ENGLEWOOD - D.J. Williams knows what's ahead of him at middle linebacker - a legacy of production at the position in Jim Bates' scheme.

And it was with that knowledge the Broncos' 2004 No. 1 draft pick embarked on his new task this offseason in the post-Al Wilson era.

Williams got a jump on film study well before team camps began and for a half hour a day or every other day, he broke down tape of those who thrived in the system previously under the team's new defensive boss.

He watched as Zach Thomas of the Miami Dolphins averaged 10 tackles a game in making the Pro Bowl in four of five seasons playing in the same system, beginning in 2000.

He witnessed Nick Barnett, whose body type and athletic skills is perhaps an even stronger match, post a career-best 138 tackles in his single year under Bates in 2005 with the Green Bay Packers.

Mostly, he saw the possibilities as the Broncos' new middle man.

"This defense is set up for the 'Mike' to play pretty well," Williams said.

How well?

Williams' position coach, Joe Baker, stated he would be surprised if the fourth-year pro didn't have more than 140 tackles this season, well above previous totals. And it goes beyond the fact Williams has the requisite body type and athleticism or will log increased playing time as an every- down player.

It's because of the steady progress Williams has demonstrated even in a short time at his new position.

"That big thing that's struck me about D.J. is the combination of intelligence and instinct on the field," Baker said. "A lot of guys have one but maybe not both. He's one of those guys when you're sitting in the meeting room and you're talking about ideas and concepts, he literally understands it because of how he talks about it and can draw it on the board.

"But when you actually go out on the field, his feel and ability to execute is awesome. And that's really special."

The switch to the middle, prompted by Wilson's career- threatening neck injury and subsequent release, is Williams' first long-term exposure to the position.

While the pressure to replace a five-time Pro Bowl pick and team captain is daunting in one respect, it's also liberating.

He had practiced at middle linebacker and on the weak side in the nickel but rarely played as Ian Gold and Wilson stayed on the field. On base downs, he first occupied the weak-side spot as a rookie before switching to the strong side - a position he disliked - the past two years.

All that movement was making his head spin.

"Now, I get to concentrate on one position," he said.

Studying Thomas and Barnett demonstrated to him he would be able to read, flow and explode to the ball and use his athleticism without getting too bogged down with information overload.

"Teams can never run away from you when you are in the middle of that defense," Thomas said during a break at Dolphins camp Wednesday. "From what I see, (the Broncos) have a lot of good defensive linemen they've been stacking up. That's what runs that defense. If you have a good defensive line, you can do a lot of great things because it gives you freedom to roam."

One of the biggest adjustments for Williams making the transition will be learning to play under control while racing to the ball from a different area on the field.

"You have to remember, he has to run inside-out to the ball, and sometimes thinking you have to run to the sidelines, you can overrun things," Barnett said. "That's a big adjustment. And there's a lot of cutting back against this scheme you have to guard against."

Williams' approach is to use his speed but in a controlled fashion to avoid overrunning plays.

Those qualities were what stood out in breaking down tape of Thomas, in particular.

"Thomas anticipated and knew what was going to happen even before it happened," Williams said. "Guys may talk about this and that, but in between the tackles, he's one of the fastest linebackers because he has that initial first step and knows where the ball's going without taking false steps. He's just a fundamental player."

The other big change for Williams will be his increased pass- coverage responsibilities.

His lack of action in that role has meant he has played no more than 72 percent of the snaps in a single season as a pro.

But Baker pointed out Williams already had a fundamental grasp of coverage principles in Bates' system because the scheme is similar to one in which the linebacker played at the University of Miami, and that will smooth the transition.

"It's a zone-match scheme, where you're pretty much playing man, so you have to be pretty athletic to make plays," Barnett said of Williams' pending coverage duties.

Training camp is about the Broncos linebacker continuing to grow comfortable with such new responsibilities while making sure he aligns everyone correctly as the defense's play-caller.

Eventually, he will refine his skills and learn adjustments that will allow him to read and react more quickly and take the next step in his career progression.

"To be quite honest with you, we've probably underutilized him a little bit," Broncos general manager Ted Sundquist said of Williams' three seasons.

"But you look at D.J. in the offseason and his preparation and how he attacked the minicamp and his preparation, and out here, you see a guy who's excited about football again. And I think that's going to spill over on the field."

rasizerl@RockyMountainNews.com

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