Simeon Rice is nice. Among the all-time greats, even, as a pass rusher.
“They already know what it feels like to win,” Rice said after agreeing Monday to a one-year contract with the Broncos. “I’m just going to bring that heat. They’ve got the pieces in place already. I’m just going to come in and help this team go to a different level.”
At the risk of interrupting the sack-artist lovefest in Bronco- land, though, two matters of concern remain. One is the Broncos’ regular-season opener Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. It would be surprising if Rice plays, because he missed all of training camp and preseason and has yet to test his surgically repaired shoulder.
The other issue is whether the Broncos’ defensive front, with or without Rice, can stop the run. The last time anyone watched the Broncos’ first- string defense, it halted ball carriers like flowers stop bees.
“Good thing it didn’t count, huh?” said Sam Adams, the Broncos’ starting defensive tackle.
Can the Broncos stop rookie Marshawn Lynch and veteran Anthony Thomas when it counts Sunday?
“We know as coaches that we tried to overtrain our team on technique at a time when it would have been easy to do a scheme and bring pressure and move the front and all those things,” Broncos defensive line coach Bill Johnson said. “But you’re not going to get your philosophy taught if you don’t overtrain it.”
Almost all NFL defenses, including the Broncos of past seasons, employ eight men in the box. Jim Bates, the Broncos’ new defensive boss, likes to use seven.
There’s a technique to playing the line on a seven-man front. Technique is what led to perhaps the most shocking roster development of the Broncos’ preseason – starting alongside Adams at defensive tackle will not be Gerard Warren or Jimmy Kennedy, but Amon Gordon, who has played six games in his three NFL seasons, none in the past two.
“Watch the tape,” Johnson said. “To me you have to evaluate without looking at names. You have to evaluate on what you see. Not using names, but let’s say another guy was equal. Which guy has more upside?”
To a man, the Broncos say they’re a better defense today than they were two weeks ago. Wait till the Buffalo game and judge them then. But in case cohesion takes a few weeks into the regular season, the Broncos signed Rice.
“He has, what, 121 sacks, 13th all-time, 17 away from the top five?” Adams said, perfectly reciting Rice’s career notables. “I will say this: If he comes here and plays another three, four years, then I’ll guarantee he’ll become the all-time sack leader. In this system, he’ll get the record.”
Rice would need 80 sacks to pass all-time leader Bruce Smith, who got most of his quarterbacks while playing for the Bills. The record may be a stretch for the 33-year-old Rice, but the Broncos aren’t worried about that, anyway.
The fear was that rookie defensive ends Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder suffered developmental setbacks by preseason injuries and second-year end Elvis Dumervil isn’t physically suited for first and second downs.
Rice is best at sacking the quarterback, but he’s an every-down performer who helped his good friend John Lynch win a Super Bowl for Tampa Bay in 2002. Can Rice make a similar impact in Denver? With Lynch at safety and a cornerback tandem of Champ Bailey and Dré Bly, Rice is confident more team and individual achievements will come his way.
“I’m not going to sit here and say I know much about the defensive line,” Rice said. “It’s going to be a learning process for me. I’m taking it all in. But you can write it down: The corners were a huge factor in me coming here. When you can play with two guys like that, it’s incredible for a defensive end like myself.”
Maybe run defense will become easier now that the Broncos have so many elite players who specialize at stopping the pass.
Lining them up
Finding the correct players to fit their new defensive system has led the Broncos to overhaul their defensive line, then make several late adjustments. Significant D-line moves by Denver in a little more than four months:
April 29-30: Three of the Broncos’ four draft picks are defensive linemen: DE Jarvis Moss (first round, pictured), DE Tim Crowder (second) and DT Marcus Thomas (fourth).
June 4 and 8: Veteran DT Sam Adams is signed and veteran DT Jimmy Kennedy acquired in a trade.
Aug. 12: DT Gerard Warren is told he will be traded and stays home from team’s weeklong road trip. Amon Gordon is the new starting DT.
Aug. 18: Veteran DE Ebenezer Ekuban suffers season-ending Achilles tendon injury.
Saturday: Kennedy is cut a week after veteran DE Kenard Lang is released.
Monday: Veteran DE Simeon Rice, who ranks 13th in NFL history in sacks, is signed.
Staff writer Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
