DENVER (AP) - Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams' trial on driving under the influence and traffic charges ended in a mistrial just hours after it began Monday after his lawyer objected to how jurors were selected.

Williams' lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, asked for the mistrial Monday just before opening statements were about to begin. He said he was only able to excuse two jurors instead of the three he was entitled to during jury selection.

Judge Andre L. Rudolph granted the request and scheduled another trial on the misdemeanor charges for Aug. 15.

Afterward, Rudolph declined requests to comment on what went wrong.

Steinberg told Rudolph about the problem after jurors were selected.

"It's a mistake in the math,'' Steinberg said. "We're entitled to excuse three jurors.''

Prosecutor Brian Dunn objected to a mistrial being called but left without commenting.

Denver District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough said attorneys do not have to use all their rights to excuse jurors, called preemptory challenges. During the process, each side has an opportunity to excuse a potential juror and not give a reason. The process leaves a jury that prosecutors and attorneys believe is impartial.

Kimbrough said Steinberg passed on one of his opportunities to excuse a juror, prompting a warning from Rudolph that Steinberg would not be able to use that turn. Rudolph then changed his mind and ruled that Steinberg should have been allowed to use his turn.

"Based on that misunderstanding he granted a mistrial,'' Kimbrough said.

Misdemeanor cases in Denver County Court are heard by six jurors, not 12, said Karen Steinhauser, a former prosecutor with the DA's office who's now a defense attorney.

A jury of three men and three women, ranging in age from 20 to 61, were seated after questioning in the morning. Steinberg raised his objection to having lost a turn after Rudolph excused the jury for lunch.

Opening statements were scheduled to begin after the break.

Williams' trial has already been delayed several times, including last fall after he suffered a dislocated right elbow during a game.

The Broncos stripped him of his captain's title shortly after his arrest on Nov. 12, 2010, his second such arrest in his seven seasons in Denver. He could face a multi-game suspension from the league if convicted.

Police say he was pulled over a little before 3 a.m., when he was spotted driving his car without headlights. He was cited with DUI and taken to a detox facility.

He was fined an undisclosed amount by the team.

Williams, the team's top tackler in 2010, dislocated his right elbow in a preseason game but came back to start in 13 regular season games and again lead the Broncos in tackles.

Williams has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn his NFL drug suspension without pay for Denver's first six games of the 2012 season that starts in September. The lawsuit contends that the league violated protocol in collecting urine samples and that the specimen provided for testing by the collector were non-human.

Williams' lawyer, Peter R. Ginsberg, said that case is pending.


(cnnsi.com)

Given the news of defensive lineman Ryan McBean settling the lawsuit challenging his six-game suspension with a difference-splitting three-game suspension, the obvious question becomes whether Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams will do the same thing.

There currently are no indications that Williams plans to or will be settling.

Of course, that could change if the NFL offers something like a one-game suspension or no suspension and a fine.  For now, though, Williams plans to keep fighting the outcome of the in-house appeal of his suspension.

The thinking in league circles is that McBean settled because no team would have signed him to a contract while he had an active lawsuit pending against the league.  Whether that perception is accurate, the reality is that he signed with the Ravens only after settling the lawsuit against the league.

I’ll have more to say about the McBean settlement and the Williams non-settlement during PFT Live, including how this situation possibly relates to the Saints’ bounty investigation.


(profootballtalk.com)

On Tuesday afternoon, Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams took to Twitter to dish out some smack — on a division rival.  Williams started by asking Chargers wide receiver Eddie Royal “you went to San Diego?”

Did Williams really just find out or realize that Royal had signed with San Diego? Regardless, it appears that Williams knew Royal was headed out of town because Royal wrote back, “Yup, you got your wish.”

That wish, presumably, was for Royal to stay in the AFC West so Williams could play against him.  Williams noted,  ”I get two chances a year… I’m going to smash ya soft ass!”

Royal responded, “Haha, I heard this everyday in practice from D.J. for four years.”  To which Williams concluded:  ”Couldn’t do it then (in practice), now it’s on!”

Royal signed a three-year, $13.5 deal with the Chargers last month as a free agent.  Williams is entering his ninth season as a starting linebacker in Denver and could miss six games this season if his performance enhancing drug suspension is upheld.


