With Ware as its latest loss, defense faces critical point
The Denver Broncos defense won’t undergo a major overhaul in 2017. But with its leader and architect now both gone, it will certainly have a different look.
And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, at least when it comes to the front seven.
Yes, the Broncos will miss the creative play calling of defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who now is with the Los Angeles Rams, and the locker room presence of outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who retired on Monday.
But with their departures comes the chance for some major changes up front.
For all of the success of the “No Fly Zone” — the selfadministered moniker adopted by the Broncos secondary in recent seasons — Denver’s defensive front needed a makeover. Fresh off a Super Bowl 50 win powered by their top-ranked defense, the Broncos ranked 28th against the run last year with 130.3 yards allowed per game. By the end of the season, it was no secret that the way to beat the Broncos was to run, run and run some more. It was a way to exploit the D’s biggest weakness and negate its biggest strength.
Denver let starting defensive tackle Sylvester Williams leave for the Tennessee Titans in free agency and signed a pair of hulking interior presences, 11-year veteran Domata Peko and 26-year-old former Indianapolis Colt Zach Kerr, to take his place. Peko is polished as a run-stopper and familiar with new head coach Vance Joseph from their two years together with the Cincinnati Bengals. In Kerr, the Broncos see raw talent.
“We really believe he has a high ceiling,” general manager John Elway said this week.
When Phillips’ contract expired after last season, Joseph decided to promote Joe Woods from defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator, part of a plan to keep nearly all of Phillips’ defensive staff intact even after his departure. The general scheme will remain the same, as will the culture. The biggest stars, like outside linebacker Von Miller and cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Chris Harris, return as well.
The question now is how Joseph and Woods will use those players. Expect them to be aggressive in their play calling, creative in how they deploy Miller and defensive end Derek Wolfe and reliant on man coverage from their cornerbacks.
Ware’s absence will be felt most in the locker room, where he was the defense’s unquestioned leader, and where he served as a mentor for many young players, most notably Miller.
Ware’s retirement announcement might have been a surprise — on Monday morning, shortly before Ware’s announcement, Elway said he expected the 12-year veteran to test the free agent market — but the Broncos were already preparing for life without him.
Shane Ray, who had eight sacks in 2016 while starting eight games, will play an even bigger role as a likely fulltime starter. The Broncos will also ask more of young pass rusher Shaq Barrett. Denver could also re-sign depth linebacker Dekoda Watson or add another pass rusher in the draft.