Vance Walker torn ACL, out for the season

[VonDoom]

This was being discussed in the training camp thread, but I thought it deserved its own, so it wouldn't get hidden. Sucks, but what can you do? Hopefully that's it as far as injuries go:


The Broncos’ defensive line suddenly is looking thin.Veteran end Vance Walker, who returned to practice Monday from a back injury, went down early in nine-on-seven drills and was carted off the field. A magnetic resonance imaging exam taken later in the day revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, and Walker is expected to miss the season.

“We think the world of Vance and he was having a great camp,” coach Gary Kubiak said. “We’ll support him through his recovery, and he’ll come back stronger than ever.”

Walker, an eight-year veteran, arrived in Colorado as an unrestricted free agent in March 2015, giving the Broncos depth and experience in the 3-4 alignment after earlier stints in Kansas City, Oakland and Atlanta. He bolstered a line that was without starting end Derek Wolfe for the first four games (suspension) and finished the season with 33 total tackles (22 solo) and two sacks for a loss of 16 yards.

This season, Walker’s role was expected to increase substantially after the free-agent loss of starter Malik Jackson. The Broncos signed Jared Crick to help fill Jackson’s void, but Walker was the projected starter on the depth chart and had earned the praise of coaches and teammates.

http://www.denverpost.com/2016/08/15/vance-walker-injury-denver-broncos/

[BroncoWave]

Like I've been saying, it's hard to maintain the type of good fortune we had last year in the injury department. Luckily we have a deep defense though, so this shouldn't be a huge loss.

[Poet]

I find this most upsetting.

[MOtorboat]

Good news is that the depth on the defense looks really good.

[GEM]

Poor guy earns his ruin at starter only to lose to an injury. That's got to be rough. :(

[TXBRONC]

Even with great depth it's still disappointing. One the bright side Gotsis should get more opportunities to play.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

I hope Billy Winn is in good shape. He can contribute if ready.

[dogfish]

damn, that effing blows! he's a bigger loss than people realize. . . yes, we're deep on defense-- not so much on the line, though. . . vance was first in like to replace malik's production, and we don't have a comparable player behind him. . . this probably makes crick a starter, and he is solely a run defender-- walker offered some pass rush as well, and was also our game day backup nose tackle. . . with annunike also gimpy, we're going to need billy wynn to step up-- and unless we're going to use sly or kilgo at end some, i'm afraid it might mean gotsis could get thrown in the fire at some point. . . D-line is suddenly another area where we might be digging through camp cuts. . .

[DenBronx]

Any chance we bring in a vet to replace him? Someone that would sign cheap and hungry to win? Or do we just roll with the backups we already have?

[VonDoom]

Any chance we bring in a vet to replace him? Someone that would sign cheap and hungry to win? Or do we just roll with the backups we already have?

Winn might be that guy - he'll probably be the same quality as a camp cut at this point. Crick will have to step up, Gotsis can hopefully be ready to go. How many linemen do we keep anyway? Like I said, it sucks because Walker was a versatile piece up front that will be hard to replace with one guy.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

from article:


With Walker sidelined, free-agent pickup Jared Crick, second-round pick Adam Gotsis and Billy Winn, who was signed during training camp, will all be asked to pick up the slack.

Nose tackles Sylvester Williams, Kyle Peko and Darius Kilgo could also see additional pass-rush roles as the Broncos adjust in the wake of the injury.

full article - http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Broncos-lose-Vance-Walker-to-torn-ACL/0292b5ab-8912-4176-82e2-e9291a19ef21

[Dapper Dan]

In Wade I Trust.

[GEM]

damn, that effing blows! he's a bigger loss than people realize. . . yes, we're deep on defense-- not so much on the line, though. . . vance was first in like to replace malik's production, and we don't have a comparable player behind him. . . this probably makes crick a starter, and he is solely a run defender-- walker offered some pass rush as well, and was also our game day backup nose tackle. . . with annunike also gimpy, we're going to need billy wynn to step up-- and unless we're going to use sly or kilgo at end some, i'm afraid it might mean gotsis could get thrown in the fire at some point. . . D-line is suddenly another area where we might be digging through camp cuts. . .

Annunike got cut, didn't he?

[VonDoom]

Annunike got cut, didn't he?

