August 19, 2008 11:51 PM

Broncos Inbox for Aug. 20

Welcome as we open the first Broncos Inbox of the new season with . . .

Q: Although highly touted as a good acquisition . . . (I) haven't seen much of Niko Koutouvides in the first two games. Has his stock fallen and what is his status?

A: Koutouvides and Nate Webster have basically alternated at the middle linebacker spot with the starting defense thus far in the preseason. Each has started one game, but Friday night against Green Bay - when the starters usually play through halftime since it's the third preseason game - will likely tell the tale.

That's because the Broncos rarely use any regulars in the preseason finale, often simply handing them baseball caps for their evening's worth of standing on the sideline. So whoever they considered the starter likely wouldn't get much work against the Cardinals.

The Broncos signed Koutouvides with every intention of making him their starting middle linebacker. They liked what he did with the Seahawks at the position before the team drafted Lofa Tatupu, who has basically been named to the AFC's Pro Bowl team since.

But the feeling around the Broncos is Koutouvides' signing pushed Webster into a vigorous offseason program - many people around the team said it was easily his best effort - and when the organized team workouts and the minicamps ended Webster had impressed enough people to make the position a toss-up.

So Koutouvides didn't slide, it's more that Webster lifted his game facing some competition to play.

Both players fit what the Broncos do in Bob Slowik's scheme, which emphasizes speed and a bigger commitment of players toward the line of scrimmage to stop the run. Webster has more experience overall and had his first 100-tackle season of his career in '07.

He does have some injury history with right knee surgeries, so health over the long haul if he is playing a lot of snaps is always a consideration.

Koutouvides moves well, too, and was one of the league's best special teams players in Seattle so he will certainly stick his nose into the action.

And it is run defense that will decide the issue. The Broncos lost their season last September when opposing run games plowed them under.

Slowik has been assigned with repairing that. And a lot of the decisions made on defense for the final roster will be made with run defense in mind. Webster was active in his start, while Koutouvides drew compliments from his teammates for his work against Dallas.

So Friday night is big for them both.

Chris Len in Oregon also leans to defense . . .

Q: I am interested in how the new linebacking trio is doing. How does it look now - with only a couple weeks of practice and still a couple weeks before the season starts - for the linebackers?

A: In terms of Larsen and Woodyard it's going to be difficult for them both to make it because of the Broncos current make-up at the position. While the roster overall is much younger than in years past, there is still plenty of experience at the linebacker spot.

D.J. Williams (fifth year), Boss Bailey (sixth year), Koutouvides (fifth year) and Webster (ninth year) likely all make it unless there is a stunning decision not to hang on to the player who does not win the middle linebacker job.

However, there's certainly no indication of that right now because both Webster and Koutouvides are regulars on special teams. Jordan Beck (fourth year) and Louis Green (fifth year) are also regulars on special teams.

Normally the Broncos keep six linebackers, which means either rookie would have to displace Beck or Green and really have to shine on special teams to do it. However, both Woodyard and Larsen are eligible for the practice squad.

Last season the Broncos didn't finish the year with any linebackers on their practice squad and it largely leaned toward the offense with five offensive players to go with two defensive tackles.

So for both - or either - of the rookies to make it at the position they will have to show they can give the team the same performance on special teams as the veterans and then their youth becomes an advantage.

Overall, though the Broncos believe Boss Bailey will give them solid play on the strong side - still a big-time athlete despite previous injuries - which is what they've needed. He wasn't flashy in Detroit, but gets where he's supposed to be on the field and is a good tackler.

Williams will flourish on the weak side where his quickness will be an asset. He also will have a little more room to work with than when he was in the middle last season, or even on the strong side in the year before that, so he should be able to clear blocks more easily.

He should easily lead the team in tackles. In the middle both Webster and Koutouvides will be solid, the key for both will be to get up in the gaps to lock things down in the run game.

In the defensive line Engelberger is the starter at left defensive end, which is the power end position, and Ekuban is his backup. Ekuban also bounces inside to tackle in the nickel.

Both are likely to make it at this point. Ekuban has some back pain this past weekend and that's why he sat out of the Cowboys, but he has practiced much of the time as he returns from a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in Dallas a year ago.

Dumervil is already a starter and has led the team in sacks in each of the past two seasons so he's already in the mix just fine. Moss, who played in just six games as a rookie because of a fractured ankle, and Crowder have slid on the depth chart thus far this year.

