If he said it once, Dan Reeves said it a thousand times: It’s a young man’s game.
Especially when a team is losing.
In a development that speaks of their present and their hope for the future, the Broncos have turned to youth on their defensive line. Sam Adams, Simeon Rice and Amon Gordon are gone, waiver-wire casualties one and all. In their places are Steven Harris, Tim Crowder and Marcus Thomas.
Crowder and Thomas were draft choices. Harris, a teammate of Thomas’ at Florida, was signed off the practice squad this week. All three will get significant playing time down the stretch as the Broncos conclude a disappointing season.
First-round pick Jarvis Moss would have, too, but he landed on injured reserve a few weeks ago. That leaves the other three, each of whom is a key to the Broncos’ future.
The Broncos have been patching up their defensive line for years. If they’re going to rejoin the NFL’s elite, that has to stop. They need to develop their own stars and keep them, not rely on the free-agent market for some other teams’ hand-me-downs.
The coaches have liked what they’ve seen of the young players on the D line. Now they’ll see more of them. It doesn’t figure to pay off this season, but it could next year and for years to come.
Or should I say, it had better next year and for years to come?
Follow Jim Armstrong’s daily Broncos commentaries on The Jimmy Page at 7 a.m. and noon, and read his columns on Sundays and the day after Broncos games at .
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
