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Published on 08/03/2009 at Mon Aug 03 14:58.
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Robert Ayers – Signed, Sealed and Delivered

Posted Mon Aug 3rd by

Denver Broncos rookie linebacker Robert Ayers (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Denver Broncos rookie linebacker Robert Ayers (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

UPDATE: The Broncos made it official. Check the press release after the jump.

Word on the tweet (get it?) is that Robert Ayers‘ contract is a done deal. The 18th overall pick can now report to Denver Broncos training camp.

It’s reportedly a five-year deal. From Adam Schefter: “DE Robert Ayers deal now done with Denver. Time to move on to RB Knowshon Moreno…. Ayers deal is for five years. He needs to be good. Denver needs all the help it can get on its defensive line.”

You’re right, Adam, the defensive line does need help, but Ayers was seeing time at linebacker in mini-camp.

With Michael Crabtree and his agent throwing a wrench in the works, Knowshon may be a bit trickier to sign.

Now that the deal’s done, the only question remaining is if we’ll see the rookie out on the practice field this afternoon. Stay tuned!

UPDATE 3:10 pm: The Denver Post also tweeted, and say Ayers is expected to report this afternoon.

BRONCOS SIGN 2009 NFL DRAFT CHOICE OLB/DE ROBERT AYERS

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos on Monday signed outside linebacker/defensive end Robert Ayers, whom they selected in the first round (18th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft from the University of Tennessee. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ayers (6-foot-3, 274 pounds) ranked third in the Southeastern Conference with a team-high 27.5 tackles for a loss during his final two seasons at Tennessee. In 48 career games (14 starts) with the Volunteers, he totaled 113 tackles (80 solo), nine sacks (61 yds.), one interception and four pass breakups.

As a senior in 2008, Ayers started all 12 games at right defensive end for Tennessee, posting a Southeastern Conference-best 15.5 tackles for a loss en route to earning second-team all-conference honors. His 49 tackles (34 solo) that year led the Volunteers’ defensive line and helped UT tie for third in the nation in total defense (263.5 ypg.) and rank 10th in the country in scoring defense (16.8 ppg.).

Ayers played all 14 games for Tennessee in 2007, posting team highs in sacks (4) and tackles for a loss (12) while finishing the season with 34 total tackles (25 solo).

An all-state linebacker at Marlboro County High School in Bennettsville, S.C., Ayers was born on Sept. 6, 1985, in Clio, S.C.

  • http://broncotalk.net Joe

    Damn Kyle, you always beat me to the punch. I was literally getting ready to post the link on this site when I saw that you had the article up on it already lol. But this is very good news. Now he can get his ass to practice and show us what he is made of. He missed a lot of training camp so far, so he has a lot to catch up on. Especially when he has to be on our defense. He needs to be there tonight and get things going.
    As for Knowshon, When he gets signed, I think that it will be easier for him to adapt to everything because he is a runningback on a stacked offense. He will go in there and take over that position as soon as he is signed. As long as he has that playbook with him and has been studying every night, he should be a quick learner on all the tweaks and everything the offense might have changed. Now all of our focus can be on him signing, so we should expect that he will be joining camp shortly.

  • Matt

    Rock on!!

  • Joe H.

    About time!!!! Now let’s get Knowshon signed!!!! That Crabtree is gonna be another Chad Johnson!!!! Thinks he should get what he dosen’t deserve!! The dumdass was picked 10th not in the top 5!!!!

  • http://BroncoTalk.net Mr.East

    Thank the lord!

  • http://n/a douglast75

    Hooay, now on to Knowshon, he needs to get into camp with this new Philosophy of full pads….he is going to be surprised by the smack down he is going to endure

  • Andpark

    Please sign Moreno sooner than later although I think Ayers is the bigger signing. This guy could make or break our D this year.

  • kerry

    make or break our defense this year?? um yeah ok sure. if you are depending on ONE guy to make then defense then we are in for a long season. it doesnt matter if Ayers has 20 sacks this year. if the rest of the players are no good, which by the looks of camp they are having alot of trouble adapting to Mike Nolans “Tweener” loving defensive scheme, then the defense is doomed anyway.

  • flbronc

    whatever kerry… in your opinion- which you have been more than willing to share- our offense is going to be crap this year because of the loss of one guy. i believe you pinned the hope of our football team on jay culter. so lets not jump on someone for going with the one guy theory, unless of course you are admitting there is a flaw in your own logic.

  • meomy

    Tell that to Charger fans last year Kerry.

  • Andpark

    I know that the play of one rookie is not going to somehow make our D the best in the league. What I was getting at was with this new system, coaches and players we need some bodies in there that really make a significant difference. Ayers hopefully fills that role, Nolan hopefully has a plan and hopefully our secondary is as good as it is on paper.

  • kerry

    flbronc:

    see actually there is no flaw in my logic. because a QB is the guy who, you know, actually drives the offense. one QB can make all the difference for a team being bums or contenders. just ask John Elway. take away Elway and the Broncos do go to a single SB in the 80’s. but with him they go 3 times in 4 years. but an OLB, who by the way is a rookie, is not gonna take this defense from being bums to contenders. lets look at some of the top LB draft picks.

    Patrick Willis: great LB, is the team contenders? um no.
    have the 49ers been to the playoffs with him? …………..

    Al Wilson: did we go to the playoffs when we drafted him? um no we went 6-10.

    moved DJ to MLB, did we go to the playoffs?? nope sure didnt.

    Demarcus Ware had 20 sacks last year, Cowboys make the Playoffs?? um no that didnt happen either.

    know what all of these had in common? the entire defense didnt do its job. HELLO!!! do you not realize this! are you and most others so god damn blind that you dont see this? one great QB can make an offense great. one LB is not gonna make the team contenders the way a QB can make a team contenders. look no further then Elway for that logic. and Cutler is the ONLY reason we won 8 games last year. without him we would have won maybe 5. Patrick Ramsey sure as hell wasnt gonna do anything. and the defense was giving up 28 points a game. so clearly my logic has no flaw. ONE MAN at the most important position on the football can make all the difference where as one OLB DOESNT make the difference.

  • sickandtired

    Gotta say you’re spot on there, Kerry.

  • BIG SPANK

    ROBERT AYERS WAS NOT BORN IN S.C. HE WAS BORN IN JERSEY CITY, N.J. DO YO THING NEPH.