Break out the letter jackets. A couple of the Broncos’ key players on defense are looking to turn back the clock on their career, back to when they were the big men on their campuses.
When John Fox has talked about how the Broncos will re-construct their defensive front in the massive re-building project on that awaits for the league’s worst defense in 2010, he quickly mentions Kevin Vickerson and Robert Ayers.
And with the lockout now over Vickerson and Ayers were two of the Broncos players who reported Tuesday morning to the team’s Dove Valley complex. And both of them are hoping the team’s new scheme reminds them of better days.
Vickerson, who the team signed to a two-year, $4.75 million contract just before the lockout that included a $1 million signing bonus, said he had dropped 20 pounds, getting down to 285.
“That’s my college weight,” Vickerson said. “I’m just trying to keep my thing rolling.”
Vickerson will be a defensive tackle in the Broncos’ get-up-the-field 4-3 scheme. And Fox and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen have made no secret they value speed first and want players who force turnovers.
Since being the 18th pick of the 2009 draft, Ayers said he is excited to move back to defensive end, where he played at Tennessee. The Broncos had made him an outside linebacker in Josh McDaniels’ 3-4 defense and Ayers has struggled at times with just 1.5 career sacks.
Fox worked out Ayers as a defensive end just before the ’09 draft and will line Ayers up at the left defensive end spot, just in front of first-round pick Von Miller, who will be at the strong-side linebacker.
“It’s more familiar ground to what I’m used to,” Ayers said. “I definitely feel like this philosophy will allow me to go out and make plays. No discredit to the last philosophy, they’re two different things, but I’m excited.”
“I might be the most excited person on this team … it’s going to allow me to do the things that I’m good at, things that I’m most familiar with,” Ayers said.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com.
