Broncos safety John Lynch said today after a rain-shortened mini-camp practice that the loss of Pro Bowl linebacker Al Wilson is being felt by the team.
“He was such a great teammate, one of the best teammates I’ve played with,” Lynch said of Wilson, who was released by the team last month because of a neck injury and salary cap issues. “He just had a natural knack for leadership and was really a tremendous leader and just a fun guy to be around. He loved the game of football. When you lose a guy like that, there is a little bit of a void.
“But the best teams I’ve played with have leadership all over the field. Sometimes people try to simplify it and (identify) one leader on the team. One of the strengths of this team is there is multiple leaders throughout the team, throughout the defense.
“That’s why these camps are good, because we kind of find ourselves. That’s part of the chemistry that everybody always talks about. Finding out how you operate when you lose a guy like that, and we’re finding our way out here.”
Wilson, who started 120 of 126 games in eight seasons with Denver, was released last month after an aborted trade to the New York Giants. Wilson failed a physical and the trade was voided.
Safety Nick Ferguson said team leadership will come from various players in the wake of Wilson’s departure.
“When you lead you don’t always have to be vocal. You lead by your actions,” Ferguson said. “It’s going to take everybody on the defense to step up.”
Staff writer Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
