Broncos add bulk on defensive line by signing Adams

Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News

Published June 5, 2007 at midnight

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For the second time in three years, the Broncos find themselves pushing through an offseason with coach Mike Shanahan having decided his defensive front was enough of an eyesore to participate in "Extreme Makeover: Denver edition."

In 2005, it was a bevy of former Cleveland Browns who signed on the dotted lines.

This time, after Monday's signing of veteran defensive tackle Sam Adams to a one-year deal, the Broncos have seven new defensive linemen on the roster, including three draft picks. They also have a new coaching situation with first-year assistant head coach/defense Jim Bates and first-year defensive line assistant Bill Johnson.

"You look at it, you study it, and then you do what you think gives you the best chance to win," Shanahan said recently. "That's the gauge. It's just how we do things. Obviously, we're bringing in a little different concept, and, obviously, I like some of the matchups that will come with it."

Some of the changes have been a result of Bates' scheme, in which the Broncos will shift from overall speed toward more power up front.

In his previous stops, Bates traditionally has preferred bulk in the middle of the defensive line, players powerful enough to take double teams from opposing offensive lines and keep the blockers off the linebackers.

The Broncos have speed there in middle linebacker D.J. Williams and outside linebacker Ian Gold, and the feeling is speed will reap more plays if those players are fighting their way off fewer blocks.

And Bates, especially when he was with the Miami Dolphins with Jason Taylor, traditionally has tried to line up defensive ends as wide as necessary to get them to the outside corner in the pass rush.

That leaves it to the defensive line's interior to engage as many blockers as possible and cover the gaps.

"Just more power than quickness," Shanahan said. "We're getting those kinds of matchups from the people we play."

To that end, the Broncos made an aggressive push to secure defensive end Patrick Kerney in free agency. But after visiting the Broncos and Seahawks, Kerney opted to get his bonus money more quickly and signed with Seattle.

The Broncos also tried to trade a sixth-round draft pick to the Dolphins before the draft to secure defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson. But Wilkinson did not report for a physical, so the deal was rescinded.

Adams, who was released by the Cincinnati Bengals in mid-May, became the Broncos' next major target. Adams, who is entering his 14th season in the NFL and will turn 34 on June 13, is coming off knee surgery, but after a physical and dinner with Shanahan last weekend, the Broncos believed he was healthy enough to sign and would be full speed by the start of the regular season.

Adams visited the Rams on May 24, but St. Louis elected not to sign him after a physical. At about 350 pounds - pro personnel scouts say Adams has played bigger previously - he also will have the opportunity to be the heaviest player in Broncos history.

The team currently lists former defensive tackle Alphonso Taylor (350, 1993) as the heaviest player in team history.

"How do you get to the next level, how do you get in the top five defenses in the league?" Shanahan said about the moves made up front. "Hopefully, (all of) this gets us there."

Added Bates: "You play to your people. We want to get up the field, be strong up front."

The Broncos also made two draft-day trades to upgrade the defensive front, the first to move up and secure defensive end Jarvis Moss with the 17th pick of the first round and the second to make defensive tackle Marcus Thomas their only pick of the draft's second day, in the fourth round at 121st overall.

Both players were unquestioned first-round picks on most draft boards, but both tested positive for marijuana while at the University of Florida last season, with Thomas eventually getting thrown off the Gators' national-championship team.

Still, Shanahan saw a need and the potential to fill that need.

"They must have felt like we could help," Moss said. "You just want to come in and help. For me, that means trying to put on a pass rush, learning the defense and doing the things I need to do."

Thomas, a dominant tackle in college, was a four-year starter and made 26 tackles - 5 1/2 for loss - to go with four sacks last season in five games. Shanahan said the Broncos knew the risk in selecting Thomas in the fourth round but said the team felt good enough about his potential after meeting with the player before the draft.

"They must have felt like this was the way to go," said rookie defensive end Tim Crowder, the Broncos' second-round pick. "They recruit winners here; that's what I said when they picked me. I feel like I've been a winner in college. I want to be a winner here and do whatever I have to do to help us win games."

On the way to a 9-7 finish that kept them out of the playoffs, the Broncos were 21st in the league in sacks per pass play and had only one player, situational defensive end Elvis Dumervil, who finished with more than seven sacks. In 2005, despite finishing with a 13-3 record and advancing to the AFC Championship Game, the Broncos were last in the league in sacks per pass play and didn't have a player finish with more than four sacks.

"You look hard at what you did do well and what you didn't do well," Shanahan said. "You make changes. We want to be at that next level. That's our goal. We don't like not getting there."

In with the new

With Sam Adams having signed with the Broncos on Monday, the team has added seven defensive linemen during the offseason.

Pos. Player Ht. Wt. How acquired

DE Jarvis Moss 6-6 251 First-round draft pick from Florida

DE Tim Crowder 6-4 271 Second-round draft pick from Texas

DT Marcus Thomas 6-3 296 Fourth-round draft pick from Florida

DT Sam Adams 6-3 350 Signed as a free agent

DE Carlos Hall 6-4 259 Signed as a free agent

DT Steven Harris 6-5 285 Undrafted rookie free agent from Florida

DT Alvin McKinley 6-3 295 Signed as a free agent

And with the old

Returning defensive linemen