DL D.J. Jones Says Russell Wilson was Big Free-Agent Recruiting Draw to Broncos

There were times last season when the overly-hyped Vic Fangio defense failed to come up with the big stop towards to close out games. Teams committed to running the ball down the Denver Broncos' throats in crunch time and the defensive line's failure to stand its ground cost the team dearly.

Enter run-stuffing D-lineman D.J. Jones, whose prowess against the run landed him a three-year, $30 million free-agent contract from the Broncos. While not the splashiest of signings, the fact remains that Jones fills a positon of need and gives the Broncos a strong physical presence in the trenches that was sorely absent.

Several teams coveted the 27-year-old Jones but the Russell Wilson factor played heavily into his decision to head to the Rockies, as he explained during his introductory presser on Thursday.

“It was a good bit of teams, some interesting offers,” Jones said. “I won’t get into that. We had a lot of love from teams, but I felt like this was home from the jump—especially when they made the move on ‘Russ’. I knew it was somewhere I wanted to be. I want to win immediately. That’s what they’re doing here. That’s what we are doing here (emphasis added).”

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At Wilson’s press conference the day prior, he stated his intention to play well into his 40s, which could mean that Denver will become a very attractive destination for big-name free agents for many years to come. Jones admitted that having the bedrock of a franchise quarterback in place for the long haul proved to be an attractive carrot to sign on the dotted line.

“Stability is everything, especially playing against a guy like ‘Russ’, knowing his tendencies, knowing that he’s going to give you his all every game, ” Jones said. “It’s a lot on the line. So when I knew he was the quarterback, I didn’t flinch. I wanted to be here from the jump.”

Finding the right fit with the Broncos also stretches to his new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, the man who introduced Jones on Thursday.

“D.J. is a player early on that we identified in this process that can be an impactful player for our defense, on our defensive interior, playing the nose [tackle], playing the three [technique], getting him matched up on centers, getting him matched up on guards," Evero said. "We are so excited for what he can do for our defense and bring a championship-level presence and impact to our defense. It’s with great excitement that we introduce D.J. Jones.”

Ejiro is installing his new system and it's one the big defensive lineman feels can be attacking and dominant next season.

“Dominance—I expect complete dominance. Be able to stop the run and then have some fun after that,” Jones said. “On third down, we’ll get to the quarterback. On early downs, we’ll stop the run. So that’s what I’ve seen and that’s what I expect. I love him [Evero] already. I had dinner with him. I’ve talked with him extensively. I’m just ready to learn from all of them because there’s still more on the table for me to learn.”

With every passing day, the AFC West seems to add more marquee players to the division which is perhaps shaping up to becoming one of the best the NFL has ever seen. Thus, climbing out of a dog-eat-dog divisional chase that features Patrick Mahomes, Derek Carr and Justin Herbert will be a massive challenge, but it’s a fight that Jones is more than ready for.

“I love competition,” Jones said. “I feel like that’s what drives every athlete no matter what sport you’re in. I love competition. Those are three great quarterbacks you just named, and I’m ready to compete.”

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