It’s early August. Earliest August, for that matter. It may not be a time for unbridled enthusiasm, but it certainly isn’t a time for deep concern, either.
Yet.
I admit it. When I look at the Broncos’ defensive line, I don’t see the same solid unit that Mike Shanahan envisions.
“We’ve got some good competition there,” Shanahan said Thursday. “Every day you come out here, you see one guy who flashes. I’m looking forward to seeing them under live conditions. We’ve got some young guys with a lot of potential.”
There’s no denying the part about one guy flashing every day. That’s because every day a new guy is getting a look with the No. 1 unit. Kenny Peterson. Josh Mallard. Alvin McKinley. And here I thought those guys were supposed to provide depth.
Maybe they will in the end. Maybe Dewayne Robertson and Marcus Thomas will be the opening-day starters at tackle. But at the moment, Thomas, who started five games as a rookie, is second string. As are Jarvis Moss, last year’s No. 1 draft choice, and Tim Crowder, last year’s No. 2.
Sure, there are other areas of concern on the roster. But my list begins with the defensive line.
This is a team that finished 30th in the league against the run in 2007 and which has averaged 32 sacks in the past three seasons. If the Broncos are going to get better, it has to start with an improved D-line.
