ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos' newest inside linebacker is no stranger to a new system.
Joe Schobert, who signed with the Broncos on Monday, enters his seventh NFL season and his seventh NFL scheme.
The former Brown, Jaguar and Steeler joined the Broncos to help offset the four-to-six week loss of Jonas Griffith, and Denver doesn't believe it will take long for Schobert to slot in.
"Schobert's … another experienced guy that we know we can put in there who can play right away, and he can bring that leadership," Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett said Monday.
A year ago, Schobert was traded to Pittsburgh just before the season and was able to make the transition quickly enough to start 15 games for the Steelers.
"I've been pretty much on every single scheme you can have in the NFL, and I've played with a lot of good guys and a lot of good defenses," Schobert said. "I just want to bring experience and help the room grow."
His transition to the field didn't take long, as Schobert was tossed into the thick of practice on Monday.
"There was a lot [of communication] today, just because all they did today pretty much was talk about the philosophy, how they wanted to see things," inside linebacker Josey Jewell said. "Haven't really gotten the X's and O's with him. It was a lot of me telling him where he's fitting and what he's doing, but he'll pick it up fast. He's been in the league for seven years and he's been a good vet, so I'm not too worried about it."
Jewell said he and Schobert may find time to do extra work, but he'll first wait to get a sense from his coaches how they plan to approach the starting lineup. Then, the work will begin ahead of the regular-season opener.
"We'll just get used to each other, whether it be him or Alex [Singleton] or Justin [Strnad] or whoever goes out there with me," Jewell said. "Just get used to them and their style of play and how they fit the run and we'll go [from] there."
If Schobert fills the role, he said he won't try to overextend himself on the Broncos' defense.
"Football, especially defense, is doing your one-eleventh of the job," Schobert said. "Everybody's got a gap, everybody's got a responsibility."
If the defense executes its plan properly, it gives individual players the chance to make stops. And in his career, Schobert has done that on plenty of occasions.
He joins Denver on the heels of his fifth consecutive season with at least 100 tackles, and he earned a 2017 Pro Bowl berth.
"Something I've done well, I think, for my career is just being able to get to the ball wherever it's at," Schobert said of his tackle total.
Through the offseason and training camp, Schobert stayed ready in case there was a chance to contribute to a team.
Early on in Denver, Schobert appears poised to get that chance.
