LB Justin Strnad Brings Three Unique Traits that Will Help Broncos' Coverage Unit

The Denver Broncos are officially on summer break. Even if there was no pandemic, this period of time on the NFL calendar traditionally marks the players' last opportunity to vacation and relax as the gear-up for training camp looms.

Training camp remains tentatively scheduled for July 28. It'll be here before you know it and rookies like linebacker Justin Strnad had better hope to be prepared physically and mentally for the cleats to hit the grass.

Strnad was the Broncos' fifth-round selection in the NFL Draft just a couple of months ago. While he's been unable to hit the field at UC Health Training Center due to coronavirus, he has been able to participate in the virtual 'installs' and orientations the Broncos have had to make due with.

For Defensive Coordinator Ed Donatell and Head Coach Vic Fangio, these virtual meetings are better than nothing but what gives this prolific coaching duo confidence in a rookie like Strnad — despite not having the chance to get hands-on with him yet — is the tape he compiled over his four seasons at Wake Forest.

At 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Strnad might be a little light for a traditional 3-4 inside linebacker but that's one of the traits his coaches value. In fact, as Coach Donatell recently detailed, Strnad's measurables, combined with his nose for the ball and play-making ability, could really help the Broncos' defense in coverage.

"The other thing, with Justin, you’re going to see the speed and explosion to the players that are in the coverage areas whether it be DBs or linebackers," Donatell said on June 12. "He brings that coverage element and the adaptability to match up with some great offenses in our division.”

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Speed: This one's self-explanatory. It's vital to coverage and sideline-to-sideline range for a LB.

Explosion: How quickly can a LB break on the ball, whether in coverage or in run support? Short-area burst and twitchiness are paramount to smothering the ball-carrier or receiver.

Adaptability: Things rarely go to plan on the field and a LB needs to be able to efficiently roll with the punches. It also speaks to his ability to learn and football IQ.

Donatell is letting fans in on three of the traits he and Coach Fangio covet in their linebackers. And, frankly, is a trinity of traits the Broncos value in all of their defensive players who operate in space.

With 4.74 speed, he isn't the fastest linebacker in the NFL but with Strnad, it's the combination of traits that make him a great fit for what the Broncos want to do defensively and for what the linebackers are asked to do in Fangio's scheme, which Donatell coordinates. Being able to run with tight ends like Kansas City's Travis Kelce, L.A.'s Hunter Henry, and Las Vegas' Darren Waller is important but so is having the short-area burst and explosion, as Donatell details, to click and close on the ball.

Last year, Todd Davis and Alexander Johnson were among the best LB duos in the league when it came to stopping and stuffing the run. However, opponents quickly realized the mismatch advantage they had when the Broncos would get caught in base defense and either LB got drawn out into the slot to cover a TE, WR, or RB in space.

Exploitation was a matter of course as that's not Davis' or Johnson's forte. That's not to say that they're not athletic but they lack that twitched-up explosiveness and speed to run with dynamic receivers.

The Broncos believe that with a little coaching, Strnad can be that LB Fangio and Donatell can count on to match up with a TE in the slot and put a stop to the easy pitch-and-catch completions that opponents became accustomed to vs. Denver.

“Yeah, I feel very comfortable in pass-coverage," Strnad said the night he was drafted. "I played safety in high school, so it’s something I’ve been doing for a long time. I think just continuing to work on man-to-man coverage—in college, we didn’t play too much man, so I think just continuing to work on my man-to-man skills and being able to match up on some tight ends and running backs will obviously be able to help.”

First thing's first; Donatell and Fangio have to be able to get their hands on Strnad to be able to mold him into the linebacker they believe he can become in this scheme. The rookie won't have it easy having to compete with veterans like Josey Jewell, Joe Jones, and Josh Watson, but being given three-and-a-half months to learn the playbook and study the film of Fangio's defense should — in theory — provide Strnad a firm foundation with which to begin.

As Peyton Manning and Troy Polamalu told the Broncos' rookies via a surprise Zoom meeting last week, preparation is crucial. And that's all Strnad has been able to focus on since becoming a Bronco; preparing for the coming camp battles and regular season by studying.

It's going to be fun to see how he fits in. Special teams acumen will be the surest way to win a roster spot and see the field immediately. Davis is in a contract year, which means he's going to be highly motivated to produce in 2020.

But by mid-season, don't be surprised if Strnad starts eating away at Davis' reps when the Broncos are in their nickel and dime sub-packages. Fangio's defense could really use Strnad's speed, explosives, and adaptability.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.

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