It seemed like you could hear Gerard Warren from Dove Valley to the Denver Tech Center.
As the first week of training camp 2006 wound down, Warren hit the grass in howling pain. A dislocated left big toe, the doctors called it. As things turned out, it was the beginning of the end for Warren’s season.
He played in 15 games, but wasn’t the same player — not compared to the one who was the Broncos’ best defensive lineman in 2005.
Now comes 2007. Warren, “Big Money” to his teammates, not only is healthy again, he’s got some help in the middle of the line.
Nowhere have the Broncos upgraded their roster more than at the point of impact, in the interior of the D-line. Warren, at 330 pounds, is the second-biggest tackle on the roster, thanks to the acquisition of 350-pound Sam Adams.
The front office didn’t stop there. The Broncos traded up to get Marcus Thomas in the fourth round of the draft. Then, after snatching Adams away from Bill Belichick’s waiting arms — the Patriots were convinced they had a deal done, only to have Adams choose Denver — they sent a 2008 sixth-rounder to the Rams for 320-pound Jimmy Kennedy.
Size and depth. It’s a package the Broncos haven’t always had in the middle of the defensive line. But it isn’t just about those guys. How they play will determine how the rest of the defense plays. As in, the more blockers they occupy, the easier it will be for the Broncos’ linebackers to make tackles, and the easier it will be for the defensive ends to rush the quarterback.
So how will they do? I’ll bet you one thing. If Warren stays healthy, they’ll be just fine.
