In 2004, Broncos freewheeling, playmaking linebacker D.J. Williams was a star in the making, finishing third in the voting for defensive rookie of the year.
In 2002, Broncos third-year linebacker Ian Gold was a lightning-fast, havoc-wreaking star in the making. He had 166 tackles and 6 1/2 sacks.
In 2005, the Broncos have both linebackers on their roster. That’s the good news. The bad news? Both prefer playing weakside linebacker as opposed to the less glamorous, blue-collar job of anchoring the strong side.
The solution is a compromise of sorts, one the Broncos hope will allow Williams and Gold to chase down ball carriers, sack quarterbacks and cause turnovers.
“What the coaches thought would be fair is both D.J. and I get to play some on the weak side,” Gold said last week during the Broncos’ quarterback camp. “It’s fair to me and it’s fair to D.J.”
What’s the big deal about playing weakside linebacker?
Typically, the strongside linebacker lines up on the same side as the tight end and often plays the tight end in man-to-man pass coverage.
“Nobody wants to do that,” Gold said. “It takes you away from the play. Even if the tight end stays in on a block, you have to stay with him and keep your eyes on him, as opposed to chasing down the ball carrier.”
The weakside linebacker has more freedom. His job is to run sideline-to-sideline to hunt running backs. Typically, the weakside linebacker leads the team in tackles, and he’s also the lightest linebacker. Gold weighs about 220 pounds. Williams is listed at 242.
Although Gold likely will see more time on the weak side, coach Mike Shanahan said last week Williams will not be stuck doing the dirty work on the strong side while Gold is set free to make plays.
“They’ll both be playing strong and weak,” Shanahan said.
Essentially, Gold will play what Shanahan calls the “reduction” linebacker role, something Buccaneers star Derrick Brooks thrives in with Tampa Bay. Gold will play primarily on the weak side.
When Gold played for Tampa Bay last season, he played almost exclusively at strongside linebacker. Given the Buccaneers had Brooks playing on the weak side, playing Gold on the strong side made sense. But Gold didn’t care for the position as his tackle total fell to 71.
“I hated every second of it,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong. I was out there and I was competitive and I did everything I could to help the team. But it didn’t allow me to play my game.”
When Gold signed as a free agent this offseason, he received a five-year deal that included an $8.5 million signing bonus. But money was only part of the reason Gold returned to his roots.
“Yeah, it’s fair to say I wanted to play weak side, and coming back here gives me a chance to do that,” Gold said.
Williams admits it will be an adjustment moving to the other side of the field, however, he doesn’t foresee a defensive scheme that erases his playmaking ability.
“The Will (weak side) is a lot freer, but the way we scheme and the way we set it up here, the Sam linebacker is not going to be taking on a lot of the grunt work or taking on lead blockers,” Williams said.
Last season, Williams had a team-high 114 tackles, marking the first time in 32 years a rookie led the Broncos in tackles. This season, Williams is going to have to be more versatile. As a consequence, his number of tackles will likely drop.
“It takes some adjusting at a new position,” Williams said. “I’m still reading and then reacting instead of just reacting. But when I’m on the (weak) side that I normally play, I’m a little bit faster.”
Linebackers are often asked to switch roles. Indianapolis linebacker David Thornton moved from weak side to strong side in 2004 and saw his numbers drop. After leading the Colts with 158 tackles in 2003, Thornton had 98 last season, second on the team.
Houston linebacker Morlon Greenwood, signed by the Texans as a free agent from Miami this offseason, saw his numbers rise when he switched from the strong side to the weak side. In 2003 with the Dolphins, he played primarily on the strong side and was credited with 85 tackles. Last season, he split time between the two linebacker roles and recorded a career-high 133 tackles.
Gold said he wasn’t promised he would play exclusively on the weak side when he returned to Denver, but said that’s where he can best help the team.
“That’s where they know I’m best suited,” he said. “But at the same time, D.J. is going to be a great player, and the more he studies the better he’s going to get. I’m sure we’ll work something out where we get a chance to make our plays.”
Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
