Mile High Report
Over the past two seasons, the Denver Broncos have sported one of the best defenses in the National Football League. Under the leadership of Vance Joseph, the team has embarked on a significant turnaround since his first year back leading the defense in 2023. They’ve led the NFL and posted franchise record breaking sack numbers in back-to-back years.
In order to achieve their goal of earning a fourth Lombardi Trophy, the defense is going to have to perform impeccably again this season. Leading up to training camp, here is my ranking of the Broncos’ defensive position groups. Feel free to offer your rankings and reasoning in the comments section.
The Broncos boast the best slate of corners in the NFL. I don’t believe that’s debatable. In fact, I bet every team wishes they had a starting trio of cornerbacks like Denver possesses.
Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, and Ja’Quan McMillian are head and shoulders above the competition. That formidable trio is set to lead the way at the position once again in 2026. After them, Kris Abrams-Draine and Jahdae Barron are good players who would easily start for most any other franchise.
They do a fantastic job at limiting big plays down the field. Denver’s cornerback prowess was a big reason why they ranked second in the NFL in completion percentage and yards per attempt. They tied for fifth in touchdowns allowed and ranked seventh-best in yards per game.
While there were several pick-sixes by the group in ‘25, Denver’s defense only had 10 interceptions for the entire season. That’s something I’m optimistic will change for their upcoming ‘26 gridiron campaign. In fact, I believe they have ability to be one of the best in the league this season if they live up to their potential.
Denver’s group of edge rushers are definitely a big strength. They are a huge reason why the defense was able to put up eye-popping sack totals in ‘24 and ‘25. However, I have them just a smidge behind the cornerbacks in the overall positional group rankings.
There is no doubt fifth-year pro Nik Bonitto is the top player within the unit. After posting 27.5 sacks the past two seasons, Bonitto has earned two Pro-Bowl nods and is well on his way to an All-Pro honor in the future. His get-off at the line of scrimmage is amongst the league’s best. Moreover, his astounding 20-percent pressure rate is something Defensive Coordinator’s dream of with their edge rushers.
While I’m high the trio of Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson, and Dondrea Tillman, the potential absence of Jonathon Cooper—at least for a portion of the season due to off the field issues—could become an issue. Cooper has been an underrated performer for the team. While his sack numbers waned down the stretch, his pressure rate of nearly 14-percent is Top 20 at the position.
Can Denver’s group of edge rushers pave the way for them to lead the league...
