NFL Rankings: 10 Best Linebackers in the League
By Phil Watson
45. . . Denver Broncos. DeMarcus Ware. 8. player
DeMarcus Ware, now 32 years old, is starting over. After nine years with the Dallas Cowboys, Ware signed as a free agent last spring with the Denver Broncos.
Ware led the league in sacks twice with the Cowboys, notching 15 ½ in 2010 and a career-high 20 in 2008.
He is fourth among active players with 117 career sacks, trailing only John Abraham of the Cardinals, Jared Allen of the Bears and Julius Peppers of the Packers.
Ware, a four-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler, did not receive a Pro Bowl invitation in 2013, the first time since his rookie year.
But Ware played in 13 games despite a plethora of injuries, including a hyper-extended elbow, a torn right quad and a disc problem in his back.
He had a career-low six sacks to go with 40 tackles, two pass breakups and an interception.
Ware had a sack in his first preseason game for Denver.
“That’s what they brought me in here for—to create big plays and to get pressure on the quarterback,” Ware said after Denver’s 21-16 preseason win over Seattle on Thursday. “And that’s what I love to do.”
Ware played collegiately at Troy and was the 11th overall pick by Dallas in 2005.