Davis, of course, was inactive for that game in St. Louis. The Broncos needed linebacker depth when they brought him aboard, but they didn't need it bad enough to play someone who had not yet been able to get a feel for the playbook.

The time would come for Davis to step into the spotlight, but in his first weeks in Denver, Davis was brought into the fold as a backup for Marshall, who was in the middle of a breakout season in his first year as the team's starting middle linebacker.

Marshall, whose first season in the NFL mirrored Davis' in its ups and downs of being waived and re-signed multiple times, was more than happy to help Davis get adjusted as best he could. When Marshall first came to Denver, he observed the leadership demonstrated by Peyton Manning, Champ Bailey and Paris Lenon, and he knew that when the time came for him to fill that role for someone else, he wouldn't hesitate.

"I had a lot of good examples to learn from," Marshall says. "When it came time for me to bring some young guys along, I was all for it."

Davis particularly took to Marshall not only as something of a mentor but also as a role model.

"I love his story because it's so similar to mine," Davis says. "Being cut so many times and proving everybody wrong, I think that's why we connect so well. We kind of understand each other and the fight that we've had to go through to get to where we are today. But I love Brandon. He's the kind of guy that's going to tell you when you're not doing something right, but then he's also going to help you fix it, too. He's definitely a very caring teammate."

As Marshall offered advice, he could tell Davis had the talent to succeed as more than just a reserve linebacker.

"He came in, and I noticed right away that he was an extremely smart player," Marshall says. He came and picked the defense up quicker than some of the other guys we had."

When Marshall went down with a foot sprain in Week 15, about a month after Davis joined the team, the Broncos learned how fortunate they were to get a player as talented and smart as him.

"Especially after I went down with a foot injury, they felt comfortable putting him in over some of the other guys we had," Marshall says, "and I think that was a testament to his football IQ and how hard he worked. When he came in, I knew he was going to be a good player."

In Week 16, Davis' first start, he was a busy man, making eight total tackles. He added six in his second start in Week 17 against the Raiders.

But that promising start wasn't just the product of Davis' hard work alone. Marshall also brought the rookie along with extra instruction, helping him understand defensive plays as best as he could.