Broncos: Suspension of Joe Mays leaves linebacker corps thin

Denver's linebacker depth was questioned even before the suspension of Joe Mays and a concussion to Nate Irving left them down to just five linebackers at practice Wednesday.

By Andrew Mason

Sep 26, 2012 at 6:56 pm ET • 2 min read

The suspension of Joe Mays (left) will force a chain reaction that leads to Wesley Woodyard playing more snaps Sunday. (Andrew Mason)

The Broncos were considered a depth-shy team at linebacker before the season. Now it's not just the quality and experience of the backups that appears lacking, but the quantity is down, too.

Only five linebackers practiced Wednesday, with MLB Joe Mays facing a one-game suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Matt Schaub and backup SLB Nate Irving out of pads while recovering from a concussion suffered in the second quarter Sunday.

Keith Brooking, the first-team weakside LB in the base defense the past two weeks, will replace Mays, said fellow LB Wesley Woodyard.

"Keith's going to step up and play middle," Woodyard said. "Right now, we've got some guys that are going to roll in, so whoever is chosen to play 'Mike,' we've got to be ready for it."

Woodyard will likely be the every-down weakside linebacker -- which he was in Week 1 before being pulled in base-package downs in Weeks 2 and 3 in favor of Brooking. But behind those two and starting strongside LB Von Miller, the Broncos have just two backups -- Steven Johnson and Danny Trevathan. Both are rookies and neither has a single regular-season defensive snap to their name.

Johnson is listed as Mays' backup on the depth chart, but it was Brooking who filled in at middle linebacker on the snaps when Mays took a breather the past two weeks.

"I can say I'm eager. I'm ready. I've been ready since Week 1," said Johnson, who made the team as an undrafted free agent after strong play in the last two preseason games.

"When Joe and Keith are here, I try to prepare and get the reps I get as if I was going in the game. And this week I know I have a bigger role on special teams at first, but if Keith needs a breather, I want to be able to go out there and make plays."

Mays' appeal of his suspension is pending, and it will be heard by one of two former coaches (Ted Cottrell and Art Shell) working at the league office -- and not directly by commissioner Roger Goodell.

But even if Mays is successful, Woodyard thinks a message was sent.

"You see Joe get suspended -- everybody's worried about getting suspended now," Woodyard said.

For up-to-the-minute Broncos updates, follow Andrew Mason on Twitter at @CBSBroncos and @MaseDenver.