If a 6-foot-2, 306-pound man can operate in stealth mode, Brodrick Bunkley just might be that guy.

For all of the sound and fury that has surrounded the Broncos’ preseason, the defensive tackle has quietly gone about the business of being one of the most important additions to the team.

“No question he’s got that quiet way, but he’s a focused, focused individual,” said Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, a teammate of Bunkley’s for three years with the Eagles. “What I love about Buck, when someone makes a mistake there are individuals you can tell that it means something to them. He’s one of those individuals, because he takes it to heart, he wants to do well, he wants to fix it.

“Sometimes I have to bring him back, get him back with us, but it’s important for him to do well, to do the right thing and he never, ever wants to make a mistake.”

Bunkley was one medical report from being in Cleveland instead of the middle of the Broncos’ defensive line when training camp opened. The Eagles had shipped the former first-round pick — 14th overall in the 2006 draft — to the Browns for a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft.

But after arriving at the Browns’ complex, the team scuttled the trade after Bunkley’s medical exam. Bunkley started only five games last season because of nerve and ligament damage to his left elbow, which he said did not require surgery at season’s end.

The Broncos, in search of interior help on the defensive line, quickly shipped a conditional pick in the 2013 draft to the Eagles, and Bunkley has lined up with Denver’s starting defense almost from Day One.

“I’m very happy to be here,” Bunkley said. “Just the vibe around here, man, the city, the fans, the team, I’m not even thinking about what happened in Cleveland or anything like that. But I didn’t know I was going to be traded. I spent some years (in Philadelphia), I kind of figured they weren’t happy with my performance out there, so I kind of prepared myself for it. It’s a business. Things happen.”

And what the Broncos got was a player athletically gifted enough to be a top 15 pick on most teams’ draft boards in 2006 who played most of his career in Philadelphia under the radar for a consistent playoff team.

After a rookie season with only 13 tackles in 15 games, Bunkley had started at least 15 games in three of the four seasons until last year’s elbow injury.

“He’s going to give you effort upon effort,” Dawkins said. “And he’s a strong cat too. And finally he’s just a great dude to be around, in the locker room, on the field, he’s a big-time team guy.”

Bunkley is ready to prove he can be as good as his draft stock.

“Last couple years have had some serious bumps in the road,” he said. “But you look at this like a new beginning. This defense can be great for me if I hold my end.”

Bunkley fit the Broncos’ postdraft strategy. After addressing tight end, safety and linebacker in their draft class, the Broncos went shopping for defensive tackles. They were the land of opportunity for former first-round picks Bunkley, Ty Warren and Derrick Harvey. Warren and Bunkley had shown enough they were the projected starters at defensive tackle before Warren suffered a triceps injury last week.

“You have to have guys like that, guys like Buck,” Dawkins said. “As much hype and pub the guys in the back end get, obviously starting with the corners outside, safeties getting more and more respect, a lot of that stuff starts with the guys up front. It takes away some of things we have to do if they handle it up front.”

Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com

What’s my line?

Broncos’ starting defensive line in 2010 season opener:

DE Ryan McBean

NT Jamal Williams

DE Justin Bannan

Broncos’ projected starting D-line for 2011 season opener:

DE Elvis Dumervil

DT Kevin Vickerson

DT Brodrick Bunkley

DE Robert Ayers