Broncos coach Josh McDaniels said at the NFL scouting combine that the Broncos would use some 3-4 looks but stopped short of saying they would make a total conversion to that defense.

That the Broncos are looking at using the 3-4 isn't surprising. McDaniels comes from New England, which used many 3-4 looks, and one of his first acts as head coach was to hire Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator. Nolan prefers to the 3-4 defense as well.

The challenge for the Broncos will be to find the players who can fit that system. They are already rebuilding the defense, especially after releasing five players who started last year on that side of the ball, and signing inside linebacker Andra Davis and free safety Brian Dawkins.

"We are going to go into this thing and we are going to get on the same accord right away," Dawkins said of the Eagles' defense. "Obviously we are going to have a lot of new faces. The thing about it is you try to gel as quickly as possible. Once we gel and once everybody understands their role-you just do your role, you don't have to do anything outside of your role.

"If my job is to penetrate in this gap then I am going to do that because I know my guy beside me is doing the same exact thing in his gap. If that's the mentality that everybody is taking care of their gap and dominating their gap then we are going to be a pretty good doggone defense and create turnovers along the way."

One of the Broncos' most talented players in the front seven is defensive end Elvis Dumervil, who doesn't have an obvious spot in a 3-4 defense. He could move to outside rush linebacker but has no experience in coverage.

Defensive end Jarvis Moss is another player who will have to move. The 2007 first-round pick, who is slight for a normal 4-3 defensive end and hasn't made much impact in two seasons, could be a more natural fit on the outside in a 3-4.

The Broncos also need to figure out their situation at linebacker to move to a 3-4. D.J. Williams is the one obvious piece, and he has shown over his career he can play inside or outside. Bringing in Davis might allow Williams to stay outside.

The Broncos are making wholesale changes on defense after finishing 29th in total defense last season. A couple weeks before free agency the team released linebacker Jamie Winborn, safety Marquand Manuel, defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson, defensive end John Engelberger and cornerback Dre Bly, each of whom were regular starters in 2008.

Safety Renaldo Hill signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the Broncos on Friday. He bounced back from knee surgery and after recapturing his starting job by Game 3 seemed to be the missing ingredient of a veteran secondary for the Dolphins. His communication skills, quiet leadership, run support (74 tackles) and intelligent play-calling in the back end were valued in Miami last year.