Yep. He's not an option

[Simple Jaded]

Any chance we bring in a vet to replace him? Someone that would sign cheap and hungry to win? Or do we just roll with the backups we already have?

Greg a Hardy is pretty hard up right now.

[Ziggy]

Vance Walker was the most underrated player on this defense last year. He was able to play all 3 spots on the line efficiently and a big reason the Broncos were solid against the run last season. On the bright side, Crick is a solid guy to step in. He has the experience and the talent to succeed in this defense. When the Broncos signed him, Wade was quoted as saying, "We're getting a starter." Gotsis will have a chance to accelerate his development now as well. Should be fun to watch.

[Ziggy]

Greg a Hardy is pretty hard up right now.

Too bad for him that Elway isn't.

[Simple Jaded]

Too bad for him that Elway isn't.

Meh, they can't all be Boy Scouts.

[Ziggy]

Meh, they can't all be Boy Scouts.

Elway's not messing with the chemistry of this defense. It's built to be successful for the long haul. Hardy won't play here.

[dogfish]

Annunike got cut, didn't he?

oops, missed that. . .

[dogfish]

Greg a Hardy is pretty hard up right now.

aw hell no!

[Simple Jaded]

Elway's not messing with the chemistry of this defense. It's built to be successful for the long haul. Hardy won't play here.

#Redemption.

Won't you help to sing dese songs of freedom? Cause all I ever had...

[Simple Jaded]

aw hell no!

Just don't let your sister date him.

[BroncoWave]

The fact that Dallas, probably the most welcoming team in the NFL to guys with poor character, cut him, especially as thin as they are on the d-line, should tell you all you need to know about Hardy. I hope we don't touch that guy with a 10 foot pole.

[DenBronx]

Any chance we bring in a vet to replace him? Someone that would sign cheap and hungry to win? Or do we just roll with the backups we already have?

Greg a Hardy is pretty hard up right now.


I hear Aldon Smith is too. Lol

[Simple Jaded]

He said he was sorry.......kinda.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

I hear Aldon Smith is too. Lol

He's not under contract with the Raiders?

[Simple Jaded]

Trade Shaq Barrett to Chicago for Cornelius Washington and Christian Jones.

[Slick]

Meh, they can't all be Boy Scouts.

I agree with this but not in Hardy's case. I forget where I read it but players in the Dallas locker room were actually scared of Hardy. He is a lunatic.

[Simple Jaded]

I agree with this but not in Hardy's case. I forget where I read it but players in the Dallas locker room were actually scared of Hardy. He is a lunatic.

Well sure, when you put it like that it sounds bad. Otoh, you could probably get him for league minimum.

[BroncoWave]

Well sure, when you put it like that it sounds bad. Otoh, you could probably get him for league minimum.

A desperate team will probably sign him eventually, but we are far from desperate.

[Simple Jaded]

So...you'll think on it?

[BroncoWave]

So...you'll think on it?

Nope. If we get to the point where we have to sign a guy like Hardy, our season is probably already tanked anyway.

[Simple Jaded]

Bob Marley disapproves of your closed mindedness.

[Traveler]

Can't remember the young mans name from TB. He was a DE from Clemson. Too lazy to look him up. Wonder if he is in football shape and a possible signing?

Edit: Da'Quan Bowers is his name. Similar measureables to Jackson.

[Joel]

That really does suck, because even when Jackson was here Walker was pretty much first alternate for both DE AND NT. He was a big reason our D started the year so dominantly despite Wolfe missing the first month, and a big reason Sly stayed fresh enough all game, every game to be an impenetrable wall for runners up the gut, collapse pockets and command double teams that gave Ware, Miller, Wolfe and Jackson one-on-one blockers. He's not only the reason we had just ONE NT active on most game days, but the reason we got away with that.

So yeah, we have quality depth that can step up at DE, and other quality depth that can step up at NT, but how many players do we have who can do BOTH those things with a SINGLE roster spot? We're either going to be a little thinner on the defensive line, or deactivate someone else somewhere else so we can keep an extra DE and NT instead of one guy who can rotate with the starters at both. I'm sad for Walker, and sad for the rest of the Broncos. :(

[Northman]

Next man up.

[Dapper Dan]

Can't remember the young mans name from TB. He was a DE from Clemson. Too lazy to look him up. Wonder if he is in football shape and a possible signing?

