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\n\t\t\t\tPat Surtain II still headlines the Broncos defense after winning Defensive Player of the Year last season. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Englewood, Colo. \u2014 Broncos coach Sean Payton didn\u2019t get the best look at Talanoa Hufanga\u2019s acrobatic interception, but the 61-year-old saw enough to use the slang word \u201csick\u201d to describe the hard-to-believe play.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Safety Brandon Jones also called it \u201csick\u201d and instantly knew Hufanga was the one leaping a few feet off the ground to nab Bo Nix\u2019s first pick of training camp because Hufanga\u2019s long hair was sticking out from his helmet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was in the middle of the field when it happened, breaking on the ball,\u201d Jones told Sports Illustrated after Friday\u2019s practice. \u201cI look and I see somebody looking like Tarzan, jumping in the sky. Bro, it was crazy. It was a sick, sick play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Payton was impressed that Hufanga had the awareness to defend the pass after initially playing the run on the RPO play. After trusting his instincts, Hufanga used his athleticism to make the sensational play, showing that he\u2019s ready to make an impact on his new team after back-to-back injury-riddled seasons with the 49ers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI bet it was eight yards [out], so to be able to go up and catch that with a crowded look in front of him it was \u2026 I\u2019m anxious to see it on film,\u201d Payton said. \u201cI saw it from behind the line of scrimmage. \u2026 That play was sick.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last summer, the Broncos\u2019 defense was overlooked, partly because of the notion that All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II didn\u2019t have enough help. Now, newcomers Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron are joining a crowded defense, one that has the potential of being the best in the league.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
There\u2019s plenty of hype on defensive coordinator Vance Joseph\u2019s unit partly because many players made a name for themselves last year, including edge rushers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper and cornerback Riley Moss and Jones.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There\u2019s depth in all three phases of the defense, and it bodes well that players don’t mind coming off the bench to help the team compete for a Super Bowl. Veteran defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, who\u2019s playing behind Zach Allen, D.J. Jones and John Franklin-Myers, joked with reporters on Friday that he wants to be his team\u2019s version of Lou Williams, the former NBA standout who made a living coming off the bench.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Star power is not a problem heading into this season, but Jones said the defense\u2019s underdog mentality hasn\u2019t changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019ve always had that underdog mentality and even this year, which I appreciate,\u201d Jones says. \u201cWe\u2019ve made a name for ourselves based on what we were able to do last year, but I think we\u2019re going into this year with still having that same underdog mentality, and really, as hungry as ever. \u2026 It\u2019s a very feisty, hungry group.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year, the largely unproven Broncos\u2019 defense only allowed 18.3 points per game, produced 25 takeaways and generated a league-high 63 sacks. With the offseason additions, the numbers could be even better in 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hufanga, the 2022 first-team All-Pro, appears healthy and could give the secondary another playmaker. Barron was somewhat of a surprise pick at No. 20 because Denver was set at cornerback with Surtain and Moss, but his ability to play inside and outside was too enticing for the team to pass on.<\/p>\n
The Broncos rolled the dice on Greenlaw, the former standout of the 49ers who\u2019s still working his way back from tearing his Achilles tendon during the Super Bowl a year and a half ago. Greenlaw hasn\u2019t practiced the past few days and has dealt with injuries this offseason, but if he manages to reach his top form again, the Broncos could have one of the biggest steals from free agency. And with a loaded front, Denver could afford to take a chance on Greenlaw, who formed a dominant linebacker duo with Fred Warner for many years in San Francisco.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Having talented players certainly helps, but what truly has this defense confident heading into this season is the work they\u2019ve received on the daily going against Payton\u2019s offense, which is filled with versatile skill players.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Sean\u2019s offense is unique,\u201d Jones says. \u201cThe style, the way he does it, a lot of motions, putting a lot of different bodies in different positions. Adding Evan [Engram], he\u2019s like a tight end, but runs routes as fast as a receiver. It makes us better at the end of the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of weapons. If we\u2019re able to master it and we\u2019re able to make plays on defense against an offense like this it will be that much easier when the season starts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Best thing I saw: Hufanga\u2019s impressive instincts\u00a0<\/p>\n
No play was going to top Hufanga\u2019s leaping interception.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not only did Payton use a slang word to describe it, he compared the memorable play to what Hall-of-Fame safeties have done on the field.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe best safeties that are in the Hall of Fame, the traits are always instincts and football smarts,\u201d Payton said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to be real effective at that position if you don\u2019t have those high football instincts, and certainly he [Hufanga] brings that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tPat Surtain II still headlines the Broncos defense after winning Defensive Player of the Year last season. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Best thing I heard: Surtain might not be human<\/p>\n
Surtain also had an impressive interception after efficiently moving to the right corner of the end zone to grab the deep pass from Nix.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At this point, nothing Surtain does on the field surprises his teammates, but they haven\u2019t taken his physical gifts for granted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s like the most fundamentally sound player that I\u2019ve played with and it\u2019s from a play-to-play basis,\u201d says Jones, the sixth-year veteran who played his first four seasons with the Dolphins. \u201cNever taking any false steps, he glides \u2026 he\u2019s almost like not real. He glides when he runs, technically sound.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just does everything right, and at the same time, he\u2019s super humble. One of the best human beings ever. He is definitely a one of one person.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rookies who impressed: Bryant, Harvey seeing plenty of action\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Rookies Pat Bryant, the third-round wide receiver, and RJ Harvey, the second-round running back, have seen plenty of action with the first-team offense.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bryant caught a pretty downfield pass from Nix that drew cheers from Broncos fans. Harvey had a few positive runs despite a somewhat sloppy day from the offense.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Veteran who impressed: Franklin\u2019s strong camp<\/p>\n
Payton\u2019s eyes lit up when a reporter mentioned second-year wideout Troy Franklin. Expect Franklin to see snaps and compete with a deep receiving corps that includes Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Devaughn Vele and Bryant. <\/p>\n
More NFL on Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n