Without saying a word, 315-pound Marcus Thomas spoke volumes about the kind of athleticism the Broncos have added to their defensive line.
Oh, and he also attracted the biggest roar from the crowd during Day One of Camp Shanny. Stuff happens when a 315-pound dude sticks a back flip.
And to think, there are more where Thomas came from. He was the Broncos’ fourth-round draft pick, three rounds after they selected Jarvis Moss, and two rounds after they picked Tim Crowder.
This just in: Given their considerable potential, if not their ability to make an immediate impact, all three will be on the final roster. That means a similar number of veterans from last year won’t be.
Yeah, and the point is? This is football, the ultimate young man’s game, we’re talking about.
“It’s a business, man,” said Ebenezer Ekuban. “Prior to them coming, our defensive line was a little older. We need to get some youth in there.”
Ekuban is lining up with the No. 1 defense in the early going, but he isn’t taking anything for granted. No one can. Not in this camp. Not if he plays on the defensive line, the single-most competitive position on the roster.
“I don’t look at it like that,” said Ekuban, when a reporter mentioned his first-string status. “Whenever I come to camp, my mentality is I’m trying to make the team. If I come here thinking, ‘Well, I’m first team, I’m just trying to keep it,’ I won’t be motivated to practice hard. So mentally I forget who’s behind me and who’s in front of me. I’m just trying to make the team.”
In the end, it will come down to numbers. There are 16 defensive linemen on the training-camp roster and, at most, 10 figure to make the final one. They won’t be easy decisions. Some big names could get cut or traded.
For now, all we know is this: For the first time in a long time, the Broncos have strength in numbers at one of the game’s most important positions.
Jim Armstrong issues regular reports from training camp throughout the day along with video takes from the sidelines and snippets where fans get to do the talking. Visit .
