Defensive line top priority for many NFL teams

ENGLEWOOD – Becoming a great defense in the NFL usually means investing high draft picks in defensive linemen, even if the payoff isn’t immediate.

The Kansas City Chiefs are finding that out this season. In the next few years, the Denver Broncos likely will experience it as well.

Last year, Kansas City took defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey with the fifth pick of the draft. This year, the team shocked many people by drafting LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson with the third pick.

The Chiefs want to build the defense starting up front, and great defensive linemen are rare and expensive in free agency.

“In order to succeed in the league, you need offensive linemen and defensive linemen that can play at a high level,” Kansas City coach Todd Haley said. “This defense has been one that has struggled here over the last handful of years, and usually when you’re struggling on defense that’s an area that you need to invest in.”

The Broncos didn’t select any defensive linemen in this year's draft, filling other needs instead. Their line isn’t filled with big names but has had a good year. Denver ranks fifth in the NFL in fewest yards allowed. Coach Josh McDaniels wouldn’t predict what the team's draft plans will be next year, but he commented on the play of his defensive line.

“We’re happy with the progress that we’ve made with that group and are looking forward to continuing to get better in December and hopefully, playing our best football out there in front of us,” he said.

Still, great defensive lines usually include some high draft picks. The Broncos probably will make the defensive line a priority in April, but results aren’t always immediate. While Dorsey has shown some signs of improvement this season after a quiet rookie year, Jackson has only six solo tackles. Eventually, the Chiefs expect the investment to pay off.

“It’s a tough position to get immediate results from,” Haley said. “This has been on-the-job training for Tyson.”