When Malcolm Roach went undrafted, he cried. When he walks onto the field now, he smiles.
Roach, the Broncos’ affable defensive lineman, is a reminder that the path in the NFL is not straightaway but more like the Million Dollar Highway near Ouray.
Roach played four years at Texas, served as a captain, delivered 23.5 tackles for a loss and no team used a pick on him.
“I had tears in my eyes. But right after it was over, my mom (Nancy) and my auntie (Dawn) comforted me. And my auntie said, ‘It’s already written,’” Roach told The Denver Post after a recent practice. “She helped me believe it was already done. That it would work out. That gave me confidence and it put a chip on my shoulder.”
Roach signed with the Saints as a street free agent on April 28, 2020. Four years later, he reunited with coach Sean Payton, sought after for his versatility and character.
Denver has been terrible the past eight years, failing to reach the playoffs and posting seven consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1963-72.
For the Broncos to turn right side up, it must happen from the inside out. They need to win at the line of scrimmage. That is the NFL’s version of the octagon. There is nowhere to hide. The Broncos believe their well-paid offensive line is the team’s strength.
Defensively, Roach was brought in with John Franklin-Myers to pair with Zach Allen and D.J. Jones to clench Denver’s fist. Remember, the Broncos yielded 137 yards per game on the ground last season, ranking 30th in the NFL.
Now, they have Malcolm in the middle.
“All I want to say is that we want to make sure that nobody is able to out-tough us. We might not be the most stacked roster, but we want to be the toughest,” Roach said. “It might not be the prettiest, but we want to make sure they know they played us when they leave the field.”
Roach is 6-foot-3, 290 pounds. He played outside in college at Texas, then switched inside in the NFL. By most metrics, Roach ranked as a top-10 run stuffer last season with the Saints, something he attributes to studying more angles than a geometry student.
“I wouldn’t say I am the biggest or the smallest. It’s about knowing how to shoot up out of your stance, having the right pad level, the right hand placement,” Roach said. “And it’s about having an attitude. You have to believe you are never going to get blocked, and if you do, you have to believe it won’t happen again.”
Last season missed tackles played a big role in the Broncos’ problems against the run. As did tackles after five yards were gained. With Franklin-Myers and Roach in the mix, it frees up lanes for Jones and Allen.
“It helps a lot. No disrespect to the guys that we had. But along with the scheme, attacking, and the guys we brought in, it’s a big difference,” Jones told The Post. “You watch practice. You see it. I am getting shades of San Fran(cisco). I love who we brought in.”
With Roach, the Broncos added punch and personality. Often, you hear the Baton Rouge. La., native before you see him. He is a talker. And a tackler.
“He’s bat(bleep) crazy, man,” said Broncos safety P.J. Locke, one of several Denver players who were teammates with Brown on the Longhorns. “He’s always going to be loud out here.”
Except that first pro season. Roach went from electric to acoustic. He learned to listen from veterans Sheldon Rankins, Malcolm Brown, Kwon Alexander, Demario Davis and Cam Jordan. Then in his second season, his volume returned.
“Kwon told me that if you come to work every day with energy you will keep your job a long time because people feed off it,” Roach said. “I told myself right then that I want to be the guy that makes the job fun.”
Roach, 26, helped the defensive line dominate practices on Monday and Tuesday, living in the backfield and batting down passes. He plays like every snap is personal. It comes from his upbringing.
Football is family. Malcolm’s father, Mike Roach, a star linebacker at Southern University, worked at Grambling State with Doug Williams and later served a short stint at Alcorn State, but is known as a prep coaching legend. His brother Mike Jr. starred for Grambling State.
“I have been playing all my life. My dad was my longtime coach. I love the camaraderie. Football builds brotherhoods you don’t see in everyday life,” Roach said. “When I signed with the Saints, I knew it was going to be a long path. I knew I had to outwork people. My mama said I couldn’t come home. She said, ‘You need to go make some money.’ I was driven by football to put a lot of smiles on people’s faces.”
Roach is doing it again in Denver. He is consistent, predictable, joyful, someone who is a stranger to bad days. His energy and attitude make it easier to believe that the worst is finally behind the Broncos.
“Malcolm is a special dude,” Jones said. “Every team needs someone like him.”
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