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Published on 04/11/2012 at Wed Apr 11 10:39.
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Denver Broncos bring back DT Justin Bannan

Posted Wed Apr 11th by

Bannan was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

The Denver Broncos on Wednesday agreed to terms with veteran defensive tackle Justin Bannan, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post.  The signing adds depth to Denver’s defensive tackle position.

Terms of the one-year deal are not yet known.  Mile High Sports’ Brandon Spano speculates that Bannan signed a veteran player minimum contract and that the signing will not change Denver’s draft plans.

Bannan (6-3, 312 pounds), known as a great locker room player, is returning to Denver after spending the 2010 season with the Broncos and last season in St. Louis.  At age 32, Bannan’s productivity in the league has come later in his career as he has started 20 games over the past two seasons after starting in only 27 games during his first eight seasons in the NFL.

Last season, Bannan recorded 31 tackles and forced a fumble.  In 2010 — with the Broncos — Bannan recorded 35 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble as a member of Denver’s defensive line. 

Defensive tackle remains Denver’s biggest position of need and the team has been targeting several players at the position.  Besides preparing for the draft and the potential defensive tackle prospects, the team also courted Amobi Okoye (who signed with the Buccaneers on Saturday) and have the option of re-signing Marcus Thomas.

The team appears to be ready to move on from Thomas however, as the Sports Exchange points out, Thomas does not fit Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio‘s 4-3 defensive scheme and only become a starter last off-season when fellow defensive tackles Kevin Vickerson and Ty Warren went down with injuries — and both those players will be back this season.  Thomas would like to return to Denver, but the team seemingly isn’t interested at this time.

Joining Bannan as the eight defensive tackles on Denver’s roster are Ben Garland, Jeremy Jarmon, Ryan McBean, Sealver Siliga, Mitch Unrein, Kevin Vickerson and Ty Warren.  The team is expected to add at least one more defensive tackle through the draft later this month.

This was a good depth signing for the Broncos.  Do you approve of the move?

  • Anonymous

    This is just sad.

  • Anonymous

    Can we at least pretend it’s not?……. :/

    ugh

  • Anonymous

    I liked Bannan, not a superstar but solid.

  • Anonymous

    If we use our 1st round pick on a DT then I really don’t think our situation is that bad.  At least we will (hopefully) have one long term solution and we have several rotational players that while not superstars are at least serviceable.  

  • Vincemarine

    Can’t hurt especially for a 1 year veteran minimum contract. Still have to draft 2 more though.

  • Anonymous

    No. It is that bad. Who says a rookie will solve the problem?

    Every DT on our roster is dispensable. 

  • Anonymous

    No. It is that bad. Who says a rookie will solve the problem?

    Every DT on our roster is dispensable. 

  • JohnDenver

    it’s not too bad, we still need to draft one more (at least), i like the fact that we are making moves and not just sitting on our hands!
     

  • Anonymous

    I’m not saying it’s a great situation but I don’t necessarily think it’s any worse than last year either.  Plus you have to factor in that Manning will likely get us out to some good leads thus forcing the other team to pass more often.  If we can make the other team one dimensional then it should take a lot of the stress off of our DT’s.  

  • Laurence0328

    As long as we can eat up blockers then we’d be fine cuz we have great DEs in VonDoom

  • Dave

    Waht if Denver was to send the 25th pick to Chicago for Matt Forte? He is going to hold out and Chicago doesn’t seem to want to give him a long term deal.

  • http://broncotalk.net Monty

    Gotten a few emails about this. I don’t see it. He’d cost a lot more than our first round pick to sign to a big deal.

  • http://broncotalk.net Monty

    Gotten a few emails about this. I don’t see it. He’d cost a lot more than our first round pick to sign to a big deal.

  • Cdub12344321

    I say NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Don’t get me wrong Forte is a beast of a work horse, but he like McGee is reaching for retirement. I say trade out of the first for a high Secound round pick and a later pick! Then turn around pick up the best Dt we can and t
    That one back from Miami!

  • rcsodak

    Von is an LB.

  • rcsodak

    I agree with sundquist. Sell and build.

  • Tom9798

    Geeeeezzz . . We signed a 32 yr. old former Bronco who’s been in the NFL for ten yrs and started 47 games.  WOW!!!!!

    And we now have eight defensive tackles!  Still my beating heart!

    And the reason we didn’t re-sign Bunkley was ???????????

  • Vincemarine

    Bunk wasnt worth the contract he got from the Saints. He was good against the run but below average as a pass rusher.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t really think it’s a great idea to bank on what the offense does when designing your defense.

    Your defense should be able to operate at a great level outside of whatever your offense is capable of.

    The DTs shouldn’t have to worry about not being stressed. 

    The defense is looking basically the same as last year, if not worse on the defensive line. Which means this is the same defense that got blown out by the Lions and Pats. 

    The Broncos are in Super Bowl mode, not shoring up the last glaring hole on the team is not very smart.

    Hopefully the Broncos will be able to draft some defensive linemen that will be able to make an immediate impact.

  • Anonymous

    Uhh Tom. 

    Just because Denver has eight defensive tackles, doesn’t mean any of them are actually good.

    I could have eight cars, but if they’re all old Pintos and Novas that can barely run then I should just send them all to the junkyard and start from scratch.

  • Jackson3793

    True, this defense is shaping up much like it was last year, and yes, they got scorched by two of the most powerful offenses in the league, but that’s not going to change in one off season regardless.

    With Mike Adams and Tracy Porter the Broncos have added two very good players to their secondary. Ty Warren wasn’t around last year because the Broncs were forced to put him on IR early, so he is still pretty much a new addition. Bannan is solid, and if the Broncos can get a pressure guy in the draft at DT, and add to that the fact that Del Rio is likely an upgrade at defensive coordinator, and all these changes promise to make the Broncos much better defensively.

    Add to that a much improved offense–which you can’t rule out–and the Broncos should be in good shape.

  • Tom9798

    Uhh MrEast . . . I was being 100% sarcastic, but your assessment is essentially what I was saying.

    and Vince, I would trade the other seven to get Bunkley back.

  • Anonymous

    The team that won the super bowl last year gave up more yards and more points than the Broncos in the regular season.  In today’s NFL offense wins championships so the idea of the defense banking on what the offense does seems to work out from time to time.  Of the top 5 teams in the league last year (Green Bay, New Orleans, New England, New York, and San Francisco) all of them had very mediocre defenses with the exception of SF.  Meanwhile SF’s offense was pretty mediocre.  Sure it would be nice to have an elite offense AND defense but I don’t think it is vital to have both to win the Super Bowl.  It’s more a matter of staying healthy and meshing at the right time.  

    If the Broncos can add a couple of contributing rookies to the defense through the draft this year then I definitely think it will be a better unit than last year.  Von Miller, Rahim Moore, Quinton Carter and Nate Irving will all be entering their second year in the league and will have the benefit of a full offseason so it’s reasonable to think that they can all progress to a higher level.  Porter and Adams should also help to shore up the secondary.  Really my biggest concern at this point is the line backing corp.  Even is DJ Williams manages to avoid suspension I think he is very average and Mays is quite average as well.  It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see the Broncos draft a LB at #25 and wait until the second round for a DT.  

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