State of the Roster – Linebacker

With the long offseason ahead, BroncoTalk begins its look forward to the 2008 season by looking at the current state of the Broncos roster, position by position. We’ll take a look at the players signed through 2008, and give you our opinion on the need this position represents for the Broncos this offseason. Today we’re looking at linebacker. Enjoy.

Historically, the Denver Broncos have always had elite linebackers. From Randy Gradishar to Karl Mecklenburg; from Bill Romanowski (yeah, I said it) to Al Wilson, the tradition of Broncos linebackers has carried on for decades. With Wilson’s injury and subsequent release last year, the Broncos found themselves weak at linebacker for the first time since D.J. Williams was drafted in 2004.

For the Broncos, however, the conversation on where we go from here starts with Ian Gold. If he stays, Williams will have the chance to improve on the 2007 middle linebacker experiment. It would also mean less change and overhaul before 2008. If the Broncos are planning to part ways with Gold, I imagine they have an answer in mind. Whether that means the drool-inducing choice of bringing back Al Wilson or not remains to be seen. Since everything hinges on Gold’s fate, we’ll start right there.

Ian Gold

Contract Status: Signed through 2009

Ian Gold is not a bad linebacker. He is a great fit with the Broncos, and I’ve always felt that he got a bad rap from the fans, mostly for moving D.J. out of his natural weak side spot when the Broncos brought him back in 2005. That being said, 2007 may have very well been his worst year, particularly when it ended with him on the bench. He had his bright spots, too – for a good stretch of the season, he was outperforming both Williams and Webster, holding his lanes and playing disciplined, if not flashy, football.

In 2007: Up and down. Much like the Broncos, Gold was inconsistent. At times he was disciplined, holding his lanes and making good stops when they came. At other times, he was getting beat in coverage and completely failing to shed blocks.

In 2008: Unless the Broncos have a blockbuster solution in mind (first round pick, Al Wilson…), I think they’re much better off keeping Gold. He would need to restructure his deal, though, as his salary cap figure is quite large. If he’s not willing to take a pay cut he’ll hit the market.

D.J. Williams

Contract Status: Signed through 2008

Williams has played in every linebacker position in his short career. He was good at strong side, good to great in the middle, but superb at weak side in his rookie year. Many fans hope he’ll return to that position soon. I don’t want to see that happen unless the Broncos have a real answer at Mike (or if Gold is released or traded).

In 2007: The inside backer experiment concluded with mixed results. A whopping 141 tackles ranked among the best in the league; as many are quick to point out, a lot of those tackles were yards after the opponent crossed the line of scrimmage. He had several great games though, most recently against the Chargers in Week 16, where he made big stops on several consecutive plays.

In 2008: If Gold leaves, Williams would slide over to weak side, and we’re gravy. If he stays, Williams would remain inside. Williams’ future beyond ’08 also needs to be addressed – while Champ Bailey is definitely our most talented defensive player, it’s a toss up between Elvis Dumervil and Williams when ranking our 2nd best defender.

Nate Webster

Contract Status: Signed through 2008

Webster may have played himself out of a starting job; it is clear the Broncos need an upgrade at strong side linebacker, but Webster’s value lies in his ability to play back up to every LB position across the field. A middle linebacker by nature, he has seen game time at Will in addition to his 2007 season at Sam.

In 2007: Started well enough, then it became apparent he isn’t the answer.

In 2008: There is a scenario where Webster could be the starting Mike or Sam backer next year, but these situations are less than ideal. If he stays with the Broncos, it will likely be in a backup role.

Jamie Winborn

Contract Status: Signed through 2009

The Broncos brought in Jamie Winborn to perform on special teams for one year. He was so impressive in that area of the field, and he performed so well when given the chance to start in Gold’s place, that the Broncos rewarded him with a 2-year contract extension in December.

In 2007: Special teams for most of his season, but he started the last two weeks of the year in Gold’s place. The coaches really liked him there, signing him to a 2-year contract extension on December 12.

In 2008: Will compete for a starting spot.

Jordan Beck

Contract Status: Signed through 2008

After going through 8 tryouts in a matter of 6 weeks (something he jokingly calls a world record), Jordan Beck found himself on the Broncos roster with 11 games to play. He made the most of these games, finishing the season with the second-highest tackle tally on special teams, despite only playing 2/3 of the season. He’ll have an opportunity to compete for a starting spot in training camp.

In 2007: Played special teams, outshining other LBers in that side of the field. His play compared to D.D. Lewis even saw Lewis get the axe.

In 2008: Will have a chance to compete for a starting spot.

Louis Green

Contract Status: Signed through 2009

Louis Green had a disappointing year. I still remember the first depth chart being released during training camp showing Green as the starting Same backer. As they say, it was all downhill from there. He played predominantly special teams, tallying a decent 9 tackles. He’ll likely remain on ST for the rest of his time with the Broncos.

In 2007: Special teams, tallying 9 tackles.

In 2008: He’ll compete for a starting job but likely be relegated to special teams duty once again.

Warrick Holdman

Contract Status: Signed through 2009

After suffering a spinal chord concussion during training camp, rumors were rampant that Holdman would be released. Those rumors are flying again. We’ll see how it turns out this time around.

In 2007: Injured Reserve

In 2008: Likely released to save his $1.5 million figure.

Looking At Lower Elevations

Al Wilson – I’m still holding out hope Wilson will return to the Broncos. There a few obstacles in the way, though. First and foremost – is he really healthy enough to play his physical style of football? Second – does he want to return to Denver? I get the feeling the relationship between Wilson and the coaching staff and front office is less than warm. We know he loved to play for Denver, and he does own a home here. He also own a house in Atlanta. I think reminding him of his former Denver teammates is the best shot we have at luring him over back to the Broncos. That, and fattening his wallet substantially.

Lance Briggs – The Bears’ franchised linebacker is the most likely to leave and hit the free agent market. He’s also the biggest name of the group. Overshadowed by the Bears’ Brian Urlacher, Briggs has had over 90 tackles each of the past 4 years, and over 100 tackles in each year except for 2007.

Boss Bailey – Champ’s little brother would look great at strong side linebacker for the Broncos.

The Draft – I don’t see the Broncos adressing the linebacker position in the first round, unless they trade down into the 20’s and select from there. In the second round they could grab someone, but with the recent juniors deciding to stay another year, this looks like a weak linebacker class.

The Bottom Line

Signed through 2008: 7 (No linebackers signed beyond 2009)
Offseason Priority: High