How will the Denver Broncos use Derek Wolfe?

What exactly does Wade Phillips have in mind for a player coming off a four game suspension? For most defensive coordinators the choice would be easy – you slowly work him in. But when that players name is Derek Wolfe, do you start him?

The choice is not looking so easy for coach Phillips. Wolfe is coming back from a four game ban for the use of performance enhancing drugs. He will be joining the leagues number one defense and a 4-0 team who appears to be getting better by the week. Some may say that you don’t fix what is not broken but surely you can’t leave Derek Wolfe on the bench. I think this is what they call, “First world problems.”

“If your scheme doesn’t fit a good player, then you’ve got to change your scheme.” Wade Phillips said when asked about the change in defensive philosophy. Coming from a 4-3 to a 3-4 in one year can be rough, but for the Denver Broncos, it was just what they needed. Malik Jackson is the man who spelled Derek Wolfe most often the last two years and he has played very well in Wolfe’s absence. Interestingly, Jackson would be considered more of the finesse player between the two. Malik graded out very high as a pass rusher but it was Derek Wolfe who was continually rated within the top five in run stopping grades among defensive ends last year.

The new Orange Crush 2.0 managed seven sacks on Vikings quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, on Sunday. This team has an NFL high 18-sacks this season and they plan on breaking the 72-sack record, set by the 1984 Chicago Bears. You could make the argument that Jackson’s pass rushing prowess fits this defense much better and that he should play the majority of the snaps ahead of Wolfe.

Wolfe is by no means a bad player; he’s just a different player. For now, Wolfe needs to be a situational player and jump into the rotation as a backup. Malik Jackson has played too well for too long to have snaps taken away from him. On third and short or goal line situations, Derek Wolfe should find himself right at home in the trenches but the Broncos almost-legendary pass rush can’t afford to lose any steam during passing downs.

The 4-0 Broncos have two more games before the bye week to figure all of this out. They will play on the road against the 2-2 Raiders and then on the road against the 1-3 Browns. It’s safe to say this issue will be sorted out in the next few weeks, but they’ll need a clear plan by the time Aaron Rodgers travels here to Denver for a Sunday night showdown.