(broncotalk.net)

On the day the Denver Broncos try to convince Peyton Manning that they are ready to win now, the team is dealing with the news that three players have been suspended by the NFL.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter and John Clayton are reporting that the suspended players are linebacker D.J. Williams, defensive lineman Ryan McBean and tight end Virgil Green. Williams and McBean were suspended for six games, while Green was suspended for four games.

Williams and McBean were allegedly found to have "non-human" urine in their system, a source told Clayton.

They are expected to file a lawsuit. And with the recent success baseball star Ryan Braun had in a similar case, the two players may have some hope to win theirs.

Losing Williams for six games would be a blow for Denver. He is a solid tackler and a savvy veteran for what was an improved Denver defense in 2011. McBean is a free agent, one the Broncos have some interest in upgrading from.

Green is a promising second-year player, who the Broncos would like to see take the next step in the offense. But there’s no doubt the biggest news here is Williams’ suspension. Denver would have to find a way to account for his loss for nearly half the season.

On a hopeful day in Denver, the Broncos had no comment on this situation. You have to wonder if this news affects Manning's desire to go to Denver. I wouldn't think it would, but it won’t help the Broncos' cause to land Manning, either.


(espn.com)

Former Hurricane stars WR Reggie Wayne, LB Ray Lewis, LB D.J. Williams, LB Jonathan Vilma and TE Jimmy Graham watched the team pracitce on Tuesday. While Williams, Vilma, and Graham are regulars at practice, Wayne, and, especially, Lewis, are rare visitors to the Greentree practice fields.



(cbssports.com)

Peter R. Ginsberg, the New York-based attorney representing Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams, Tuesday said the NFL's actions leading to the six-game suspensions of Williams and former teammate Ryan McBean "are much more egregious" than the circumstances involved in Major League Baseball's since-overturned suspension of Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder Ryan Braun.

The NFL ruled that the two players violated the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, based on what the league said was the substitution of "nonhuman" urine samples during August tests.

Williams and McBean, a veteran defensive tackle who became a free agent Tuesday, filed suit against the NFL on Monday in Denver District Court, seeking to force the league to vacate the suspensions levied against the players after their appeals were denied. Four attorneys are listed on the filings — Ginsberg and Marci Gilligan of Denver for Williams; and Harvey Steinberg and Peter Schaffer of Denver for McBean.

"In D.J. and Ryan's case, the NFL violated every guideline for safeguarding and processing a specimen, so that this situation stands apart," Ginsberg said. "The NFL's handling of the specimens was so bad that the specimen collector was fired based of the way he handled our clients' specimens; the finding that the specimen was nonhuman has no validity ... If anybody at the NFL had properly viewed the records, we should have seen that the NFL could not stand behind the test results. I don't think it should have even gotten this far, and taken as long as it has, if the NFL truly was interested in maintaining the integrity of the program."

The filings note that the specimen collector, an employee of Stadium Medical, was fired Oct. 11. The National Center for Drug Free Sport Inc., the administrator of the league's drug-testing program, hired Stadium Medical to collect and analyze the urine samples from Broncos players.

The players' petition to vacate the suspensions cites the recent Braun case, noting his successful appeal of his 50-game suspension primarily because the collector, Dino Laurenzi Jr., stored the sample in his home refrigerator and waited 44 hours to ship it to a Montreal laboratory. The sample was found to have testosterone levels far exceeding allowable levels.

Laurenzi said the delay in shipping the sample was because of the complications tied to international shipping on weekends after the sample was collected Saturday, Oct. 1.

By a 2-1 vote, an arbitration panel granted Braun's appeal, and his suspension was overturned Feb. 25. After reporting to spring training, the reigning National League most valuable player labeled the collection and tracking process of his sample "fatally flawed," and seemed to hint of the possibility of tampering — a reference that drew a pointed response from Laurenzi, who denied any wrongdoing or misconduct.

The Broncos have been involved in another appeal to an NFL drug testing result, after running back Travis Henry was found to have tested positive for marijuana in late August 2007. Henry said that the positive test might have been because of second-hand smoke.

Henry's attorney — Steinberg — argued at a league hearing in November 2007 that procedural mistakes had been made. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell eventually ruled in Henry's favor.

