There was another interesting comment I wanted to mention in Legwold's mailbag column. Here's a quote:
So that said Bailey and Williams would likely be the two linebackers on the field in the nickel. Bailey, even with some knee troubles in his career, is still the kind of athlete people don't see very often.
Assuming this is true--which I invite you to comment if its not--there are several interesting insights we can garner from this. For one, this is a silver lining to the failed D.J. Williams experiment at middle linebacker. In 2006, D.J. typically sat out on the Nickel. A true weak-side linebacker, he wasn't considered a reliable pass defender. After a year in the middle, perhaps Denver's confidence in Williams seems to have increased.
In a related comment, this could be a telling sign of Denver's long-term vision of Niko at middle linebacker. Given that D.J. is not elite in pass coverage, its surprising to me that Niko wouldn't be filling this role. While inside linebackers typically sit out in the Nickel and Dime, there are certainly plenty of examples in the NFL where this isn't the case (e.g. Lofa Tatupa in Seattle). If true, this further supports my assertion that Denver will target Niko's successor at some point in this year's draft.
Or maybe Legwold just didn't think this comment through as much as I did. In any case, it will be interesting to see how our linebacker corp develops as the preseason progresses.
This morning, the Denver Post profiled free agent acquisition Niko Koutouvides. According to the article, Denver plans to use Koutouvides at middle linebacker this year, moving D.J. Williams back to the weak side (after a year in the middle). Free agent Boss Bailey will man the strong side.
Scouting reports on Koutouvides suggest that he has great speed and tackling ability; however, they also say he's more of a straight-line player and struggles as a positional player. To his credit, Koutouvides was selected by Seattle in the 4th round of the 2004 NFL draft. With this being only his 4th year in the league, perhaps Broncos management sees something we don't; however, Koutouvides just turned 27. So if ever there was a time for him to deliver on his potential, its in the next year or two. He's not getting any younger.
I do think that Koutouvides will hold down the starting MLB job in '08; however, I don't think he'll be there long term. Don't get me wrong: I think Koutouvides is a great free agent signing; he provides great depth at the position and is a proven standout on special teams. But I think Denver--contrary to what many analysts have reported, is looking strongly at the draft for a solution at the MLB position.
Who might they take? The top MLB on most draft boards is Penn State's Dan Conner. Conner is a great athlete who's held down the position capably at Penn State; however, character issues abound and he hasn't displayed leadership, a hunger for knowledge, or a blue collar work ethic--all attributes which should arguably be present for the quarterback of the defense (name a great quarterback that isn't a film rat). What's more, Conner projects as a late first rounder, so unless Denver were to trade down (or up), he's likely not in our plans.
A far more likely candidate is Oklahoma's Curtis Lofton. Lofton's 4.79 40-yard dash time didn't help his draft stock at the combine. Lofton is also only 6'0", which means he probably doesn't have the frame to add much bulk. But at 246 lbs., he's at a great size. More importantly, Lofton is hungry for recognition, works hard, displays fantastic leadership in-and-out of the locker room, and has never shown durability problems.
Despite his seemingly average athleticism, Lofton has a never ending motor, plays with an aggressive streak, and always seems to be around the ball. He absolutely punishes wide receivers coming across the middle. Playing in the zone underneath, Lofton would be a great fit in Denver (although he doesn't flash exceptional man coverage skills). His nose for the ball in the running game is an attribute that gets high marks with Shanahan. Lofton is an extremely efficient player who might be one of the most underrated players in the draft. The price tag would be a second rounder, but in my opinion its well worth it.
Here is a highlight video of Lofton for those who are interested:
