The Broncos had by far the best defense in the NFL in 2015, and the result was the Super Bowl. Denver’s pass defense remained great in 2016, but the run defense struggled, and the Broncos missed the playoffs. This year, a top offseason priority is getting the run defense back in shape.
And unlike most of us, when the Broncos talk about getting “back in shape,” they’re talking about gaining weight.
Asked what he did this offseason to improve against the run, Broncos defensive lineman Jared Crick answered, “just ate a lot more.”
“I ate the same things, ate healthy, but instead of trying to eat four times a day, turning it into six or seven times a day,” Crick said, via ESPN. “Just smaller portions, but more times . . . There’s no real secret as far as training-wise. You just have to train hard and eat right, and eat a lot.”
Crick isn’t the only weight the Broncos have added this offseason. Two defensive linemen who tip the scales at more than 325 pounds, Domata Peko and Zach Kerr, arrived in free agency. And 280-pound defensive end Demarcus Walker was the Broncos’ second-round draft pick. So the Broncos’ defensive line is sure to be bigger this year. Perhaps better as well.