was a 15-game starter for Miami last season. The pair of former Dolphins should add even more depth to an already experienced secondary.
Even after making a big splash in free agency, the club also used the 2009 NFL Draft to further improve the unit. Management quickly identified Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith as an ideal fit for Nolan's system. With Smith still available five picks into the second round, the team traded up to grab the ACC playmaker.
Smith played in a similar defensive system at Wake Forest, which has made his transition to the pro game a bit easier through minicamps and organized team activities. Comfortable with the verbiage and style of the club's defensive scheme, Smith is looking forward to making an immediate impact during his rookie campaign.
"I'm trying to come in and start right away -- that's the way I'm going to approach this thing," Smith said after he was drafted. "I can promise that I'm going to play really hard and play like my hair is on fire. When you play like that, making plays just happens naturally."
To further bolster its defensive corps, the team keyed in on a pair of safeties in the draft, as well. In the second round, the club nabbed Texas Tech's Darcel McBath. McBath started 12 games for the Red Raiders in 2008, totaling 75 tackles and seven interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He also owns a share of Texas Tech history, recording a school-record three interceptions at Kansas on Oct. 25.
In the fourth round the Broncos selected another collegiate standout, Notre Dame's David Bruton. Bruton played in 48 career games for the Fighting Irish, starting 24 and totaling 214 tackles and seven interceptions. As a senior captain, Bruton posted a team-high four interceptions and earned All-America honorable mention.
Additionally, the club signed former Florida State cornerback Tony Carter and former Jackson State cornerback D.J. Johnson as college free agents on Apr. 27.
Throughout offseason workouts, the Broncos' rookie secondary players have been leaning on their veteran counterparts to adjust to the pro game. For instance, Bruton said he is always racking Dawkins' brain for tips on how he can improve his game.
"I sit next to him in meetings and I'm always asking him questions, talking to him," Bruton said. "He always gives me helpful hints about keeping my hips square or what I need to do or how I need to read -- the mentality you have to have when going in to sack the quarterback."
THE VETERANS
Without question, Bailey is the Broncos' most productive holdover from the team's 2008 defensive corps. The 11-year pro has eight Pro Bowl nominations to his name and is a four-time All-Pro selection. After missing seven games last season due to injury, one the NFL's elite shutdown defenders is back healthy and prime to make his presence known once again this season.
Through OTAs, Head Coach Josh McDaniels said Bailey has been as good as advertised.
"He's really stood out in the way that he has practiced," McDaniels said. "He has a great work ethic. Some of those things you don't get the opportunity to know before you get an opportunity to coach the player. For Champ to stand out like that as a veteran player like he is - it's just been great to see."
Adapting to Nolan's philosophy should be a bit smoother for Bailey than some of his teammates, as he worked with the Broncos first-year defensive coordinator his rookie season with the Washington Redskins.
"One thing about him, he's straight to the point. He's a guy that's going to make sure you understand what you're doing," Bailey said of Nolan. "I learned a lot from him (in Washington). The young guys are really going to benefit from having him around."
Once inexperienced rookies in 2008, a number of Broncos secondary players return this season with a year of NFL knowledge under their belts.
Joshua Bell made his NFL debut against the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 2, and then proceeded to start five games at cornerback for the team due to Bailey's injury. In total, Bell finished his first year with 43 tackles and four pass breakups.
Safety Josh Barrett found himself in a similar position with the team last year. He spent the first 11 weeks of his rookie campaign on the Broncos' practice squad, before signing to their active roster for the final six weeks of the season. Barrett went on to start the team's final three games in 2008, finishing the year with 23 tackles and one interception.
Second-year pro Jack Williams, who played in 14 games for the club last season, and eight-year veteran safety Vernon Fox also provide depth in the secondary. During his first season with the Broncos, Williams totaled nine defensive tackles, while tying for sixth on the squad with five special-teams stops.
Fox saw playing time in 10 games for the Broncos last season, starting three contests and finishing the season with 20 tackles and one fumble recovery, which he returned for a touchdown.
So far, the Broncos' secondary holdovers appear to be meshing quite well with the team's new defensive back components. With a mixture of proven veterans and young but enthusiastic backs, expect this unit to cause havoc across the field this season.
"I feel good about the guys we have back there," Goodman said. "I think every day we've been progressing and I think that is what we try to accomplish at OTAs every day, just trying to get better, and I think we've been doing that."
MEET THE PLAYERS
Cornerbacks
* Champ Bailey ranks second in the NFL with 25 interceptions since joining the Broncos in 2004 and is tied for second in the league with 43 interceptions since his rookie season in 1999.
* Joshua Bell began his Broncos career on the team's practice squad before finding a starting role for five games during the 2008 campaign.
* Tony Carter started all 50 games he played at Florida State, totaling 139 tackles and nine interceptions as a Seminole.
* In 2007, Andre' Goodman received Miami's nomination for the Ed Block Courage Award.
* After starting his collegiate career at Missouri, D.J. Johnson played in 24 games at Jackson State, totaling 66 career tackles and 10 interceptions.
* Alphonso Smith set a Wake Forest record with eight interceptions in 2008. The ACC standout returned three of those picks for touchdowns, one shy of the NCAA Division I record.
* Jack Williams grabbed two interceptions for 121 return yards in the 2008 preseason, including an 89-yard touchdown return to seal a win at Arizona.
Safeties
* Josh Barrett snagged the first interception of his career at Carolina on Dec. 14.
* Brian Dawkins has been named to the Pro Bowl four of the past five seasons. He finished his 13-year tenure with the Eagles as the franchise's all-time leader in regular season games played (183), postseason starts (18) and overall wins (109).
* In Week 13 last season, Vernon Fox scored his first career touchdown on a 23-yard fumble return in a win against the New York Jets.
* For his career, Renaldo Hill has started 84 games - 42 at safety and 42 at cornerback.