ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Funny how $6 million guaranteed will change a guy’s viewing habits.
Josey Jewell was always competing for a starting inside linebacker job during his first four seasons with the Broncos. After becoming the Broncos’ $6 Million Man this offseason – a guaranteed $6 million this year and a two-year, $11 million contract overall – Jewell didn’t have to sweat the NFL Draft last weekend.
"I used to pay more attention," Jewell said Wednesday as his part of the Broncos’ press conference series at the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse. "Now I’m kind of trying to phase out of that a little bit and keep away from it. This draft I didn’t really watch too much. Hit or miss if I see the TV. But I was around my wife and kids a lot so it was more playing with them and doing that stuff."
Jewell, 27, was a part-time starter his first two seasons with the Broncos, then had a breakout, 16-start, 113-tackle third season in 2020. He played very well in the Broncos’ season-opening win against the New York Giants last year, then was having a terrific first half in Game 2 at Jacksonville when he suffered a torn pec while making a strong tackle covering a punt return.
Given the season-ending injury and just the one full season as a starter, Jewell did quite well in getting the contract he did with the Broncos compared to what other inside linebackers received. Put it this way: His linebacker mate the past two or three years, Alexander Johnson, is still unsigned.
>>Video above: Josey Jewell meets biggest fan
"I was uncertain," Jewell said. "Never had done it before. Hadn’t been a free agent before. Unsure what was going to happen. Just trusted my agent (Jack Bechta) and kept on talking to these guys here and a couple different teams when the process started and it all worked out the way we wanted to and I’m happy with where I’m at."
Jewell’s pec injury meant missing the final 15 games of last season and gave him a new perspective on the game. He was in and out of the training room and he was a good team player in that he attended meetings and even joined the team on road trips. But all injured players deal with the feeling of being left out.
"It’s more of an outside-in kind of thing," Jewell said. "Even though I tried to stay around the facility, tried to stay in the loop, you’re watching from the outside a little more. Really gave me the understanding of how much I enjoy the game. Maybe took too much for granted and really, truly love the game.
"It was a good view for me to take a step back a little bit and see how much I enjoy this game, how much I loved it and how long I want to play it for."
Since he last played for the Broncos, the Denver defense has changed plenty. It’s a near complete turnover with the coaching staff and there will be at least four new starters on defense.
"There’s some small things already changing, whether it be our match coverage, and how we play it," Jewell said. "Some of our techniques, some of our disguises, showing different defenses. There’s a bunch of small stuff we’re still adjusting to, getting used to. And of course the language has changed a little bit but the defense is pretty similar so it’s been a fun couple days in the voluntarily minicamp where we got to know the defense very fast and very well. And now we’re keeping it going here the next couple weeks."
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