When the Denver Broncos acquired defensive end Jared Crick, it was probably with one eye on his similarity to Derek Wolfe, who turned out to be one of the most feared players on the team.
On Wednesday Crick joined Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro on the Afternoon Drive to discuss his role on the Denver defense. Crick was quick to cite the coaching staff as one of the motivations behind his move.
“It was probably the deciding factor. I knew once coach Kubiak got the job that Denver would be a good fit for me, I’d want to play for coach Kubiak again,” Crick said. “Coach Wade followed and then Coach Kollar came before last year. It was just a perfect situation playing for those guys again.”
Crick started his career in Houston and played his first two years under the tutelage of Gary Kubiak, Wade Phillips and Bill Kollar, all of whom now coach for Denver. Having played in Houston, next to the likes of J.J. Watt, Crick knows how to fit in among elite company.
“As hard as he (Watt) plays, it’s hard not to follow suit,” Crick said. “I’ve always played hard, but it’s always easier when the guy playing next to you is going just as hard also.”
He’ll need to draw on that experience now that he’s joining last season’s best defense in the league. Statistics never tell the full story, but when Crick’s numbers are examined, there is good cause for Denver fans to be hopeful.
As pointed out earlier, if stats are all you look at, Crick’s numbers aren’t too far off from the man he’s replacing Malik Jackson. What’s most interesting though, is how he compares to Derek Wolfe.
Crick: 48 Tackles, 2 Sacks, 1 Forced Fumble, 2 Fumble Recoveries, 2 Batted Passes
Wolfe: 49 Tackles, 5.5 Sacks, 0 Forced Fumbles, 0 Fumble Recoveries, 1 Batted Pass
“When I watch Derek I see a high motor guy. He never quits on a play, has really good hands, really good footwork, really good speed to get off the rock,” Crick said. “If I can be compared to him, that’s a great compliment to me. I think he and I will mesh well together with everybody on the defensive front.”
The stats are comforting, but it will all come down to how he plays with the team and how he fits in with the defensive line.
Listen to the full discussion in the podcast below …
Catch the Afternoon Drive with Goodman and Shapiro every weekday from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. on Mile High Sports AM 1340 or stream live any time for the best coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.