The Broncos released Henry in June 2008, a month before it was revealed another test had come up positive for marijuana, and he was suspended for a year on Aug. 31, 2008, effectively ending his NFL career.


(denverpost.com)

Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams issued a statement to ESPN.com in response to his six-game suspension from the NFL to start the 2012 season. Denver free-agent defensive lineman Ryan McBean was also suspended for six games.

STATEMENT OF D.J. WILLIAMS, LINEBACKER, DENVER BRONCOS

I understand from media reports today that the NFL has announced a suspension based on a specimen that the NFL acknowledges did not contain steroids or any illegal substance. Instead, the NFL contends that I provided a non-human specimen.

I have never failed a test of any kind — for steroids or illegal substances — during my eight-year pro career. I am proud of my record and proud of the way in which I conduct myself as a professional athlete and citizen. We proved — conclusively — at the NFL hearing on this matter that the NFL and its specimen collector wholly failed in their duties to safeguard and process my specimen properly.

In fact, the specimen collector was fired by the NFL after compromising my specimen as well as others’. The hearing officer, an NFL executive, ignored the NFL’s own Policy, engaged in inappropriate communications with top NFL officials about this matter without my knowledge or approval, corrupted the system, ignored that my specimen had been compromised, and now has subjected me to humiliation as well as suspension. We will be vigorously pursuing my rights in the judicial system.

My suspension is unjust; the NFL has undermined and corrupted its own steroid policy.


(espn.com)

The Broncos' return to a 4-3 defense allowed D.J. Williams to return to his old WLB  spot. After missing the first three games with an elbow injury, Williams averaged seven tackles a game. He added five sacks, third-most on the team behind Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil.



(cbssports.com)

A man suspected of twice burglarizing the home of a Denver Broncos football player has been arrested.

Jamaica Jamal Crowe, 36, turned himself in to Lone Tree police early this morning, according to a media release from the city.

The arrest was made without incident, Lone Tree officials said, and Crowe is being held at the Douglas County Jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.

The home of D.J. Williams, a Broncos linebacker, has been burglarized twice, according to police, in the past two months.

Crowe is accused of breaking into Williams' home and stealing electronics and other small items Oct. 30 and Nov. 4.


(denverpost.com)

LONE TREE, Colo. (CBS4) – The mother of a Denver Broncos player says she’s worried about her son’s safety after police in Lone Tree say they are investigating at least one burglary at the home of D.J. Williams.

Against the Miami Dolphins, Williams, a linebacker for the Broncos, stole a play that sealed a Broncos win. What he didn’t know was that around the same time he was being robbed.

“D.J. comes home from that game and tells me, ‘Mom, someone’s been in my house again,” said Sherri Gonzales, Williams’ mother.

Gonzales said her son was then burglarized again when Williams was asleep at home.

“They stood there and knocked and knocked until he woke up. And then the perpetrator opened the door. D.J. didn’t panic because he recognized the voice,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales said Williams was so traumatized by the break-in that he missed a day of work at Dove Valley. She estimates more than $50,000 worth of goods have been stolen, although not all at the same time.

Police are now investigating the incident from earlier this month. They have a suspect and are working on a warrant.

“Oh my God. I’ve been terrified since,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales said she and her son worry things could get dangerous. In 2007 Williams’ college teammate Sean Taylor was killed by a burglar in his Miami home. Now because the circumstances are so similar, his death hits even closer to home.

“It just makes me scared. Sometimes I wish he wasn’t in the NFL because of that. It just doesn’t feel safe anymore,” Gonzales said.

Lone Tree police wouldn’t release the name of their suspect. Williams’ family believes it’s someone who was at one time part of Williams’ inner circle, someone with a long rap sheet, including arrests for burglary and assault.


(denver.cbslocal.com)

According to NFL INSIDER Rich Smith the Philadelphia Eagles have been in trade talks with the Denver Broncos regarding linebacker D.J. Williams. While the asking price was a mid round draft pick, Smith has just said via Twitter that the Broncos are now asking for a second round pick. Stay tuned……

Click here to order DJ Williams’ proCane Rookie Card.


(yardbarker.com)

The NFL’s trade deadlines is next Tuesday.  Let the rumors begin!