Edit: Da'Quan Bowers is his name. Similar measureables to Jackson.

I'm not sure about him. He was pretty bad in Tampa. You'd think Lovie could have gotten something out of him.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Can't remember the young mans name from TB. He was a DE from Clemson. Too lazy to look him up. Wonder if he is in football shape and a possible signing?

Edit: Da'Quan Bowers is his name. Similar measureables to Jackson.


I'm not sure about him. He was pretty bad in Tampa. You'd think Lovie could have gotten something out of him.

He had a degenerative knee condition.

[Dapper Dan]

He had a degenerative knee condition.

At least he didn't end up like Gaines Adams. :whoknows:

[CoachChaz]

Hardy is a pure 4-3 DE anyway. I wouldnt be opposed to taking a look at Chris Canty for some veteran depth, though.

[NightTerror218]

I think we have a very deep DL as it is. Walker would have been a solid started but i do not think there is much drop iff to crick. Right now we have wolfe, gotsis, winn, and crick at the DE position. I think this just opened up winn to make the team.

While this sucks i think we will be fine once it comes to 53 man roster.

[Poet]

Crick was never much of a pass rusher at all?

[NightTerror218]

Crick was never much of a pass rusher at all?

This is a 3-4 defense. Dont need a pass rush DE. Their job is to stuff run and calapse pocket and draw doubke teams for our OLB to get to QBs. Crick is good for a few sacks. He had 2 last seaon and 3 season before. Malik had 5 last season and 3 season before.

[MOtorboat]

Crick was never much of a pass rusher at all?

Crick does a good job of holding the point of attack, which would allow Wolfe and the outside linebackers to cause havoc. Plus, I think he played for Phillips for four seasons, so he knows this specific 3-4 defense well.

[Poet]

Crick does a good job of holding the point of attack, which would allow Wolfe and the outside linebackers to cause havoc. Plus, I think he played for Phillips for four seasons, so he knows this specific 3-4 defense well.

But Walker did the same thing last season but also could get a bit of a pass rush?

[MOtorboat]

But Walker did the same thing last season but also could get a bit of a pass rush?

Jackson did, yes. Crick probably won't be as good as either, which is why if everyone's healthy he's the third DE and not starting. Certainly, he's not Jackson or Walker, but I think he'll be a decent plug-in.

[Poet]

Jackson did, yes. Crick probably won't be as good as either, which is why if everyone's healthy he's the third DE and not starting. Certainly, he's not Jackson or Walker, but I think he'll be a decent plug-in.

I just wanted to make sure that I understood the situation. Because Walker wasn't a name that I recognized sans during the games.

[MOtorboat]

I just wanted to make sure that I understood the situation. Because Walker wasn't a name that I recognized sans during the games.

Yeah. Walker was starting opposite Wolfe at DE, I believe typically in the right side of the defense, typically with Ware or Barrett lined up outside of him.

[NightTerror218]

Gotsis will get some good playing time.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Gotsis will get some good playing time.

Yep

[dogfish]

I think we have a very deep DL as it is. Walker would have been a solid started but i do not think there is much drop iff to crick. Right now we have wolfe, gotsis, winn, and crick at the DE position. I think this just opened up winn to make the team.

While this sucks i think we will be fine once it comes to 53 man roster.

very deep? our D-line depth is officially non-existent right now. . . at least outside. . . crick pretty much has to be the starter now. . . winn is a young vet who we signed off the street in like july, and gotsis is a rookie project with very little experience. . . that isn't anything close to good depth, unless at least one of those two overachieves big time. . . it would have been ideal to not really play gotsis at all this year, and winn wouldn't have made last year's roster. . . our depth is real nice at OLB and cornerback-- i don't see it at all on the line. . . i'm curious if maybe we'll look at playing either sly or kilgo some snaps at end. . . kilgo played there a bit last year when wolfe was out. . .

[dogfish]

I just wanted to make sure that I understood the situation. Because Walker wasn't a name that I recognized sans during the games.

he's pretty studly. . . he was like our 6th man last year-- first off the bench, and he started the first four games when wolfe was suspended. . . although it doesn't show it on NFL.com, i could have sworn he also started at nose tackle when sly missed a game or two with an ankle. . . i've heard a number of our starters praise him for the role he played-- he was an important part of what we did last year, and was slated to be an even bigger part this year. . . no one's cancelling the season, but he really will be missed. . .

thankfully, we have fantastic coaches at both the coordinator and position coach levels. . . crazy kollar will get the most out of whoever we trot out there, and our D is stronger as a unit than the sum of its parts. . .

