One Thought on Each of the 43 Defensive Players Going Into Camp

[SpringStein]

The Denver Broncos begin training camp next week, and one of the major storylines is whether a defense that was one of the NFL’s best last season can be even more tenacious in 2025.

Ahead of the opening practice, let’s begin with one thought for each of the 43 defensive players the Broncos are expected to bring into camp. You can find the companion piece on the team’s offensive players here.

Kris Abrams-Draine, CB: Broncos general manager George Paton said Abrams-Draine, a fifth-round pick in 2024, was the member of Denver’s rookie class with the most ground to make up heading into training camp last year. By the end of the season, though, the former University of Missouri standout had worked his way onto the field and had an interception in a Week 16 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Broncos have prioritized corner depth, and a second-year progression from Abrams-Draine is a big part of that equation.

Zach Allen, DL: He is the engine that makes Denver’s swarming defensive front go. Allen’s stamina (more snaps played than any defensive lineman in the NFL in 2024) and production (career-high 8.5 sacks last season) make him a three-hour headache for opposing offensive coordinators. A massive contract extension that reflects that impact could soon be on the way.

Levelle Bailey, LB: The absence during the offseason program of rehabbing veterans Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton provided more reps to a group of young linebackers that included Bailey, who made Denver’s initial 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie last season. He’ll have to fight off a handful of undrafted free agents from this year’s class to repeat the feat.

Jahdae Barron, CB: All eyes will be on where the first-round pick lines up. He was slotted nearly everywhere at Texas, sent on blitzes from all angles. Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is no doubt eager to experiment with the team’s newest defensive weapon, but how much will they throw on his plate during camp?

Nik Bonitto, OLB: Broncos head coach Sean Payton raised a few eyebrows in the spring when he said Bonitto, during an All-Pro season in 2024, had “a pitch count that’s borderline too high. We have to be smart about that.” Denver wants to a) keep Bonitto fresh throughout the game; and b) provide talented depth players like Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman more opportunities to rush the passer. Make no mistake, though, Bonitto is the closer. Seven of his career-best 13.5 sacks last season came in the fourth quarter.

JB Brown, ILB: One of three undrafted rookie inside linebackers on Denver’s roster, Brown showed an ability to rush the passer during his final season at Kansas while recording five sacks. Impact as a blitzer is a must at the position inside Joseph’s defense.

Jonathon Cooper, OLB: A career-high in sacks (10.5). A new four-year, $60 million contract. The recipient of the Broncos’ Good Guy Award for his professional dealings with the media. It was a banner year for Cooper in 2024, even if it was somewhat overshadowed by the breakout performances of Allen, Bonitto and Pat Surtain II. Can he take another step forward in Year 5?

Jonah Elliss, OLB: As miserable as a 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs was for the Broncos, it was even more so for Elliss. The young pass rusher suffered a fractured scapula during the game and spent the early part of his offseason rehabbing. He was on the field during OTAs and minicamp, though, and should be a full participant when the contact portions of training camp begin. That’s good news for a player coming off an impressive, five-sack campaign as a rookie.

Andrew Farmer, OLB: Farmer was on Denver’s practice squad for most of last season and signed a futures contract with the team in January. The 25-year-old last appeared in an NFL game in 2023, when he played for the Chargers.

Sam Franklin Jr., S: Franklin’s signing went relatively under the radar this season, in large part because fellow safety Talanoa Hufanga was one of the headliners of Denver’s free-agent class. However, Franklin was an important addition as the Broncos rebuild their special teams operation under new coordinator Darren Rizzi. In 2024, Franklin played 84 percent of the snaps in that phase for the Panthers.

John Franklin-Myers, DL: Will the Broncos find a way to extend Franklin-Myers while also weighing new contracts for marquee players like Allen, Bonitto and wide receiver Courtland Sutton? Time will tell, but there is no doubt about Franklin-Myers’ importance to what the Broncos are trying to do up front this season. He and Allen form one of the NFL’s best interior duos and help free up opportunities for the Broncos’ talented young outside rushers.

Mario Goodrich, CB: One year after signing outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman following a spring season with the United Football League’s Birmingham Stallions, the Broncos went back to that well by signing Goodrich. “He’s a pure man guy with great instincts, great eyes,” said Zach Potter, the former Stallions general manager who signed Goodrich ahead of the 2024 season. Goodrich has a tough path to the active roster at a deep cornerback position, but the Broncos saw something they like after closely evaluating the UFL once again this season.

Dre Greenlaw, ILB: Greenlaw did not participate in the offseason program after suffering a quad injury while working out on his own in April. But the veteran linebacker, who is expected to be fully cleared for training camp, was nonetheless a steady presence at OTAs and minicamps, absorbing from the sideline and interacting with new teammates. How quickly Greenlaw can adjust to Joseph’s defense and become the game-altering presence in the middle of the scheme the Broncos have long coveted is one of the key storylines in camp.