The Broncos may try to deal linebacker D.J. Williams and wide receiver Brandon Lloyd on the trading block.  The Broncos could be looking for a 3rd round pick for Williams.

The Broncos were penalized four times for 53 yards in Sunday’s 29-24 loss to San Diego, none more costly than the 15-yard personal foul on linebacker D.J. Williams, for head-butting San Diego guard Kris Dielman late in the fourth quarter.

It wasn’t a hard head-butt, but it was right in front of the game official.

Instead of the Chargers facing a third-and-5 at the Denver 37 yard line, the penalty gave San Diego a first down at the 22. Kicker Nick Novak eventually kicked a field goal to extend the Chargers’ lead from 2 points to 5 points with

“That’s the one that really hurt, because we still had a fighting chance right there,” cornerback Champ Bailey said.

Williams declined an interview request with The Denver Post after the game, and later avoided a crowd of reporters waiting by his locker.

Click here to order DJ Williams’ proCane Rookie Card.


(denverpost.com)

The Denver Broncos had their top three defensive players on the field together Wednesday for the first time since training camp.

Now, the question is: will they have Elvis Dumervil (shoulder), Champ Bailey (hamstring) and D.J. Williams (elbow) on the field to face the Green Bay Packers (3-0) Sunday?

As Dumervil said, "We need to be at full throttle against this team.''

That's something the Broncos (1-2) haven't been at all season.

Williams went down in the preseason with a dislocated right elbow. Dumervil was injured during practice on the eve of the opener and played only sparingly against Oakland before aggravating the injury and missing the last two games.

Bailey also sat out against Cincinnati and Tennessee after pulling a hamstring against the Raiders.

Click here to order DJ Williams’ proCane Rookie Card.


(cnnsi.com)

Wednesday was a good day for the Denver Broncos, as four injured starters returned to practice.

Linebacker D.J. Williams, defensive end Elvis Dumervil, running back Knowshon Moreno and wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, all four of whom missed Sunday's game against Cincinnati, were on the field for the Broncos' first practice of the week, the Denver Post reported.

Click here to order DJ Williams’ proCane Rookie Card.


(nfl.com)

DENVER (AP) — Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams will go on trial in January for a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence and not having headlights on his car.

Williams, the teams' leading tackler, was scheduled to appear in Denver County Court Thursday for a motions hearing. Defense attorney Harvey A. Steinberg says Williams couldn't make it because he's undergoing medical treatment. A judge rescheduled the motion hearing for Nov. 17 and scheduled Williams' trial for Jan. 17.

Williams suffered a dislocated right elbow in the Broncos' 23-20 win over Seattle.

Williams was arrested in Denver in November on suspicion of driving under the influence. It was hours before he was supposed to report to training camp.

NFL officials recently said they would not comment on possible discipline.

(chron.com)

DENVER -- Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams has a dislocated right elbow that could sideline him up to a month.

Williams and defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley were hurt in the Broncos' 23-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.

Williams tweeted Sunday that he'll "b back n no time" because he's a fast healer.

"I'm a supreme being so the recovery is cut in half," he wrote.

The versatile Williams has led the Broncos in tackles in three of the last four seasons, and his teammates said they expect him to work on getting back as hard as he works on the football field.

"It's unfortunate because he's one of our leaders," Champ Bailey said. "But you've got to just keep on ticking and he knows that. He's going to do whatever he can to get back as soon as possible. He's got to make sure he takes care of himself."

Williams left the stadium after the game in a sling with his right arm heavily taped from his wrist to his biceps.

Bunkley, who said he wasn't seriously injured, was cut-blocked by Seattle guard Robert Gallery, but declined to call out Gallery for a cheap shot.

"It's the game, man," Bunkley said. "We're in the trenches, and things like that are going to happen. I'm not going to say anything is dirty. That's just the way the game is played."

Safety Brian Dawkins said he hopes to get both Williams and Bunkley back by the Sept. 12 season opener.

"There's a next-man-up mentality but you definitely miss those guys when they go down," he said.

Click here to order DJ Williams’ proCane Rookie Card.


(espn.com)

Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams still isn’t talking to reporters here in Denver about allegations made by a former University of Miami booster that Williams was among the UM players who received illegal benefits while they played for the Hurricanes.

