Williams expected to fill void

Wilson believes Broncos defense 'should be OK'

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Five Pro Bowls. Three 100-tackle seasons. One booming voice of leadership. It's all been removed from the Broncos locker room.

Now the team will have to go about the business of replacing middle linebacker Al Wilson, who has been told by the Broncos his time with team is over.

Wilson will be formally released in the coming days when the paperwork arrives at the league offices.

"It was just one of those situations, it was time for a change basically," Wilson said. "Not that we couldn't get a deal done or anything like that, it was just a situation I think the team wants to go in another direction."

That other direction, at least initially, almost certainly will be linebacker D.J. Williams. Williams, one of the most athletically gifted players on the roster, already has started at least one season at each of the outside linebacker spots and will now move into the middle, at least to see how performs at the position as the Broncos go through their offseason minicamps.

Nate Webster, who played in at least 15 games in four consecutive seasons with Tampa Bay before having two knee surgeries in his time with the Bengals, is another option on the roster.

The Broncos, though, have been committed to getting Williams more playing time. And even if Wilson had remained with the team, it's likely he would have surrendered some playing time to Williams on passing situations.

Wilson and Ian Gold were the linebackers in the Broncos nickel (five defensive backs) formation last season. But indications early in the offseason were assistant head coach/defense Jim Bates was committed to getting Williams on the field more.

Williams, a former fullback at the University of Miami, finished 2004 with 114 tackles, 68 in 2005 and 86 last season.

"I'm truly confident that they'll be good; I've got a lot of great friends over there . . . ," Wilson said. "I wish them nothing but the best. I'm looking forward to going help somebody else win.

"You know what? I'm looking forward to my next team now, I'm not worried about what the Denver Broncos are doing any more. They have some guys who can really play and fill in the void. They should be OK."