HONOLULU — The Broncos have raised the possibility of converting defensive end Elvis Dumervil to an outside linebacker should the team convert to the 3-4 defense.
The decision to fully commit to the 3-4, however, has not been made.
“I’ll do whatever necessary to help the team,” Dumervil said Thursday in a telephone interview. “They’re going to see what they can do in free agency and the draft first. We haven’t really honed in on the personnel, yet.”
Many 3-4 outside linebackers, such as Pittsburgh’s James Harrison and Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs, drop into a three-point stance as a defensive end on passing downs. On first or second downs, they either pass rush or drop into coverage.
New Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan and defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely are well-versed in the 3-4.
But for the past 14 seasons under coach Mike Shanahan, the Broncos have been a 4-3 defense and built their roster accordingly. There figures to be only so much room in the Broncos’ budget once the free-agent market opens Feb. 27, and only nine draft picks (the team will have an extra selection in the fifth and seventh rounds) available on April 25-26, so it may not be possible to fully convert from the 4-3 to 3-4 in one season.
“If I were to do it, I would have to work on my backpedaling,” Dumervil said.
“I think it would be a good look for him,” Suggs said.
