Part five of the series shifts its focus to the Defensive side of the ball. To be specific, we’re going to start up front with the Defensive Line. The disruptive, downright rude line of the dominant Broncos defense is almost certain to undergo some sort of change this off-season. By no means, the Broncos don’t want it to change. It’s the nature of the NFL that will cause a shift along the powerful line.
Fortunately for Broncos Country, the vast majority of this group will be back and ready to push for a repeat as Super Bowl Champs. Let’s take a closer look at each player and what role they can play on the line moving forward.
BRICK
Player: Derek Wolfe
Explanation: This was the most obvious choice of any on the list. With a fresh, new contract, Derek Wolfe is poised to be a building block for the Broncos defense for years to come. It’s interesting to
see how players react when they receive a lucrative contract extension. Some seem to lose a step or lose their focus, while others, use the contract as fuel to propel them for further success. In the case of Derek Wolfe, it’s definitely the latter.
After missing the first four games of the 2015 season due to suspension, Wolfe returned with a vengeance in week five and never looked back. A constant terror in the backfield, Wolfe only seemed to get better as the season went on.
Quite frankly, there isn’t much to add here. Wolfe’s lucrative second contract combined with his rapidly improving play only points to him being one of the building blocks of this team for many years moving forward.