The Denver Broncos sported a strong defense for most of their 2025 season. They led the National Football League in sacks, boasted a great red zone defense, and did a good job limiting the points opposing offenses scored on a weekly basis. It was certainly a strength of the team, but there is certainly room improvement for them moving forward.
With Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph returning, the Broncos certainly won’t experience a significant change in scheme. However, it remains to be seen who they bring in to replace Addison Lynch, their defensive backs coach who was fired, as well as Jim Leonhard, their defensive passing game coordinator.
I don’t expect and significant shakeups in the secondary. The team is poised to return all of its key defensive backs for 2026. Though I believe the team will be focusing on ways to generate more turnovers with the players they have on the backend of their defense.
Truth be told, very few significant needs exist on the defensive side of the ball. They have good starters and depth at most all position groups. Yet the situation at inside linebacker is the most significant. Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are set to hit free agency. And outside of them, there isn’t much depth that has viable NFL experience you can count on moving forward.
Singleton played 1,029 defensive snaps, 98-percent this past season. While he amassed 135 tackles, only three of those were for loss. His miss tackle percentage was 8.2-percent. With respect to coverage numbers, he allowed 628 yards and 77-percent of passes thrown his way to be completed and gave up four touchdowns.
Singleton is hoping to be back. Though it is currently unknown if the feeling is mutual with the front office. While the 32-year-old veteran has made a fair share of big plays in Denver, he has been a liability in pass coverage and a player opposing offenses target in the passing game on a weekly basis. It’s simply an area the Broncos need to get better at defensively.
With Dre Greenlaw being limited due to injuries and playing in just eight games, Strnad was second on the team in snaps at linebacker with 575—nearly 52-percent of the team’s defensive snaps. I felt he made the most of his opportunities and performed well as a pressure player on blitzes. Given his experience in Joseph’s system, it would be nice to have him back. However, he made his free agency desires clear—he wants a multi-year deal and to be a starter.
All things considered, the Broncos may very well encounter a situation where they move on from both their highest snap-share players at the position this offseason. They are certainly hoping Greenlaw can make more of an impact in ‘26. All of us across Broncos Country share that same vision. Unfortunately, his lengthy injury history suggests banking on him to be the guy manning the middle of their defense might be quite the gamble.
With a strong slate of free agents set to hit the market alongside a loaded draft class at the position, the Broncos’ inside linebacking rooms appears to be one of the position groups destined to be revamped this offseason. In my opinion, they need to find a capable starter in free agency with ample NFL experience. But spending an early-round selection to reforge the unit long-term would be wise too. Outside of a few UDFA players the past few cycles, they don’t have much depth there.
Changes can be hard, but in order for Denver’s defense to take the next step forward, finding immediate and long-term upgrades at inside linebacker is a must. That’s why pursuing additions in free agency and the draft has to be a priority for the Broncos this offseason.