Williams’ actions, though, show he’s strongly supporting his alma mater.

After Williams intercepted a pass off Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald Saturday night, he celebrated on the sideline by making the famous “U” sign with his hands. He later Tweeted that he would “rep till I die” in reference to UM. A picture of him making the U sign is now his avatar on his Twitter account.



(denverpost.com)

Denver Broncos LB D.J. Williams (hip) did not play in the team's first preseason game Thursday, Aug. 11, and he has been dealing with a hip injury.



Click here to order DJ Williams’ proCane Rookie Card.


(kffl.com)

Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams has returned to practice after missing more than a week with a thigh injury.

Williams has participated only in walk-through sessions since suffering a strained muscle — head coach John Fox has described the injury as both to the quadriceps and hamstring — early in camp.


(denverpost.com)

In April Graham was at the University of Miami campus working out with others, including Denver Bronco linebacker D.J. Williams. Apparently Williams challenged Graham to a mock forty-yard dash expecting to smoke him as the lighter, faster of the two. Instead just the opposite took place, enjoy the video.

Denver Broncos
D.J. Williams, linebacker: Williams was a first-round pick in 2004, and the Broncos paid handsomely to keep him a couple of years ago. He is appreciated in Denver, but this athletic, smart linebacker doesn’t get much national notice. He has never been to a Pro Bowl, yet Williams is a tackle machine. He has had at least 119 tackles in three of the past four seasons. He is versatile and has played virtually every linebacker position possible.

Buffalo Bills
Roscoe Parrish, receiver/punt returner: For five years, Parrish practically begged to be thrown the ball. He made the most of his touches, becoming one of the most dangerous punt returners in the NFL and setting franchise records.

But his listed position was wide receiver, and in the Bills' passing game under head coaches Mike Mularkey and Dick Jauron, the undersized Parrish always seemed to be an afterthought.

That changed last year under new coach Chan Gailey. He played just eight games because of a broken wrist, but Parrish caught 33 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns. The yardage was the most of his career. His touchdowns tied a career high. Two more receptions would have matched a career high.

Houston Texans
Chris Myers, center: A team with a good deal of flashy names and stars needs quality players in support roles to be effective. The Texans don’t have enough of them, but Myers is certainly one. I’ve heard from scouts he’s underrated and good at what the Texans ask their line to do. He worked as the man in the middle for the line that helped a guy who wasn’t drafted, Arian Foster, to the NFL rushing title in 2010. Most fans couldn’t name a single Texans lineman, but Myers deserves more recognition. He'll be hard-pressed to get it, though, while Jeff Saturday is still playing center for the rival Colts.


(espn.com)

D.J. Williams most likely will play on the weak side in Denver’s 4-3.

The Broncos also would consider playing Williams in the middle — he's started at least one season at all three linebacker positions when the team has played a 4-3 — but right now the preference is to play him on the outside.

Click here to order DJ William’s proCane Rookie Card.


(denverpost.com)

Comments

Welcome to our 1st annual and long overdue proCane Rankings where we look back at the 2010 NFL season and rank the 43 proCanes that took snaps in 2010 (except for Sinorice Moss who was placed on IR before the start of the season).

Stay tuned as we countdown from number 43 to number 1. Our rankings are based on each player’s performance last year. In August we’ll go ahead and re-rank the player’s based on our 2011 expectations. For now read our review of each player’s 2010 season and where they rank overall. Enjoy!

To read our rankings of players 43-35, click here.

To read our rankings of players 34-26, click here.

To read our rankings of players 25-16, click here.

15. Jon Vilma MLB New Orleans Saints: Vilma was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl after a solid 2010 season where he posted over 100 tackles for the third consecutive season and a career high four sacks. Though Vilma did post the fewest tackles of his seven-year career (105), besides his 2007 season where he only played in seven games, the Saints’ defense was riddled with injuries in 2010, and Vilma did not miss a game and anchored the defense. Look for Vilma to continue to be the quarterback of the Saints defense in 2011 and as that defense gets healthier and gains more experience, Vilma will continue to flourish.

