We are only a few days away until Bronco fans jump in a spaceship and blast off for the 2007 NFL season.
With bad performances late in the season by the Denver Broncos defense, coach Mike Shanahan spent the off-season revamping their defensive scheme. He hired Jim Bates away from the Miami Dolphins, a coach considered by many as a defensive genius. Bates has installed a 3-4 defense which is not familiar to current Denver Bronco defenders who usually have run the traditional 4-3 defense.
The defense that Bates wants to run requires two cornerbacks that can cover man-to-man coverage, and do it well. Champ Bailey is arguably the best "shut down" cornerback in the league. With the murder of Broncos cornerback, Darrent Williams, the Broncos needed another corner. So what did Bates and the Broncos do? Traded for arguably the second best cover man in the NFL, Dre Bly.
The defense is designed for defensive ends to let loose and get after the quarterback. There is one little problem with that: the Broncos don't have anyone that has proven themselves as a consistent pass rusher. The team is excited about first-round draft pick Jarvis Moss and second year player Elvis Dumervil, but neither of them are experienced nor proven.
Don't worry Bronco fans, Shanahan and owner Pat Bowlen had another trick up their sleeve this week. The team has signed 11-year veteran and sack specialist Simeon Rice to a one year deal. Rice practiced with the team today for the first time but the team is unsure whether Rice will contribute in the season opener on Sunday at Buffalo.
Rice has 121 career sacks but is returning from off-season shoulder surgery. Lets just hope the new defensive scheme and the addition of Rice is the missing piece of the Super Bowl puzzle for the Broncos.
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