Coaches and personnel people with the team continue to say they are developing and have shown progress, but Marcus Thomas, who was the fourth-round pick in that same draft, has moved ahead and is starting at defensive tackle.

Moss, the first-round pick in '07, is still trying to find a counter move to use when opposing linemen take away his outside rush. He still does not work back to the inside consistently enough or with enough force to make the tackles play him honest.

At what appears to be about 240, 250 pounds, he hasn't always shown the explosive speed other players his size have needed to consistently get the corner in the pass rush or enough power to get the tackles off balance.

Crowder hasn't shown enough progress to be among the top four players at end or tackle and he spent time at both positions last year. However, when questioned about Moss and Crowder, most with the team will say that people shouldn't rush to judgment yet.

However, it's clear by where the coaches are playing them in the rotation that shows what their standing is at the moment, which is first- and second-round picks who are depth players or situational players only.

Robert Johnson in Mississippi is, yes, leaning to the defense . . .

Q: Since Domonique Foxworth is having a good preseason do you think there is a chance the Broncos could trade Dre' Bly and move Foxworth into Bly's starting cornerback spot? Also, since Foxworth will be a free agent in 2009 do you think the Broncos will resign him or do you think this will be his last season as a Bronco?

A: Most teams, the Broncos included, feel you can never really have enough cornerbacks on your roster so unless somebody blew them away with an offer - rare these days in the era of free agency for a team to make a trade though the Broncos have certainly been the most active team in recent years - they would likely keep their rotation.

Bly and Champ Bailey still headed to be the starters with Foxworth as the nickel corner - the fifth defensive back in passing situations. Foxworth would also likely be the first player to fill-in for either of them should Bailey or Bly deal with an injury.

The personnel guys around the league who like Foxworth's game like the speed, the smarts and the flexibility in his hips to make the change from backpedal to running with the receiver.

A lot of guys have speed, but can't get their hips around. These players are termed too stiff by scouts and most believe that is the difference between Foxworth and Karl Paymah, that Paymah has the size and speed people want, but can't get his hips around with enough flexibility to keep himself in the right place.

So Paymah either loses ground sometimes or has to grab the receiver.

The personnel people also point out that for the number of snaps Foxworth has played in the Broncos defense, he has one interception in the last two seasons combined.

As he heads to free agency - and he's made it clear he would like a significant offer from somebody and that the Broncos will have to show him how interested they are in order to keep him - that could tip the scales for him if he wants teams to view him as a potential starter.

But this season he will play plenty for the Broncos and given both Bly and Bailey missed time last season, he may even get a smattering of starts this year as well.

And to close it out Dennis Smythe looks at the impending roster cuts. . .

Q: Which veterans do you think may be on the bubble this year? Looking at the roster, I could see Darrell Jackson, Erik Pears, Louis Green, Keary Colbert, Ebenezer Ekuban, and Chad Mustard as potential roster casualties. As a related question, which positions do you see the Broncos facing the most difficult roster decisions?

A: Wide receiver is where some of the toughest decisions will come. Clifford Russell, a sixth-year veteran who was kind of a quiet signing has flashed enough to have pushed himself past Colbert and Samie Parker in some practices during this camp.

An extra receiver will survive the cuts, at least for a couple weeks, because of Brandon Marshall's suspension, but it doesn't take long to get to five players at the position - the Broncos closed out '07 with five receivers on the roster.

There's Marshall, Brandon Stokley and rookie Eddie Royal. Darrell Jackson was running with the starters for much of camp so he appears to be in the mix for a spot as well. That likely leaves Colbert, who got a $2.5 million signing bonus from the Broncos this past March, Parker and Glenn Martinez battling out for two other spots to open the season - again because of the Marhshall suspension.

The Broncos have kept six receivers in the past, but at least two of them need to have huge roles on special teams for that to happen.

With the additions in the offensive line, Pears could indeed be facing a squeeze, but the Broncos usually lean to their own prospects when push comes to shove so someone would have to clearly win a spot for Pears to be released.

But again, things will be tight in the offensive line, especially if they think they have to keep an extra center to cover for Tom Nalen's left knee injury that has kept him out of most of training camp and the preseason.

Mustard will need the team to keep at least four tight ends, especially since one of them figures to be long snapper Mike Leach, to make the cut.

Ekuban has been practicing with the first- or second-team defense for the preseason so he is currently in position to make it, especially since he plays two spots and provides a steadying hand in the locker room.

That's it and thanks.

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