The Denver Broncos' defense has lofty goals in 2026. Among them is to break the NFL single-season sack record set by the 1984 Chicago Bears. That record will start with the defensive line, which was one of the more dominant units in the league last fall. One of the biggest question marks going into training camp was how the Broncos
were going to replace the production of the departed John Franklin-Myers.It appears the team has its answer in veteran Malcolm Roach. Left tackle Garett Bolles recently spoke about Roach's role on the defense.
"Roach, he’s a freak of nature for a reason," Bolles said after Tuesday's practice. "There’s a reason why we trust him. He’s caused havoc all camp for us up front. He’s one of those guys that’s just, he’s a slimy
guy, he’s a slippery dude. You have to get your hands on him, or he’s going to slip right behind you and make big-time plays. So I’m grateful he’s in orange and blue, and I don’t have to go against him on Sundays or whenever we play."
You can see Bolles' full remarks and praise of Roach below.
High praise for Malcolm Roach after the work he’s put together throughout Broncos training camp.
— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports) September 1, 2026
Roach has been a problem for Denver’s offense up front, earning some pretty simple praise from the other side of the ball: “He’s a freak of nature for a reason.” pic.twitter.com/taiYeDbIUy
Roach has made several big plays in camp, but he also got too close to the quarterback during practice, knocking down Bo Nix more than once this summer. The Broncos are hoping that remains the case during the regular season.
Coach Sean Payton also complimented Roach's ability to get to the quarterback. "He’s got a lot of juice," Payton said. "A lot of his traits — it’s infectious."
Payton also spoke about Roach's football knowledge, saying it will help Denver against some of the best offensive lines in football this season. "He’s always going to be looking at what he can do a little better, how he can play on third down relative to the rush," Payton continued. "He’s got really good football I.Q. and I think that it kind of shows up on film even at the defensive tackle position.”
The Broncos will begin their season against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 14. Hopefully Roach can produce at a high level in place of JFM.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Broncos have a slimy, slippery ‘freak of nature’ on defensive line
