The Denver Broncos touted one of the NFL’s best defenses the past two seasons. In back-to-back years, they topped the charts with respect to sacks. Not only that, but they have also greatly improved their run defense. There is no doubt the defensive trenches have played an integral role in Denver’s turnaround the past few seasons.
In order to compete for a championship in 2026, the Broncos’ defensive line will have to perform at high level once again. With John Franklin-Myers departing to the Tennessee
Titans via free agency, Denver will need several of their reserve players from years past to take a big step forward.
One player who can help fill the void of Franklin-Myers vacating the Mile High City is fourth-year defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Uwazurike appeared in just eight games as a rookie and totaled 17 tackles. The following year, he was suspended for the entire season due to betting on various games during his first year in the NFL.
At that point in time, his future with the franchise seemed uncertain. The former Iowa State standout had a small role with the team in 2024. He appeared in 4 games and had just 11 tackles and a half sack. However, he saw a significant uptick in snaps last year with the squad and finished with a career best 39 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
In the final year of his rookie contract, what can we expect from Uwazurike? Let’s discuss.
Player Profile
Age: 28 | Experience: Fourth Year | College: Iowa State | Height: 6’6” | Weight: 320 pounds
2025 Statistics: 17 games played with 1 start. 39 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hits.
Eyioma Uwazurike’s 2026 outlook with the Broncos
The Broncos’ defensive line sports quality depth. Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, and Malcom Roach seem poised to be starters for the team in ’26. Second-year player Sai’vion Jones and rookie Tyler Onyedim are a young tandem competing to help replace the aforementioned Franklin-Myers’ production at defensive end. Though I have a feeling Denver will opt to keep six defensive linemen on the final 53-man roster like they did last season.
Uwazurike’s development last season as well as his impressive traits have him set to be a backup contributor again. He played 409 snaps on defense and another 83 on special teams. His overall snap total on defense was slightly higher than Roach’s, though it’s important to note Roach missed roughly five full games due to injury.
Last season, Uwazurike’s ability to stuff the run was notable. However, I was also impressed with his 10 quarterback pressures and 3.5 sacks. His versatility to play outside at end and kick inside at tackle is an added boost for Denver’s defense.
Final Thoughts
With Franklin-Myers out of the picture, it’s certainly possible Uwazurike gets quite a few more snaps on defense. It’ll be important for Jones and Onyedim to develop and get playing time, but the former fourth-round pick showed last season he could perform well with an increase in reps. He isn’t a top-tier player by any means, but Uwazurike is a valuable backup with a lot of talent and impressive physical attributes that cannot be taught. I’m excited to see how he performs in a contract year.