14. Greg Olsen TE Chicago Bears: Coming into the 2010 season there were fears that Olsen would not be utilized in Mike Martz’s wide open offense and the Bears actually almost traded Olsen before the start of the 2010 season despite public comments by Head Coach Lovie Smith and Martz that Olsen would be used in the spread offense. Olsen statistically didn’t have a bad season as he posted 41 receptions for 404 yards, the lowest since his rookie season, but more concerning was the fact that in seven games Olsen had either only reception (5 games) or no receptions (2 games). Olsen had his best game of the season in the first round of the playoffs versus the Seahawks where he posted 113 yards receiving, 58 of those coming on one play, but it showed that he could be a threat in that offense if correctly utilized. With one season under his belt it will be interesting to see if Martz can figure out a way to incorporate or Olsen, though the trade rumors continue to persist.

13. Javarris James RB Indianpolis Colts: James was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Indianapolis Colts right after last year’s draft and by the time Week 5 rolled around he was signed to the Colts’ active roster. James had previously been on the Patriots and Redskins practice squads. Though James did not put up huge numbers, 112 yards rushing on 42 carries, the fact that he made the active roster of the Colts and scored six TDs last season, more than any other proCane runningback, merits him being ranked as a top 15 proCane performer for 2010. James will have an uphill battle to earn a roster spot on the Colts next season as he was inactive for the last two games of the regular season and playoff game, but he very well may be signed by another team due to his tough redzone running.

12. Jon Beason LB Carolina Panthers: Beason had started at MLB for the Panthers the last 3 seasons and coming into 2010 put the team first and agreed to start at the RLB spot. Beason who has yet to miss a game in his four-year career took some time to get acclimated to his new position and was not having as large of an impact defensively for the Panthers. In Week 10, Beason moved back to the middle and 2 weeks later made his presence felt with an interception versus the Cleveland Browns. Beason is too good to not be the starting MLB and it seems like the Panthers have realized that, and he should resume his duties in the middle of the defense in 2011.

11. Kellen Winslow TE Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Winslow finished the 2010 by playing all 16 games for the second consecutive season and though his numbers weren’t as good as his 2009 numbers, his first season in Tampa, Winslow was still a threat down the middle of the field for the Bucs. Winslow had a career high 5 TDs to go along with his 730 yards receiving and as the season progressed became a more consistent option for Tampa QB Josh Freeman culminating in a 7 reception for 98 yards and 2 TDs performance in Week 15. Winslow has already said he expects big numbers in 2011, and though at times he was not able to practice due to injury, he didn’t miss a game and played with his usual fire all season long.

10. Antonio Dixon DL Philadelphia Eagles: Dixon was a surprise contributor to the Eagles’ defensive line in 2009 as an undrafted rookie free agent signing. He suited up for 16 games and became a vital cog in the Eagles’ defensive line versus the run that year. In 2010, due to injury Dixon received extensive playing time in Week 5 versus the 49ers where he recorded his first sack of the season and ended up starting the rest of the way for Eagles totaling 30 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 pass deflections. Dixon has been a very pleasant surprise for the Eagles and a great personal story as well, overcoming learning disabilities and controlling his weight. Look for Dixon to start for the Eagles next season and continue to excel versus the run and improve his game on passing downs.

9. DJ Williams LB Denver Broncos: Playing in the 3-4 for his second consecutive season DJ Williams looked even more comfortable totaling 119 tackles. Williams also became much more involved in the passing game as he had a career high 9 pass deflections and more impressively 5.5 sacks. The Broncos began to blitz Williams more in passing situations and as a result he led the Broncos in sacks last season as well as tackles by a wide margin. The only knock on Williams is his off the field problems where he was accused of a DUI for the second time in his career and lost his captaincy as a result as well as his driver’s license for a year. Rumors have circulated that Williams is on the trading block but if he isn’t traded he will have to get used to playing in the 4-3 defense at the weak-side linebacker spot as the Broncos are changing their defense, again.


Check back tomorrow to see which proCanes were ranked 8th through 1st!

DENVER -- Denver Bronco D.J. Williams lost his driver's license today for refusing a blood test after he was arrested by Denver police in November on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Williams, whose real name is Genos Derwin Williams, was driving a Hummer Nov. 12, when he was pulled over at 2:50 a.m. at Broadway and 9th Avenue for not having his headlights on.

