The Denver Broncos had one of the best defenses in the NFL last year, and the expectations are for the unit to be even better this year. The Broncos had some apparent weaknesses defensively, but they addressed them in free agency and the NFL draft.
As the Broncos prepare for the 2025 season, the question is: Can this defense be relied upon to be a top-five unit again?
Defensive play can be volatile year to year, especially in coverage and for cornerbacks. Patrick Surtain II is coming off a Defensive Player of the Year award, a feat that is rare for a cornerback to achieve, and he may not be able to replicate that level of play again. However, despite the volatile play of cornerbacks, his age is working in his favor, as is his impressive performance in the NFL.
Surtain is the straw that stirs the drink for the Broncos defense, so everything starts and ends with him. When he plays at a high level, the defense performs well, but when he misses time or has a rough game, the unit can falter.
To capitalize on the defense being a top unit again, the Broncos need Surtain to stay healthy and consistent. Even last year, there were some down games, and the Broncos didn’t have the pieces to cover for it. On paper, that may appear different this year, but is it?
When you have a secondary that may be beat up or struggling in a game, you counter with an intense pass rush up front. The Broncos fielded a very capable pass rush, leading the NFL in sacks, but they lack the consistent home-fun hitter who is a premier player at the position.
Rush linebackers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, as well as defensive ends Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers, are all coming off a career year, and all are great players, but how the Broncos won isn’t easy to replicate due to Vance Joseph’s heavy usage of blitzing.
When the Broncos didn’t blitz, they struggled to generate consistent pressure, let alone sacks. So, when Surtain was off or hurt, and Joseph wasn’t as aggressive with the blitzing up front, the pass rush struggled.
The Broncos lacked a consistent player who could win his one-on-ones consistently without attention being drawn away by a blitz. If the Broncos want to replicate that, they need someone to step up to be that kind of player.
With the additions of safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and cornerback Jahdae Barron as three starting additions to the defense, did the Broncos do enough to bank on replicating the success of the defense?
Well, that’s tricky to answer due to the concerns surrounding Hufanga and Greenlaw, specifically their injuries. If both players can stay on the field and don’t miss a significant amount of time, and by that, I mean more than two or three games, then yes, the Broncos should be able to replicate that success.
One of the issues in the Broncos’ secondary was the injuries they dealt with at cornerback. The Broncos didn’t have the depth to handle the injuries, and while Barron is stepping in as a starter, he also helps the depth at the position. If Riley Moss or Surtain get hurt, Barron moves outside, Ja’Quan McMillian is not an ideal backup nickel corner who can step in and start at nickel.
At safety, the Broncos can use Brandon Jones for what they envisioned him doing when they signed him, thanks to having Hufanga. While P.J. Locke was effective as a depth piece and spot starter, he struggled as a full-time starter in 2024, and his issues led to the Broncos not utilizing Jones as they had intended. Being able to deploy players as intended can help the Broncos maintain a high-level defense, but it all depends on Hufanga’s availability.
When it comes to the linebacker play, the unit was terrible last year. Cody Barton and Justin Strnad were lackluster, and even before Alex Singleton suffered his season-ending injury, his limitations didn’t help. Greenlaw is a coverage linebacker who can work sideline to sideline quite well, which is what the Broncos desperately needed.
Singleton is a fine run defender, especially between the tackles, but he needed the right counterpart, and Greenlaw can be that guy if he is healthy. Like with Hufanga, it all depends on Greenlaw’s health because the linebackers after him on the depth chart don’t provide the same attributes to the defense.
Now, let’s recap in order of necessity. The Broncos need the stability at cornerback, particularly from Surtain; they need their depth pieces to step up if/when needed to allow them to win up front.
The Broncos need that pass rusher to step up and win one-on-ones without the necessity of blitzing, as you saw from Vic Fangio’s Philadelphia defense in the Super Bowl. The safety play must also be consistent and reliable, followed by the linebacker play.
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If the Broncos can check these boxes, you can bank on them being a top-five unit next year. Even if the Broncos aren’t able to do so, they should still be a top-10 unit, at the very least. The Broncos have the pieces and depth, with a scheme that enables success.
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