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DeMarcus Ware Retired But Opposing QBs Aren’t Safe

By Carl Cockerham

Oct 30, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos outside linebacker Shane Ray (56) in the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos outside linebacker Shane Ray (56) in the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Manny in the AFC West are relieved to see DeMarcus Ware retired from the Denver Broncos. But they will soon see that there’s another one after him.

Opposing players and fans in the AFC West celebrated when OLB Demarcus Ware retired.  Of course, they know they still have to deal with Von Miller on one side. But they no longer have to deal with one of the best edge rushers of his generation.

But those that celebrated the retirement of Ware have done so prematurely. That’s because he will be replaced by 2015 first-round OLB Shane Ray.

Remember him?

Yeah, he’s another edge rusher from Missouri, where he had 22.3 tackles for a loss and 14.5 sacks in 2014. He was projected to be a top-10 pick in 2015 until he was cited for marijuana possession. That caused him to fall to the Denver Broncos at No. 23 overall.

As a rookie, Ray played sparingly behind Ware but looked good in doing so with four sacks. Then with a little more playing in 2016, Ray doubled his sack total to eight. And now that he’ll have a full-time role on the Broncos defense, we should expect more.

He has a ton of burst of the edge and the ability to convert speed to power. He also has a nice little set of counter moves, including a nifty spin move. So no one in the AFC West should be that relieved that Ware is retiring after 12 great years.

Out goes the old vet and in comes the young, hungry lion, wanting to do his damage. The Broncos’ pass rush will be no less with Ray and Miller coming off the edges.

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