Williams, 28, was arrested at the scene, and initially agreed to a blood test, according to testimony at Division of Motor Vehicles hearing. But once at Denver Health, Williams decided not to take the test and was advised by a police officer that he had to take the test or the refusal could be evidence to take his license. Under state law, a driver gives implied consent to a drug test just by driving.

Williams' Attorney Harvey Steinberg argued that repeated delays in the hearing and the fact that Steinberg did not receive the back page of one of the police reports should result in dismissal of the hearing.

Steinberg said today was the first he knew that his client asked what would happen if he refused the blood test.

"I want to be prepared but how can I be when I get the report as I walk into the hearing," he said.

But Hearing Officer Andrew Stone said the missing discovery was not significant and the delays were necessary as the officer was in court one day and running a training session where police observed people who are drinking to look for signs of intoxication. "I don't think there is unfair surprise to lead to a due process violation," he said.

Williams also told the officer he had three drinks, and the manager of the club did not want him to drive, Stone said, citing the police reports.

Williams just finished his seventh season with the Broncos and is the second highest paid player on the team, making $8.6 million this year, trailing only cornerback Champ Bailey.

This is the second DUI incident for Williams. Williams was previously arrested for a DUI in Douglas County in 2005. He pleaded guilty in that case.

A plea hearing for the November DUI is set for April 15, according to the Denver County courts database.

Williams can appeal Stone's decision in District Court, but Steinberg said that decision has not been made. Steinberg also declined to say if Williams was in Colorado or in Florida where he lives part of the year.

Click here to order DJ Williams’s proCane Rookie Card.



(thedenverchannel.com)

The Denver Broncos likely will use LB D.J. Williams at weakside linebacker in their new 4-3 defensive alignment next season, reports Mike Klis, of The Denver Post.



Click here to order DJ Williams’ proCane Rookie Card.



(kffl.com)

D.J. Williams
LB, De La Salle High School (Calif.)
College: Miami NFL Draft: No. 17 pick (Denver Broncos) in 2004 Now: 2009 Pro Bowl alternate; owns four 100-tackle seasons

"I didn't like the whole recruiting process. I'd get embarrassed when people would interview me or talk about me. I'll never forget when John Madden, who was from the area and had seen me play, spoke at our team banquet. During his speech, he said I was probably the only high schooler he'd ever seen who could have gone right to the pros. That was the worst thing anyone could've said, because then that was on me."


Kyle Wright
QB, Montey Vista High School (Calif.)
College: Miami NFL Draft: Undrafted Now: Works for a medical company that sells spinal implants

"It's definitely something I can tell my kids about someday: 'Once upon a time, I was a pretty decent football player.' But in the end, football didn't work out for me. I'd worn down the cartilage in my knees to the point where it couldn't be replaced. So I had to make the transition to the real world."



(espn.com)

DENVER (AP) — Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams won't enter a plea on a charge of driving under the influence until at least next month.

The linebacker had been scheduled for a hearing Tuesday where he was expected to enter a plea but court records show that hearing has been rescheduled for Feb. 25.

Williams was arrested early on Nov. 12 after police stopped him for driving without headlights.

The Broncos' leading tackler was stripped of his captaincy for the season and fined an undisclosed amount by the team.
He faces a multi-game suspension from the league next season because this was his second such arrest.

Click here to order DJ WIlliams’ proCane Rookie Card.



(kens5.com)

With just six draft picks remaining, and only two after the third round, Pro Football Weekly hears the Broncos will be looking to stockpile selections prior to the draft. QB Kyle Orton's name has been floated around in trade talks, but a source close to the team said ILB D.J. Williams could be the next player to go. Williams was stripped of his captaincy after his second DUI arrest this season and has not displayed the attitude the organization expects from its leaders moving forward.

Click here to order DJ Williams’ proCane Rookie Card.



(profootballweekly.com)

The Denver Post speculates that Broncos ILB D.J. Williams "could be trade bait" this offseason.

The Post points out that Williams has been "a poor leader," getting arrested for two DUIs in five years, refusing to speak to the media, and skipping offseason workouts. Of course, all of these factors make him less attractive on the trade market, too. The Broncos won't find a better inside linebacker, so we'd bet on Williams returning at his $4.9 million base salary.

Click here to order DJ Williams’s proCane Rookie Card.



(rotoworld.com)