Matt Henningsen, DL: After playing in all 34 games across his first two seasons, Henningsen, a sixth-round pick in 2022, was left off Denver’s active roster last season and spent the year on the team’s practice squad. The Broncos have since added another defensive lineman in third-round pick Sai’vion Jones out of LSU, only intensifying the battle for depth spots at the position.

Talanoa Hufanga, S: His impact on Denver’s defense has already been easy to spot. Hufanga gives the Broncos a more vocal presence in the back end of their defense, one that could be heard above the clanking and clattering of construction at the Broncos’ training facility during OTAs and minicamp. As fellow safety Brandon Jones put it: “(Hufanga) is always asking questions and flying around the ball, so it’s been fun.”

 

[SpringStein]

Jordan Jackson, DL: After spending his first two NFL seasons on practice squads (Saints in 2022; Broncos in 2023), Jackson made Denver’s active roster out of camp last year and then played in all 17 games while playing 27 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. He’ll nonetheless have a tough battle for a roster spot after the Broncos brought back every member of last year’s defensive line and added Jones, the third-round rookie.

Brandon Jones, S: He had three interceptions, 10 pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery during his first season with the Broncos in 2024. Jones now has more familiarity with Denver’s defense and a new back-end partner in Hufanga. “Both of us are really good at multitasking,” Jones said. “We can do a lot of different things, whatever is asked of us. We can just have a lot of freedom and feel comfortable with whoever goes down in certain situations. We have a lot of faith and trust in each other. I think that goes a long way.”

D.J. Jones, DL: Much of Jones’ work on the interior of Denver’s defensive line may go unnoticed, but the Broncos placed major value on it when they signed the 30-year-old to a new three-year, $39 million contract just before the start of free agency that came with $26 million guaranteed. “He’s important to what we do both in the run and the passing game,” Payton said of Jones. “I consider him a leader and a really good football player.”

Sai’vion Jones, DL: Jones is long and rangy at 6-foot-5 and 289 pounds, and he was consistently disruptive with that size during the offseason program. Training camp should give a glimpse of how quickly Jones can get up to speed physically as he tries to become an impactful piece of Denver’s defensive line rotation in Year 1.

Devon Key, S: Key played in all 18 games for the Broncos last season, including the playoff loss in Buffalo, and started two contests in place of the injured P.J. Locke. He has two years of experience with Joseph’s defense, but can he make his way to the roster at a position that became even more crowded with the additions of Hufanga and Franklin?

P.J. Locke, S: Locke underwent spinal fusion surgery during the offseason, a development he revealed in a video published to his YouTube channel earlier this month. The video gave insight into the degree of pain Locke dealt with last season while taking over a starting safety position in Denver’s defense. Though Locke is no longer slotted as a starter after the addition of Hufanga, he’ll provide critical depth at the position.

Damarri Mathis, CB: Mathis started 11 games as a rookie for the Broncos in 2022, but that number was cut to six in 2023 and just one in 2024 as the Broncos turned to second-year player Riley Moss as the starter opposite Pat Surtain. The Broncos have added Barron and Goodrich to the group at cornerback. Mathis can’t be counted out in the battle for a roster spot with his experience, but he’ll need a strong training camp.

Ja’Quan McMillian, CB: McMillian has been Denver’s starting nickel for most of the past two seasons. He has produced four interceptions in that span, including a game-clinching pick-six against the Browns last season, and 15 pass breakups. He has also forced three fumbles (two recoveries) and has three sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Even with that impressive ball production, McMillian’s role could change after the Broncos used their first-round pick on Barron, who could start his NFL career at the nickel spot.

Jordan Miller, NT: Miller spent all of last season on Denver’s practice squad. He got extra work this offseason as a participant in Denver’s rookie minicamp. It will be interesting to see what kind of preseason impact the 6-3, 307-pound nose tackle can make now that he has a year of experience in Joseph’s scheme.

Riley Moss, CB: The Broncos missed Moss late last season when he was out three games with a knee injury he suffered during a Week 12 win against the Raiders. Denver to that point in the season was tied for first in defensive EPA (expected points added) per dropback, according to TruMedia. From Week 13 through the end of the season, the Broncos dropped to 15th. The Broncos are eager to see what kind of leap the 2023 third-round pick can make as he enters his second season as a starter.

Quinton Newsome, CB: After five years at Nebraska, Newsome signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent last year and spent the season on Denver’s practice squad. He’ll be competing with newcomers like Goodrich and undrafted free agents Jaden Robinson and Joshua Pickett for reps in camp.

Joshua Pickett, CB: Pickett had one interception and seven passes deflected during his final season at Duke in 2024. He’ll need to make an impact on special teams to have a shot at making the roster.

