Over the past two seasons, the Denver Broncos have sported one of the best defenses in the National Football League. Under the leadership of Vance Joseph, the team has embarked on a significant turnaround since his first year back leading the defense in 2023. They’ve led the NFL and posted franchise record breaking sack numbers in back-to-back years.
In order to achieve their goal of earning a fourth Lombardi Trophy, the defense is going to have to perform impeccably again this season. Leading up
to training camp, here is my ranking of the Broncos’ defensive position groups. Feel free to offer your rankings and reasoning in the comments section.
#1: The Cornerbacks
The Broncos boast the best slate of corners in the NFL. I don’t believe that’s debatable. In fact, I bet every team wishes they had a starting trio of cornerbacks like Denver possesses.
Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, and Ja’Quan McMillian are head and shoulders above the competition. That formidable trio is set to lead the way at the position once again in 2026. After them, Kris Abrams-Draine and Jahdae Barron are good players who would easily start for most any other franchise.
They do a fantastic job at limiting big plays down the field. Denver’s cornerback prowess was a big reason why they ranked second in the NFL in completion percentage and yards per attempt. They tied for fifth in touchdowns allowed and ranked seventh-best in yards per game.
While there were several pick-sixes by the group in ‘25, Denver’s defense only had 10 interceptions for the entire season. That’s something I’m optimistic will change for their upcoming ‘26 gridiron campaign. In fact, I believe they have ability to be one of the best in the league this season if they live up to their potential.
#2: The Edge Rushers
Denver’s group of edge rushers are definitely a big strength. They are a huge reason why the defense was able to put up eye-popping sack totals in ‘24 and ‘25. However, I have them just a smidge behind the cornerbacks in the overall positional group rankings.
There is no doubt fifth-year pro Nik Bonitto is the top player within the unit. After posting 27.5 sacks the past two seasons, Bonitto has earned two Pro-Bowl nods and is well on his way to an All-Pro honor in the future. His get-off at the line of scrimmage is amongst the league’s best. Moreover, his astounding 20-percent pressure rate is something Defensive Coordinator’s dream of with their edge rushers.
While I’m high the trio of Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson, and Dondrea Tillman, the potential absence of Jonathon Cooper—at least for a portion of the season due to off the field issues—could become an issue. Cooper has been an underrated performer for the team. While his sack numbers waned down the stretch, his pressure rate of nearly 14-percent is Top 20 at the position.
Can Denver’s group of edge rushers pave the way for them to lead the league in sacks for a third straight season? I think so, but I wonder more if they have what it takes to get more sacks than they did last season. If so, that would be quite the accomplishment.
#3: The Defensive Line
The departure of John Franklin-Myers to the Tennessee Titans is the main reason I have Denver’s defensive line group ranked third. Even with Franklin-Myers gone, they still have one top-tier performer at the position. Zach Allen is one of the team’s best players and one of the most underrated defensive trench players in the NFL. He’ll lead the way for the group upfront and is poised to have another dominant season.
Outside of Allen, I do like the depth they have. Nose tackle D.J. Jones has been a solid and reliable defender for the team since signing with them several seasons ago. Malcolm Roach was a good addition in last year’s free agent cycle. Fourth-year pro Eyioma Uwazurike could be a breakout candidate for the team this year and will be first in line to help offset the loss of Franklin-Myers.
The big question is how well and how much Sai’vion Jones and Tyler Onyedim will play this year. The franchise’s third round picks the past two drafts, both have tantalizing traits and pass rushing skills. But will they be able to flash enough in camp to show they are worthy of significant snaps this year? I can’t wait to find out.
#4: Safety
I don’t consider the safety position to be a liability. It’s just that the three aforementioned positions have superior production, impact, and talent levels. Nevertheless, both Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga are quality starters and are certainly an underrated backend duo.
My big question is the depth behind them. In the event either Jones or Hufanga were to miss time, the Broncos would be banking on players with mostly special team’s experience to take over and start. However, potentially sliding Jahdae Barron back there could also be a part of the equation.
Devon Key is an All-Pro player on special teams. Boasting top-tier physical traits, JL Skinner has been a mainstay on special teams the past few years, but very little experience in games defensively. Tycen Anderson, the free agent signing from the Cincinnati Bengals, has virtually the same story as Skinner. Miles Scott was a ballhawk at Illinois, though is still a virtual unknown as a late-round rookie selection.
#5: Inside Linebacker
Your mileage may vary, but the position group on defense that concerns me the most is inside linebacker. It’s a shame the Dre Greenlaw experiment didn’t pan out. I was cautiously optimistic about the signing, but in the end, his inability to stay healthy was the primary culprit in his early exit from the Mile High City.
Given such, Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad will be the Broncos’ starting tandem on the inside. This was one area I thought they may have been aggressive in free agency upgrading. Yet continuity and knowledge of the defensive system meant a lot to the coaching staff and front office.
Outside of Singleton and Strnad, Denver’s group of inside linebackers doesn’t have a lot of NFL experience—especially when it comes to starting. Five players, most all of them UDFAs from the past several years, will be vying for several backup spots on the roster.
Jordan Turner, Levelle Bailey, Karene Reid, Red Murdock, and Taurean York will be in a fierce competition. That just might be the most heated position battle in all of training camp. These players won’t just be looking to prove themselves on special teams, they will be given the opportunity to show they have what it takes to start if called upon.
