ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Broncos defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson frequently finds himself falling into old habits.
He’s trying to delete years of playing in the New York Jets’ 3-4 system from his head, but the knowledge is firmly imbedded.
Still, the 6-foot-1, 310-pound Robertson thinks he’s going to flourish in the Broncos’ 4-3 format with four down linemen and three linebackers, once he gets the hang of it again.
“I’m trying to get all the 3-4 stuff out of my system,” Robertson said Monday. “But I believe this is made (for me).”
So do the Broncos. That’s why they traded for Robertson, giving up only a 2009 conditional draft pick for him.
So far, they like what they see.
“He’s a top talent,” defensive coordinator Bob Slowik said. “We’ve just got to get him healthy and get him accustomed to the scheme. He’s not only got the size, but he’s got the quick twitch. He’s powerful, he’s explosive, he’s been very effective since he’s been in the league.”
However, the knock on him is his balky left knee. He strained the meniscus at the University of Kentucky and has had four operations on it since, including one after the ’07 season in which he set career highs in sacks (four) and total tackles (74).
His knee trouble was one of the reasons a deal the Jets were trying to orchestrate with Cincinnati fell through after it was reported that Robertson failed the Bengals’ physical.
He said he figured the knee could be a problem because most teams didn’t have the background on the injury.
“The Jets knew about my knee and what I could and couldn’t do,” Robertson said. “Whenever you go to a new place, they’re going to be a little skeptical.”
In his view, there’s no reason to be wary.
“I’ve been fine the last two years,” said Robertson, who was selected by the Jets with the fourth overall pick in 2003.
The numbers back up his claim. Even with a gimpy knee, he took 75.4 percent of the Jets’ defensive snaps in 2007, playing in all 16 games. The year before, he started every game and was on the field for 82.5 percent of the defensive plays.
“It’s something I have to deal with,” he said of his knee. “It’s nothing I can hide. People know about it. But when I line up on Sundays, I want to show it’s not an issue.”
Robertson likes the makeup of Denver’s defensive front. He thinks Elvis Dumervil is primed for another stellar season, Ebenezer Ekuban has returned to the form he showed before he tore his Achilles’ tendon last season and the youngsters—Tim Crowder, Jarvis Moss and Marcus Thomas—are making steady progress.
Now, they just have to mold it all together.
“We’re trying to learn the system and put ourselves in the best position possible,” Robertson said. “We have a lot of talent up front.”
The Broncos are banking that he can be the anchor of the line, causing disruption in the backfield.
That’s his aim, as well.
“I want to come in and show that I can still play in a 4-3 defense and show that my knee is not a (concern),” he said. “People were scared to trade for me. My biggest goal is to play my (expletive) off and help my team win.”
While at Kentucky, Robertson frequently stuck in video of stalwart defensive tackles like Warren Sapp and John Randle, trying to pick up little things that they did to blow by an offensive lineman.
“You watch how they play and see their intensity,” said Robertson, who had 10 1/2 sacks in three seasons with the Wildcats. “Both of those guys are very talented.”
The Broncos’ four-linemen front could be a benefit for Robertson. He won’t have to worry about holding off two offensive guards anymore, like he did with the Jets.
Yet it’s been a big adjustment. He’s used to waiting for a tailback to come his way, instead of charging after a back like the Broncos require.
He’s been reminded of that a time or two already.
“I’ve got some old habits I’ve got to get rid of,” Robertson said with a grin.
