Devin White highlights need at inside linebacker for the Broncos

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV, and it was thanks in large part to their swarming defense which kept the Kansas City Chiefs – one of the best offenses in the league – from scoring a touchdown. Their top field general on defense is inside linebacker Devin White, and he came through with a huge game for the Buccaneers.

Devin White appreciation video 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/0NDzdVMmEU

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) February 8, 2021

The Denver Broncos have a need at quarterback, which gets a lot of the conversation. However, the need at inside linebacker has been there for years. In fact, the Broncos haven’t had a great inside linebacker since the days of Al Wilson. That’s been quite a long time ago, and the Broncos defense is not the same without that sort of playmaker inside.

White’s play in the Super Bowl highlights the need for a playmaker at the position. Let’s take a look at who the Broncos have and who could be options for them in 2021.

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Try Hard and Dinosaur Dances

The Broncos have a duo at inside linebacker which consists of Josey Jewell and Alexander Johnson. They were solid-yet-unspectacular in 2020, and the Broncos should not consider them any sort of playmakers or long-term answer at the position.

Jewell is the “try hard” guy. That’s what he was in college, and that’s what he’s been in the pros. That type of player is good to have around, but his limitations in coverage come up time and time again. That was the biggest knock on Jewell when he came out of college, and there’s just no way for him to be better in coverage with his athletic limitations. He’s smart and uses his guile to try and get in position, but his lack of length and burst are evident when you see him try to cover a tight end or running back in space.

Johnson is your classic “thumper” as an inside linebacker. That means he’s going to fill the hole against a running back with great effort, and he’s known as a sound tackler. Johnson is big, and he has no issue taking on blockers. Like Jewell, Johnson is a liability in coverage and struggles to change direction quickly and cleanly. Johnson can rush the passer when asked to but is not overly successful with that task. He does have a “dinosaur dance” that he’ll break out after making a big tackle, but that’s nothing to get excited over. Johnson is limited as a prospect and he’s basically playing at the highest level he can right now, and that’s a replaceable level.

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You Want a Rookie?

If the Broncos go with an inside linebacker with their No. 9 overall pick, I won’t be surprised. There are a couple of options for the Broncos if they want to spend their first pick on an inside linebacker. However, there are some intriguing mid- and late-round prospects who might be considered by new general manager George Paton.

In his most recent mock draft, Chad Reuter from NFL.com has the Broncos selecting Micah Parsons out of Penn State with their first-round pick. Parson is arguably the top player at the position this year and is a playmaker no matter what he’s tasked with doing. He’s a freakish athlete who plays with natural violence. Parsons can attack the ball with great aggression, and he’s athletic enough to be successful blitzing the quarterback. His athleticism also helps him work in coverage and disrupt passing lanes.

Another option with the No. 9 overall pick is Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. He’s about 30 pounds lighter than Parsons, measuring in at around 216 pounds. Owusu-Koramoah can be moved to box safety in addition to his responsibilities as an inside linebacker. He flies to the football and has experience against wide receivers in the slot. That’s incredible for a player at his position, and Owusu-Koramoah is a big play waiting to happen.

In the second round, I like Chaz Surratt from North Carolina. I watched him closely during the week of practice for the Senior Bowl a couple of weeks ago and he did not disappoint. Surratt was originally slotted to play quarterback for the Tar Heels before switching to the defensive side. That intelligence and understanding from a quarterback’s perspective helps Surratt read what an offense is doing quickly. I believe he could step in and start from day one for the Broncos, and he’d be an upgrade over what they have currently.

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Free Agent Crop

The team might go with a free agent inside linebacker instead of drafting and developing a rookie. This could be the easiest way for the team to get a proven starter, but the price tag is going to be much higher than what a rookie linebacker would be on the books for.

Why not add White’s teammate with the Buccaneers Lavonte David? He was a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Nebraska, and I had him mocked to the Broncos back then. They passed and selected Brock Osweiler instead and David became a star in the league while Osweiler washed out and is now retired.

David still has athleticism that makes him a good player in coverage. In the Super Bowl, it was fun to watch David when he was tasked with covering Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. He’ll be getting a contract that makes him one of the highest-paid inside linebackers in the NFL, even at age 31.

A cheaper and younger option is Avery Williamson. He followed Wesley Woodyard and Danny Trevathan at the University of Kentucky and has plenty of similarities to their games. He fit in nicely with the Steelers defense and compiled more than 100 tackles last season. Williamson is a sound tackler and is athletic enough to cover tight ends or running backs out of the backfield.

A final option for the Broncos could be from their own division. Denzel Perryman has been with the Chargers for six years and is good when healthy. He’s struggled to stay healthy, so taking a chance on him will come with more risk. If he can stay healthy, the Broncos could get quality play for a bargain price.

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