The Denver Broncos defense is looking insanely good next season. This might be the best football team they’ve had since 2015.
The Denver Broncos shocked the fanbase with their first round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They ignored the needs on offense and went straight to the defensive side of the ball picking Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron with the 20th overall selection. That’s yet another chess piece for Vance Joseph to add to a defense that already finished among the NFL’s best last season.
With their free agent signings, the Broncos defense is looking damn scary. Just looking over the projected starting 11 guys and while there are weak links, they are minor at best. Minor because the talent around those weak links should overcome.
- LDE, Zach Allen
- NT, D.J. Jones
- RDE, John Franklin-Myers
- EDGE, Jonathon Cooper
- EDGE, Nik Bonitto
- ILB, Dre Greenlaw
- ILB, Alex Singleton
- CB, Pat Surtain II
- CB, Riley Moss
- NB, Jahdae Barron
- S, Talanoa Hufanga
- S, Brandon Jones
This is an unheralded group too. Barron will become just the second first round pick among this projected group of starters, with Patrick Surtain II being the other one. And if you look to the first two rounds, only Nik Bonitto would join the group and he was at the tail end of that round.
Yet, the Broncos front office is finding talent at every level. Half of their starters were drafted by them and the other half were found in free agency — often when few other teams were looking. I’m loving it. The older I get the more I enjoy good defensive football and the Broncos are looking prime for another fun season on defense.
Bring on Day 2 of the draft. Let’s see what else Payton and Paton have in store for us!