Versatile LB Mark Barron could fill needed role on Broncos' defense

[Miles]

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As the Broncos try to challenge the Chiefs in the AFC West, they added a player Sunday that may help them slow down one of Kansas City's biggest weapons.


Veteran linebacker Mark Barron joined the Broncos at practice on Monday, and the 2012 seventh-overall pick could be a resource for the team, particularly in pass coverage. Barron played safety during the better part of his first three seasons of his career before transitioning to inside linebacker with the then-Saint Louis Rams.


"Obviously, I have a lot of experience playing that coverage role and covering tight ends at linebacker," Barron said Monday. "If that's what they need me to do, I definitely feel like I can get that job done. As far as my playing safety and playing linebacker over the years, I think it's really just a knowledge thing where I've played in a bunch of different roles and I'm a pretty versatile guy, a flexible guy, so I can do a number of things for the defense if asked to do those things. I think just that flexibility is where I can help out at."


After more than four seasons with the Rams, Barron spent one season with Steelers, where he posted an interception, a fumble recovery, three passes defensed, three sacks and 82 tackles in nine starts in 2019.


Barron was released by Pittsburgh earlier this year, but he was told it was unrelated to his play.


"Somebody had to go because they had to save money somewhere," Barron said. "It just ended up being me. It was communicated to me. It wasn't a play thing where my play wasn't good enough. It was just a cap situation."


Now in Denver, Barron will try to carve out a role with just two weeks remaining before the team's regular-season opener. With rookie Justin Strnad out for the season with a wrist injury and Todd Davis still battling a calf injury, it's possible he could see early reps.


"We're going to find out," said Head Coach Vic Fangio when asked where Barron fits on the team's defense. "… [President of Football Operations/General Manager] John [Elway] wanted to be proactive with that [position] in light of us losing Strnad and Todd with his calf injury. We were getting a little thin there. He's obviously been a good player in the league. He's a guy that we'll see how he can fit in. He's obviously got a lot to learn in a short period of time, but we'll see."


Barron, who has nine career interceptions and 42 career pass breakups, said he's willing to fulfill whatever role the team thinks is best.


"I wouldn't necessarily say I expect to have any [particular] role," Barron said. "Obviously, I'm going to do what they ask me to do. I would assume that they want me to help in some coverage aspects, as far as covering tight ends and running backs. I'm taking this thing a day at a time. I have a whole defensive playbook to learn. It's a lot. I'm just taking it one day at a time and trying to get familiar with what we want to do here."


LESSONS TO LEARN


Two days after the Broncos' offense struggled at times during Saturday's practice at Empower Field at Mile High, Fangio seemingly remains encouraged by the play of quarterback Drew Lock.


"There was obviously some stuff from the other day's practice at the stadium that will be good learning experiences for him as it was for our whole team," Fangio said. "I like where he's at. I think it was good the other night to go down there and do that work, get in the stadium, get in the big-league park, although there's not fans, but the crowd noise kind of made it feel real. I like where he's at. We'll see how it goes."


Fangio said he believes the offense's progression toward being an explosive unit is "coming together at its own little pace."


"[Wide receiver] Jerry [Jeudy]'s still learning the offense, learning playing in the NFL, learning going against the different coverages that he'll see in the NFL," Fangio said. "In [wide receiver KJ] Hamler's case, he hasn't been out there very much recently. It's hard to say. I do think the final product eventually will look good with those two guys and the guys we already had and Drew at quarterback. I'm optimistic, but we've hit a detour here that we're going to have to get back on track [from]."