Eric_Goodman's Blog

Mike Shanahan held his annual pre-draft press conference today, but the big story coming out of it was newly acquired defensive tackle Dwyane Robertson.

Robertson, who's been playing with a bad knee for years flunked his physical. "He would have flunked our test over the last 4 years," said Shanahan, "but he's played over the last 4 years."

The last 2 years, he's played 77 percent of the time. So we were wiling to take that risk." The Broncos small risk has a high reward. They gave up a 2009 conditional draft pick. If Robertson plays less than 65 percent of the defensive plays, the Broncos won't have to give the Jets anything.

The Broncos won't hold him out of the line-up to make that happen, but the Broncos scheme doesn't dictate 65 percent of the plays anyway. Their defensive scheme usually rotates 8 players.

Elvis Dumervil played the most on the defensive line last season, and it was 70 percent of the plays. He did that because of the injuries to Ebenezer Ekuban and Jarvis Moss.

The acquisition of Robertson gives them a starter at defensive tackle and less of a need to use their 12th overall pick in tomorrow's draft at that position.

The Broncos have their sights set on using that pick for an offensive tackle.