Getty KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - DECEMBER 15: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs is sacked by Shelby Harris #96 of the Denver Broncos in the game at Arrowhead Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The Denver Broncos have a hellacious pass rush and arguably a top-5 secondary, but for all the flash and glitz those units possess, the defensive line will be a huge indicator for overall defensive success.
Guys like linebackers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, and a secondary that’s led by newcomers Kyle Fuller, Ronald Darby, and 2021 rookie sensation Patrick Surtain II, will get the publicity, but if the Broncos are to make a leap in the AFC West standings, the unsung defensive line will need to have a huge say.
Working in the Shadows
Just like their offensive line brethren, the Broncos’ defensive line gets lost in the attention behind more famous names on that side of the ball. It’s easy to get ignored when your coworkers are a future Hall of Famer (Miller), a former top-5 draft pick in 2018, who is already considered a top-100 player (Chubb), and a rookie cornerback (Patrick Surtain II) who appears to have the goods and has an awesome nickname.
The Broncos’ defensive line doesn’t have anyone matching that cachet, but what they lack in individual name recognition, they make up for it in actual production — although, they’re hoping their self-appointed nickname sticks.
“We’re ‘The Expendables,’” said reserve defensive lineman DeShawn Williams.
Shelby Harris, who is the most accomplished of the three starting defensive linemen, likes the nickname the group bestowed upon itself in 2020, but said he has a simpler, more appropriate moniker.
“We’re just a bunch of dogs,” said the defensive end.
Heavy mettle
Harris’s story is similar to his linemates, as he was a well-traveled player, let go by teams multiple times, and never really found a home — until arriving in Denver. Harris, Williams, and starting nose tackle Mike Purcell have collectively been cut 25 times in their careers. Their fellow starter, Dre’Mont Jones, is a 2019 third-round draft pick who’s had to wait his turn, both in college and in the pros, as he sat behind Nick Bosa at Ohio State University and couldn’t crack the Broncos’ starting lineup until this season.
The core of the Broncos’ defensive line has been through the ringer. They’ve been undrafted (Purcell and Williams), drafted late (Harris, seventh round in 2014). Yet, they’ve persevered and have now become integral members of a defense that is poised to be elite.
“You just keep hearing, ‘Wait your time, wait your time, wait your time,” Williams said about the journey.
Williams is on his third tour with the Broncos since entering the league in 2015. The former Clemson star also spent time with the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and Miami Dolphins — and even a season with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.
Harris, who was inked to a three-year, $27 million contract extension with the Broncos in March, acknowledged how tough his road was.
“It’s crazy because I almost quit,” Harris said, recalling what he told general manager George Paton on the day he signed his new deal.
He noted how fragile his playing career was, considering he was cut by the then-Oakland Raiders after just two seasons, was among the final roster cuts during the 2016 training camp with the New York Jets, and saw minimal offers to catch on to a team. It wasn’t until the Broncos signed him to a futures contract in January 2017 that Harris finally got a legit shot to make a roster. He used the opportunity to immediately make big plays in big moments, including a blocked field goal in his very first regular season game with Denver to beat the then-San Diego Chargers on the game’s final play. Harris, a defensive end, also made a game-saving interception at the goaline against the Pittsburgh Steelers to preserve a 24-17 Week 12 win in 2018.
Up and Comer
Jones may be the most talented of the starters and could be poised for a big season, if his rookie campaign and splash plays in 2020 are any indication. During his rookie season, Jones earned the AFC Defensive Player of the Week award after he registered 2.5 sacks in a Week 16 win against the Detroit Lions. He was the third Broncos player ever to win the award as a rookie. He also sacked Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Week 7 of 2020 in his first game after coming off short-term injured reserve.
The talent is there, and if the unit as a whole continues to ascend, the Broncos defensive line could be just as known as the back-eight defenders of Denver’s 3-4 alignment.