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Denver Broncos: Players who could steal jobs in 2020

By Sayre Bedinger

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - OCTOBER 19: KJ Hamler #1 of the Penn State Nittany Lions warms up before the game against the Michigan Wolverines on October 19, 2019 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State defeats Michigan 28-21. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - OCTOBER 19: KJ Hamler #1 of the Penn State Nittany Lions warms up before the game against the Michigan Wolverines on October 19, 2019 at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State defeats Michigan 28-21. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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Denver Broncos DeMarcus Walker
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – SEPTEMBER 22: DeMarcus Walker #57 of the Denver Broncos leaves the field after the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on September 22, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

DeMarcus Walker – Defensive Line

Although he didn’t lead the team in snaps last year by any means, DeMarcus Walker quietly put together the best year of his NFL career statistically with four sacks, five tackles for loss, and 22 total tackles.

For a very part-time player, those numbers are quite impressive and Walker has been working his way towards being a more reliable three-down defensive lineman since he was converted to outside linebacker in his rookie 2017 season.

That was a colossal mistake, one the coaching staff at the time (Vance Joseph) admitted.

Walker is up over 300 pounds this offseason, adding good weight to his frame to be able to handle every-down duties if called upon, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him steal snaps from Mike Purcell and/or Shelby Harris.

The Broncos will obviously be relying on newcomer Jurrell Casey to play a big role this season for their defensive line, but Casey and Harris played 64 percent or less of their respective team’s defensive snaps last year.

Purcell was a two-down player who played 39 percent of the snaps last season and was extremely effective on them.

Next. Broncos players who could be traded before 2020 season. dark

Walker’s effectiveness on a per-snap basis was eye-catching last season. He certainly hasn’t won over the entirety of Broncos Country but he could be poised to steal someone’s job in 2020 if he can be effective like that every down.

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