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Bailey, DJ, and Koutouvides

By Nick | March 6th, 2008

In 2007, it was evident and seemed inevitable that the only remaining starter amongst the linebacker corps would be DJ Williams. Ian Gold’s decline was well-documented, and Nate Webster was the last man standing in a barrage of injuries on the strong side. In order to fix these deficiencies, it looked like it would be necessary to pay attention heavily in the draft.

Free agency, however, has changed that scenario. Early in the period, the Broncos brought in Niko Koutouvides from Seattle, and in a natural match with brother Champ, Boss Bailey from Detroit. Bailey will man the Sam position and should be at least a small upgrade over Webster or anyone else on the roster. Koutouvides is a natural to play the middle, and was off to a good start his rookie season in 2004 before he, understandably, ended up as a backup to the outstanding Lofa Tatupu.

If Koutouvides can start, this would have the added benefit of moving Williams back to where he started off in his rookie season on the Will side. Most observers seem to think that this has been his most effective position. Add that to the fact that he’s got a contract year coming up, and there is the possibility that he could wreak havoc in 2008.

I like the signings of both Koutouvides and Bailey and think it will be a very positive “bang for your buck” type of movement. The signings also reduce my insistence on selecting a linebacker with the 12th overall pick at the end of April, no matter how nice it would be to see Dan Connor or Keith Rivers in Denver. Webster, Jamie Winborn, or Louis Green can still provide good depth, as well. However, I would still not be opposed to selecting a linebacker in the second day of the draft to continue to pad that depth and to also help out special teams.

Just in case you’re curious, my new preference for the 12th overall would likely shift to defensive tackle, where the Broncos were unable to get into the mix for trading for one (which could be both a good and bad thing, depending on the player). Is there a chance that Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick Ellis could fall?

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