After struggling to maintain momentum on offense and losing their star Linebacker in the offseason due to injury, the Denver Broncos have signed a new Linebacker to their practice squad. The Broncos have signed veteran Linebacker Nigel Bradham to their practice squad shortly after their win against the New York Jets last Thursday night. The Denver Broncos franchise has seen its ups and downs on and off the field with the biggest downer hitting them a year ago with the passing of their Owner Pat Bowlen. This signing is a big deal for the Broncos event though it is to the practice squad. Practice Squad players compete for a spot on the team all season and are the ultimate backups just in case they are needed. Some players even get promoted to the main roster to fill a need for a position quickly. “My guess is that Bradham won’t have long to wait on the practice squad before the Broncos officially promote him to the 53-man roster. Starting off on the practice squad could be a decision based on money and time — time to give Bradham to learn Vic Fangio’s defense and get up to speed” (www.sportsillustrated.com). With the signing of Nigel Bradham, hopefully he will get promoted to the main roster to help fill Denver’s current void of depth at the Linebacker position. Nigel Bradham is veteran defensive player who could provide a much-needed boost to Denver’s current defense. Denver’s current defense has been able to keep up with the “Bend but don’t break” approach for drives, however, their overall Linebacking core took a huge hit when veteran Linebacker Von Miller was deemed to be out with season ending injury. Once Bradham learns the defense, he will be of great help to the team. “All-in, Bradham has started 96 NFL games, amassing 619 tackles (403 solo), 34 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, three interceptions, and five forced fumbles. He’s about as experienced as it gets. Last year, Bradham earned a 74.9 coverage grade via Pro Football Focus, which is very good, though he didn’t earn high marks as a run defender. Bradham’s 12.1 snaps per reception was 19th-best among NFL linebackers last season” (www.sportsillustrated.com). With Nigel Bradham’s experience at his position, and if he remains healthy, Denver may notice that defensive spark that they have been looking for since the start of the season. “Bradham (6-2, 241 pounds) is a 31-year-old veteran who entered the league as a fourth-round pick out of Florida State with the Buffalo Bills in 2012. After spending four years in Buffalo, Bradham played with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016-2019, winning Super Bowl LII in 2017” (usatoday.com). Nigel is capable of being a leader on defense just as much as Von Miller was. Once Von Miller returns, it will be interesting to see whether Denver decides to keep or let Nigel Bradham go.
References-
www.si.com (Sports Illustrated)
