Broncos' Joel Dreessen preparing to serve as multi-tasker on offense
Today's question about the Broncos comes from Craig Levin in Overland Park, Kan. To submit a question for consideration, send an e-mail to The Denver Post's Jeff Legwold.
Q: What is Joel Dreessen's situation with the team? Is he the No. 1 tight end, or No. 2 tight end? How was he in preseason with Peyton Manning? Good chemistry?
A: Craig, Dreessen was one of the first players, after Peyton Manning, who the Broncos pursued on the offensive side of the ball in free agency. After signing Manning, they quickly moved to continue the makeover on offense with the idea they needed a two-tight end set that could threaten defenses all over the field.
So, they signed Dreessen and Jacob Tamme, and the two were immediately moved to the top of the depth chart at the position. They are essentially co-No. 1s, with each of them having a slightly different job description.
Most two-tight end schemes — and it figures to be the Broncos' primary offensive formation — feature a receiver type to go with a player who is more comfortable in an on-the-line position, a blocker/receiver hybrid.
In Tamme, the Broncos have a player they see primarily as a receiver. He will line up both in tight alongside the offensive tackles and line up wide or in the slot at others.
The blocker/receiver hybrid is Dreessen's position in the offense. Given Virgil Green's four-game suspension to open the season, it makes Dreessen one of the more important players in the offense.
Dreessen will have to be at his best in the non-catching part of his job for the Broncos to have the kind of running game they want. The Broncos coaches have been impressed with Green's progress as a blocker, especially down the stretch last season, which is why he got so much playing time.
But because of the suspension for violating the
league's policy on steroids and other performance enhancing substances, Green will not be available to the team until early October.
So, the Broncos will need a consistent player at the position in the run game. They will use tackle Chris Clark as an extra tight end at times when they want to beef up the front.
But Dreessen has to be the multi-task guy. He has consistently improved as a receiver as his career has progressed. So much so, he went from a guy out of football in 2006 to 26, 36 and 28 catches in his last three seasons with the Texans. Those totals included 10 touchdown catches combined in the last two seasons.
As a blocker, most personnel people in the league consider him more proficient on the move, in sort of a crack-back look where he comes down the line to pick off a defender in the middle of the field. The Broncos will certainly use him in that way.
Head up on a defender, he is certainly willing and is a tough player. But at 245 pounds, he's still undersized for that on-the-line role when compared to some of the 260- and 270-pounders who have it for other teams.
It's not as big an issue when the Broncos run out of a zone-run look, with the linemen all firing out in the same direction to wash the defenders out of the play. In that look, Dreessen can use his movement skills, and he has help to his inside shoulder as the blockers all move out together.
It's in the traditional one-on-one pass protections where Dreessen can sometimes can get pushed off his spot. But again, he's giving away 40 or 50 pounds to the defensive end or outside linebacker.
But as far as chemistry with Manning in the passing, Dreessen and Tamme both were among the first to click with the veteran quarterback, both on the field and off the field.
Because of that, both of them could have their best seasons in the months to come. They'll certainly have plenty of opportunities.
