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In an attempt to bolster the sagging interior of their defensive line, the Broncos traded for Jets DT Dewayne Robertson on Thursday. According to an NFL Network report, the Jets reportedly will receive a conditional 2009 late-round draft pick from Denver. The Jets had been shopping Robertson all offseason and nearly completed a swap that would have sent him to the Bengals in early March, but Robertson, who is rumored to have a degenerative knee condition, failed Cincinnati's physical. The Jets may have released Robertson if a trade had not been completed by June, when he was due a $3 million bonus. Reports indicate Denver may be working to finalize a restructured contract for Robertson that would include a pay cut from the $11 million cap number he has for ’08.
The PFW spin
The Broncos took a fairly inexpensive risk in dealing for Robertson, who will move back to a 4-3 defense, which he played in for the first three years of his career, after struggling as a nose tackle in the Jets’ 3-4 scheme during the past two seasons.
The 6-1, 317-pound Robertson isn’t likely to blossom into the player some envisioned he would become when he was selected with the fourth overall pick in 2003 draft, but he could help the Broncos solve some of their major run-defense problems. Denver was ranked 30th against the run last season and gave up an average of 4.6 yards per carry, which was the second-worst mark in the league.
Although the Broncos have added depth to a fairly unimpressive group of defensive tackles, it’s highly likely that the team will spend one of its draft choices this weekend on a big run stuffer who can clog up the middle. According to reports, Denver is considering trading down from its No. 12 slot in the first round and is looking to stock up on picks in later rounds to help address needs at offensive and defensive tackle, middle linebacker and safety.
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