The overwhelming narrative throughout Denver Broncos training camp was how an inexperienced offensive line – one that throughout camp sported three scheduled starters who had never taken an NFL snap – was going to not only run a complex zone-blocking defense, but also protect one of the most-valuable (and least mobile) assets in the league, Peyton Manning.
And although Broncos general manager John Elway made a big move earlier in the week to shore up that line, signing All-Pro guard Evan Mathis, veteran linebacker (and All-Pro in his own right) DeMarcus Ware says he was seeing good things from the line even before Mathis.
“They were inexperienced, but the thing is, that’s just a title,” Ware told Eric Goodman and Brandon Krisztal on Wednesday. “The way they played was a lot different. They played like veteran guys.”
Still, Ware calls it a great move by Elway to bring in Mathis. He says Mathis will not only bring in more veteran leadership to the meeting room, he’ll be key to helping protect Manning and open up holes in the running game.
On his side of the ball, Ware is very impressed by what he has seen from Sylvester Williams so far this preseason. Williams, who is taking over the role of nose tackle from the departed Terrance Knighton, “has really stepped up his game,” according to Ware.
Now in his eleventh year in the league, Ware has spent plenty of time evaluating offensive lines. His comments about the Broncos young core of linemen should be reassuring to fans who doubt the group because of its youth.
Listen to the full conversation with Ware, along with Goodman and Krisztal’s analysis, in the podcast below…
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