The Denver Broncos signed defensive lineman Malcolm Roach to a two-year, $7 million contract this spring.
Roach (6-3, 290 pounds) played under Broncos coach Sean Payton with the New Orleans Saints from 2020-2021. He was the best run-stuffing defensive lineman in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus.
Roach will bring more than just his on-field productivity to Denver. The 24-year-old defensive lineman is also a great addition to the team’s locker room.
“I think he loves playing,” Payton said when asked about Roach last month. “He really does. He’s effective as a player, and it’s kind of contagious. He’s a really good teammate and someone that can play multiple positions. There are certain guys that are ‘glue’ guys in a locker room, and he’s one of those guys.”
Roach entered the league as a college free agent out of Texas in 2020. He had to work hard to reach this point in his career, and Payton appreciates the defensive lineman’s resilience and mentality.
“He had to steal first base,” Payton said. “He was an undrafted free agent. He wasn’t born on third base. He had to make it. He’s a guy that appreciates every day, and his teammates quickly — I talked to a few of the others guy that have been here, and very quickly he acclimated himself. I would say he endears himself to his teammates, and I think that’s a good trait.”
Roach seems poised to serve as a rotational defensive lineman this season behind Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers and D.J. Jones. After struggling against the run last season, Denver’s defensive line should take a step forward this fall after adding Roach to the mix.
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