[TXBRONC]

he's pretty studly. . . he was like our 6th man last year-- first off the bench, and he started the first four games when wolfe was suspended. . . although it doesn't show it on NFL.com, i could have sworn he also started at nose tackle when sly missed a game or two with an ankle. . . i've heard a number of our starters praise him for the role he played-- he was an important part of what we did last year, and was slated to be an even bigger part this year. . . no one's cancelling the season, but he really will be missed. . .

thankfully, we have fantastic coaches at both the coordinator and position coach levels. . . crazy kollar will get the most out of whoever we trot out there, and our D is stronger as a unit than the sum of its parts. . .

Just as a comfirmation, yes Walker started for Williams at nose tackle when he got hurt.

[nevcraw]

Sucks.. But still like crick and gotis. Can't be deep everywhere. Amazing we have the depth we do now.. Wonder if trade a Barrett for a DE? Don't know if I'm full of crap but I think D barring injuries will better than last year.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Just as a comformation, yes Walker started for Williams at nose tackle when he got hurt.
"Confirmation", unless you're suggesting he conformed to being a NT. :D

[Simple Jaded]

Words are hard.

[NightTerror218]

very deep? our D-line depth is officially non-existent right now. . . at least outside. . . crick pretty much has to be the starter now. . . winn is a young vet who we signed off the street in like july, and gotsis is a rookie project with very little experience. . . that isn't anything close to good depth, unless at least one of those two overachieves big time. . . it would have been ideal to not really play gotsis at all this year, and winn wouldn't have made last year's roster. . . our depth is real nice at OLB and cornerback-- i don't see it at all on the line. . . i'm curious if maybe we'll look at playing either sly or kilgo some snaps at end. . . kilgo played there a bit last year when wolfe was out. . .

Crick and wolfe are starters and the others will rotate. And depending on the defense package von and ware on line with DTs and a DE and a DE is pulled.

[Joel]

Sucks.. But still like crick and gotis. Can't be deep everywhere.
That's the real magnitude of Walkers loss though: He gave us great depth at MULTIPLE positions, so it's almost like losing two critical players.


Amazing we have the depth we do now.. Wonder if trade a Barrett for a DE? Don't know if I'm full of crap but I think D barring injuries will better than last year.
Last years D set the bar in that stratosphere.

Regardless, given Wares age and back, and how indispensable great OLBs are to any 3-4, I hope we don't trade Barrett. We need at least 3 and preferably 4 great OLB; right now that's Von, Ware, Barrett and Ray, but when Ware retires we'll have three great ones and a bunch of promising young question marks.

[TXBRONC]

"Confirmation", unless you're suggesting he conformed to being a NT. :D

I was on my phone when I posted so ended up typing an "o" rather than an "i" and I didn't catch it.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

I was on my phone when I posted so ended up typing an "o" rather than an "i" and I didn't catch it.

I figured it was something like that. I end up with a lot of typos from using my phone.

[TXBRONC]

I figured it was something like that. I end up with a lot of typos from using my phone.

If it's not leaving words out of sentences because my fingers can't keep with what I'm thinking my thumb can't find the right keys. :tsk:

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

If it's not leaving words out of sentences because my fingers can't keep with what I'm thinking my thumb can't find the right keys. :tsk:

Auto correct is a pain in the butt too.

A few weeks ago I was sending a text to my son, "kick some ass". Auto correct kept changing it to lick. I had to retype it several times and finally save the word kick. I'm glad I didn't send it with lick. :laugh:

[TXBRONC]

Auto correct is a pain in the butt too.

A few weeks ago I was sending a text to my son, "kick some ass". Auto correct kept changing it to lick. I had to retype it several times and finally save the word kick. I'm glad I didn't send it with lick. :laugh:

:lol: I could imagine that might be a confusing text.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

:lol: I could imagine that might be a confusing text.

Haha, especially with the exclamation point at the end.

[NightTerror218]

@broncos

DL Vance Walker has been placed on injured reserve, and we've signed TE Manasseh Garner

[NightTerror218]

They must be happy with who they have at DE for now.