Denver Broncos sign Jeremy Mincey
Jeremy Mincey (94) sacks Oakland Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor (2) at O.co Coliseum. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars released Jeremy Mincey after maddeningly inconsistent play and a violation of team rules, for which he was effectively suspended two games. That said, Mincey has flashed talent as a situational pass rusher in the past, and he had the eyes of contending teams looking to add a situational pass rusher who has experience and past success. The Denver Broncos were one of those teams, and they have decided to bring Mincey on board, according to ESPN NFL Nation’s Jeff Legwold.
Signing Mincey makes sense for the Broncos, because they could use an added body on the defensive line. Injuries have cut into the Broncos depth, and they could also use a potentially solid pass rusher as well. Derek Wolfe has been dealing with a serious illness, and Kevin Vickerson was placed on the injured reserve a few weeks ago. Add that all together, and bringing Mincey on board offers significantly more reward than risk, despite his inconsistent play and violation of team rules while with the Jaguars.
Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio also has plenty of experience with Mincey, and he coaxed out a pair of strong seasons from the 30-year-old veteran back when Del Rio coached the Jags. In 2010, Mincey had five sacks, and he followed that up with eight sacks, 57 tackles, and four fumbles forced in 2011. While I wouldn’t expect that level of play out of Mincey due to his ineffectiveness over the past two seasons, all the Broncos need is for him to consistently get pressure on the quarterback and do his job when called upon; anything beyond that is a bonus.