It's all good for D.J.

DJWilliams
Will, Sam, Mike and now Jack.

Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams has played them all.

Williams played all three linebacker positions — the weakside or Will, strongside or Sam, and middle or Mike — for Mike Shanahan during Williams' first five seasons in the NFL. So while other Broncos teammates might privately fret about the transition to a 3-4 scheme under new coach Josh McDaniels, Williams isn't concerned.

Williams will play what is called the "Jack" linebacker position — meaning he will be the inside linebacker who is lined up away from the opponent's tight end.

"I love my new position," Williams said Wednesday in his first public comments since the 2008 season ended. "I think the position highlights what type of player I am. It allows me to do what I do best."

The fact Williams is happy should come as welcome news to Broncos fans after Williams endured one of his most challenging seasons last fall. Williams, who never missed a game in his first four seasons in the NFL, suffered a partially torn medial collateral ligament in November and sat out five games.

He also played through shoulder pain and had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in January.

"It was kind of an off-and-on thing. Some weeks it would be fine, and you know I'd do an awkward hit or land funny and then it would be painful," Williams said.

After months of rehab, Wednesday marked Williams' official return to the practice field. Williams admitted he felt "a little rusty" but said months of meetings and film study have helped him adjust to his new role on a revamped defense. "This is my first day out, but just being in the film rooms and Coach telling me, 'On this play you have this' and 'On this play you have that,' I think that, because this and that is what I do best," Williams said.

Williams' role could be similar to that of Patrick Willis with the 49ers, who in 2007 led the NFL in total tackles while playing in the same spot for Mike Nolan, Denver's new defensive coordinator.

Williams said the new spot gives him the potential to be just as productive here in 2009.

"I like to say I like to go to the ball and make plays," Williams said. "I can't make plays if I've got a thousand guys on me."

Williams figures to be the only returning member of the team's starting linebacker corps from the end of last season after the new coaching regime released Jamie Winborn and did not re-sign Nate Webster.

Along with cornerback Champ Bailey, defensive end-turned-linebacker Elvis Dumervil and possibly defensive tackle Marcus Thomas, Williams is one of only a handful of 2008 holdovers to retain a starting spot on the defense.

"We still have a positive attitude. We don't have a chip on our shoulder like we've got to prove this and prove that to the world," Williams said. "We feel that we knew we had talent last year, because of injuries and things like that, a play here, a play there, things didn't go too well. This year, we see it as a chance to make that up."

(denverpost.com)
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