That Broncos defensive line everyone has been so concerned about? The team just wants to see it.
Heading into the regular-season opener, Denver’s defensive line – the most questioned unit on a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations – wasn’t able to play a snap of a game together in the preseason. However, with the opener at St. Louis coming Sunday, the Broncos hope to unveil their front four.
For the second consecutive practice Wednesday, Denver worked its full starting front four. End Courtney Brown and tackle Gerard Warren practiced after missing all the team’s preseason games. Warren dislocated his left big toe Aug. 5. Brown had minor knee surgery Aug. 9. Warren has been practicing since Aug. 28 and Brown has worked out the past two days.
Warren is expected to play Sunday. Brown, who is listed as questionable on the Broncos’ injury report, likely will be a game-time decision. If Brown doesn’t play, Kenard Lang will start against the Rams.
“Courtney and I are both dying to get in there and play,” Warren said. “We’re in the same boat. We both want it bad. This line is going to go after people and we can’t wait to be part of it.”
While Denver would like to have its complete front four – end Ebenezer Ekuban and tackle Michael Myers are the other two starters – it is confident going into the season because of the play from the rest of the rotation. After a poor showing in the preseason opener at Detroit on Aug. 11 – “We were awful,” defensive coordinator Larry Coyer said – Denver’s starting defensive line performed well in the second and third games. The starters didn’t play against Arizona in the preseason finale. The team presented a four-man rush often and the pressure produced from the attack was constant.
Against Tennessee on Aug. 19, tackle Demetrin Veal, who was playing in Warren’s place, made two sacks. Against Houston the next week, Ekuban and Lang both came up with sacks in limited action.
“Even though we were missing some guys, we got great effort,” Coyer said. “These are all guys who are going to play. I saw improvement.”
Last year, Denver was near the bottom of the NFL with only 28 sacks. On a team that appears improved in most areas, it has been the defensive front that has been most questioned. Denver began the offseason by cutting starting end Trevor Pryce in a salary cap move. After toying with signing end Andre Carter, Denver signed Lang to a modest deal, then drafted Elvis Dumervil in the fourth round.
“It makes me chuckle when people talk about our line, but it’s OK, everyone can have an opinion,” defensive line-tackles coach Andre Patterson said. “I couldn’t think of another line I’d rather go to war with than ours.”
Some Broncos admit there was initial concern.
“I was a little nervous coming in, but the last two preseason games, I’m speaking games 2 and 3, those guys came to the party,” safety John Lynch said. “I’m excited about it. And if we get Courtney, then we’ll be really good.”
Veal will play in the defensive line rotation often, as will Lang and Dumervil, who led the country in sacks last season at Louisville. Dumervil will play both inside and outside in pass-rushing situations.
“You’d always love to have guys like Gerard and Courtney out there, but the preseason was important because we’re all going to play,” said Lang, the latest Cleveland import on the line. Five of the nine defensive linemen on Denver’s roster came from the Browns. “We’re all comfortable with each other. Now it’s time to go show that this line can and will produce when the season starts.”
Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-954-1262 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
