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Jim Bates this season will trade a bird's-eye view for closer inspection of his new group of players.

The Broncos' first-year assistant head coach/defense has decided to roam the sideline instead of observing games from the press box.

It will mark the first time since Greg Robinson's departure as coordinator after the 2000 season that the Broncos' defensive boss will be on the sideline. Ray Rhodes and Larry Coyer watched from the higher vantage point the past six seasons.

Bates, who's widely known for an enthusiastic coaching style, resided in the booth during his five-year tenure as a Miami Dolphins assistant. But that approach changed when he took over as interim coach for the final seven games in 2004.

"Just the feel of the players, the body language of the players, seeing their eyes. You can't see that in the box," Bates said recently. "You don't know the feeling of the players. On the field, you get a different feel for where your players are at and direct communication with them. I like that."

Being at field level doesn't provide some of the big-picture views the press box affords.

So communication through coaching headsets has to be strong between the box and field in making defensive adjustments.

"I feel good about the guys in the box," Bates said of the Broncos' current defensive staff.

That group will be led by Bob Slowik, the team's coordinator who oversees the secondary.

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