Broncos Confirm Position Switch for Baron Browning to Outside Linebacker

The Broncos have asked Baron Browning to switch positions.

Life in the NFL, for a second-year pro, is tough. Young players are often still swimming in their acclimation to the highest level of the game. 

Throw into that Year 2 experience a position switch and the trial-and-error learning curve can turn into a seemingly unbridgeable chasm. Such is the remit of Denver Broncos' linebacker Baron Browning, who, after a mostly impressive rookie debut as an off-ball guy, is being asked to bridge that gap as an outside guy.

We'd heard rumors that Denver's new coaching staff liked Browning as an edge defender but it has since been confirmed by observing practice, and hearing head coach Nathaniel Hackett, and the player himself, confirm it. 

“I kind of wanted to make the move, but they felt the same way," Browning said on Wednesday after practice. "I don’t know if this is something for just this period for right now, but I’m just making the most of it and working on just perfecting my craft every day.”

Browning isn't sure if the move to outside linebacker is permanent but he's embracing it. Hackett sounds much more decided on it being the former Ohio State Buckeye's new NFL gig. 

“Right now, we want him to train at that position on the outside and see where it goes from there," Hackett said earlier this week. "He does have experience there, so I imagine if we do get into a pinch, he can easily get back there but we really like what we’re doing with him right now.”

What happens next on the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Please take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

The Broncos have Josey Jewell, Jonas Griffith, newcomer veteran Alex Singleton, Barrington Wade, and undrafted rookie Kana'i Mauga at off-ball linebacker. Jewell and Singleton are the only inside linebackers even remotely proven. 

There's a high chance Browning will have to rotate between edge and off-ball. For now, though, he's relearning all the nuances that make life on the line of scrimmage quite different than starting each play from the second level. 

“I would just say that it’s different being up close on the line," Browning said. "I felt like when I first started out, I was kind of trying to hesitate as far as trying to see whether it was a run or a pass. When you’re inside, you have that time and distance to bounce your feet and really diagnose things. I would say that was probably the only small thing, but I really don’t feel like there have been too many crazy challenges. I feel like I’m pretty comfortable there and I’m making a lot of progress.”

At Ohio State, Browning's development was hindered by the coaching staff moving him literally all over the front seven. The bad news was, it stunted his growth and it was a big reason he fell to Day 2 of the 2021 NFL draft. 

The good news? It exposed Browning to multiple positions, including outside linebacker, which is part of why the Broncos feel comfortable moving him and why he's not exactly starting from square one. 

On top of his position switch, Browning is also learning a new defensive scheme. Fortunately, defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is building his unit off the bones of the Vic Fangio scheme, though there are enough differences to make the install a challenge. 

“It’s kind of the same scheme that we ran with Vic, maybe just a little bit different," Browning said. "It’s not too much—I would say there’s a little bit of a carryover, but it’s not really too much different, so it’s not crazy difficult.”

Browning appeared in 14 games as a rookie, starting nine at inside linebacker. He finished the 2021 campaign with 58 tackles (32 solo), two tackles for a loss, and two pass break-ups. 

Although he was a rookie, Browning's arrival in the starting lineup made an instant impact as the Broncos trounced the Dallas Cowboys on the road in his first start as a pro. Here's to hoping he can carry over some of that success and production to his new life as an edge rusher vying for reps behind entrenched starting duo Bradley Chubb and newcomer Randy Gregory. 

Browning has started off Year 2 on the right foot. 2022 will be no cakewalk but he's healthy and already impressing his coaches in the new position thus far. 

“He’s done a really fine job," Hackett said. "He’s somebody that we saw a couple of things on tape last year [and said] that could potentially be something that he can do. His ability to bend and lower his hips and round that tackle is something that stood out on tape. That’s another rusher on the outside, and he’s doing a good job.”

Browning's main competition for playing time are Malik Reed, Jonathon Cooper (injured), undrafted rookie Christopher Allen, and former CFL star Jonathan Kongbo. 

---

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!