Now in his third training camp, Zaire Anderson feels comfortable. However, the inside linebacker out of Nebraska isn’t taking anything for granted.
After going undrafted in 2015 and signing as a free agent to the Denver Broncos where he spent his entire first season on the practice squad, Anderson made the Broncos roster in 2016 and appeared in all 16 games, including one start, last year.
Adding to his comfort level in year three, despite the loss of defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and head coach Gary Kubiak, is the fact that the defense is more or less the same under new DC Joe Woods. Woods coached the Denver defensive backs in 2015 and ’16, making for a smooth transition for players like Anderson.
“Yes; most definitely [I feel comfortable]. Everything is pretty much the same. Coach Joe Woods, he mixed little things in here and there – the things that he thinks we should do and he likes – but the majority of the stuff is the same from last year,” Anderson told Gil Whiteley and former Broncos receiver Mark Jackson on AM 1340 | FM 104.7 after practice on Friday.
After making an impact last year in a backup role behind Todd Davis, accounting for 14 tackles during the 2016 season, Anderson is focused in this year’s training camp, aiming to improve every day and show the coaches things will only trend up from what they saw out of him last season.
“I’m still working with the tools, taking it one day at a time, just trying to get better as a football player and wherever they decide to put me I just got to be ready,” Anderson said. “I still have the same work ethic, just trying to do my best every day, show the coaches that I can play and when it’s my time to get called I’m going to be ready.”
With big additions up front to the defensive line such as rookie defensive end DeMarcus Walker and free agents Domata Peko and Zach Kerr, Anderson says the added beef on the defensive line will help him do his job of stopping the urn.
“I think we got a lot more of beef up front than last year – a lot of guys that are bigger up front that can hold their gaps,” Anderson said.
With more experience for Anderson and the additions of new big men on defense, the same goal is in mind for the Broncos.
“The mindset is still the same. We got some dogs and everybody is held accountable and we’re just trying to win games.”
Hear the full interview with second-year Bronco in the podcast below.
Sorry – this audio content is no longer available.
Catch Gil Whiteley and Mark Jackson every weekday from 11a-noon on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 or stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.
