The Denver Broncos signed free agent linebacker Cody Barton to a one year, $2.5 million deal this offseason to help fill the void left behind by Josey Jewell.
Barton is coming off of a one-season stint with the Washington Commanders, and has bounced around the league some, so what value does Barton provide for the Broncos?
Positives
- Plays well in coverage.
- Is especially strong in pattern-match zone coverage situations.
- Natural feeling for opposing route combinations.
- High IQ player.
- Run defense was improved when kept clean.
Negatives
- Problematic run defender.
- Struggled to produce last season.
- Isn’t as comfortable with spot-drop zone coverage calls.
- Struggles to shed blocks.
Overall
Cody Barton is an off-ball linebacker whose edge is his cover skills, as one of the better coverage linebackers in pattern-match zone coverages.
His stint in Washington was lackluster statistically, but Jack Del Rio is one of the few defensive coordinators who still calls a good amount of spot drop zone coverages as opposed to pattern match coverages, which he should see more of with the Denver Broncos.
Barton’s sense for feeling route combinations to his blind spots is what makes him a plus cover linebacker. Even in the subtle techniques within those coverages.
One area for concern in his game is his run defense. He can often get pushed off of his mark by climbing lineman and has shown some inconsistencies shedding blocks.
On the flip side, when he was the second level behind ‘bear’ fronts with the lineman up front eating up double team combo blocks and keeping those linebackers clean, those issues were mitigated.
For the Denver Broncos
Cody Barton now arguably serves as the most all-around linebacker in Denver’s off-ball linebacker room. He comes as a very good scheme fit in this Vance Joseph defense that’s infused with Vic Fangio elements — including linebackers pattern-matching intermediate middle-of-the field-route combinations, a specialty of Barton’s.
With the return of Jonas Griffith, another season of Alex Singleton and now the signing of Cody Barton, this could be another need crossed off general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton’s list going into the first two days of the NFL draft, narrowing down their possible selections to positions of more importance for the Denver Broncos.