Karene Reid, ILB: When the Broncos signed Reid as an undrafted free agent in late April, he became the fifth former University of Utah player to join Denver’s active roster. He was a college teammate with three of the others: Elliss, wide receiver Devaughn Vele and rookie tight end Caleb Lohner.

Malcolm Roach, DL: Roach’s big personality and vocal leadership made an even bigger impact on Denver’s locker room than the team expected when it signed him as a free agent last year. He has also developed into one of the league’s better run-stoppers on the interior of the defensive line.

Que Robinson, OLB: The fourth-round pick out of Alabama had an impressive offseason program. There are plenty of necessary caveats, namely the lack of contact that occurs in the settings of OTAs and minicamp. But Robinson’s burst off the ball, which had him taking up residence in Denver’s backfield during team drills, is still an encouraging place to start.

Drew Sanders, ILB: He is one of the players I’m most intrigued to watch during camp. Sanders has dealt with injuries and position changes that have made it hard to get a true sense of his progress. But he’s healthy, cemented into the inside linebacker spot and should get ample reps there during training camp. This is a big month ahead for the 2023 third-round pick.

Alex Singleton, ILB: After tearing his ACL last September, Singleton’s rehab has him ready to be cleared for training camp. The Broncos will be wise as they handle the 31-year-old’s workload — he’d probably be due for an off day here or there even if he wasn’t returning from injury — but all signs point toward Singleton and Greenlaw being ready to go as the veteran duo that will be critical to Denver’s hopes of taking another step forward defensively.

 

[SpringStein]

JL Skinner, S: Skinner had a great year on special teams in 2024, and making a similar impact in Rizzi’s new operation will be his best way to make a roster that is deeper at safety than it was when last season ended.

Keidron Smith, S: He made the Broncos’ initial 53-man roster in 2024 after starring in the preseason and then saw action in nine games, primarily on special teams. Smith will need another massive preseason to crack the active roster rotation this time around, given the new additions around him.

Justin Strnad, ILB: Who would have thought that Strnad, a fifth-round pick who missed all of his rookie season with a wrist injury, would be the last member of Denver’s 2020 draft class standing? Strand has stuck around thanks in large part to his special teams acumen, but he proved himself to be a valuable defensive depth piece last season when he filled in for the injured Singleton, finishing with three sacks and 73 tackles.

Pat Surtain II, CB: The NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year spent some of the waning days of his offseason hanging out with Michael Jordan during a Jumpman Brand event in Greece. Surtain is winning on the field and off in a way few 25-year-olds have at his position. Bring on the encore.

Reese Taylor, CB: Taylor, who joined the Broncos’ practice squad midway through the 2023 season, made his NFL debut during a Week 15 win against the Colts last season. As he enters his third season in Joseph’s defense, his experience will be key as he tries to jostle for a depth spot with a host of newcomers at corner.

Dondrea Tillman, OLB: There are few stories on Denver’s roster better than Tillman, who spent four years playing in spring football leagues before signing with the Broncos in 2024. But Tillman, who had five sacks in that debut season, may just be getting started. He gives the Broncos size at the edge position they don’t otherwise have, and should see his opportunities jump in 2025 after playing only 29 percent of Denver’s defensive snaps last season.

Jordan Turner, ILB: Turner made Denver’s offseason roster the hard way, earning his spot after impressing as a tryout player during rookie minicamp in May. He rotated among fellow undrafted linebackers Reid and Brown during the offseason program, a rotation that will continue in training camp.

Delarrin Turner-Yell, S: After tearing his ACL in 2023, Turner-Yell missed all of last season. The 2022 fifth-round pick, who has played in 30 games, is now healthy as he tries to win back a spot in Denver’s crowded safety rotation. One thing working in Turner-Yell’s favor: he’s been a trusted special teams presence when he’s been available.

Eyioma Uwazurike, DL: After returning from a yearlong suspension related to a violation of the NFL’s gambling policy, Uwazurike made Denver’s roster out of camp last season and saw action in four games. He has unique size at 6-6 and 320 pounds and will benefit from the year of experience he gained in Joseph’s system. He and Jackson may be battling for one spot after the Broncos added Sai’vion Jones to the defensive line rotation in the draft.

Johnny Walker Jr.: The outside linebacker rotation will be tough to crack after the Broncos added Robinson to the fearsome four of Bonitto, Cooper, Elliss and Tillman. But the Broncos are nonetheless eager to evaluate Walker, whom they signed as an undrafted free agent after a breakout senior season at Missouri in which he recorded 9.5 sacks.

Kristian Williams, DL: Williams was teammates with Walker and Abrams-Draine at Missouri. He was previously teammates with Bo Nix and Troy Franklin at Oregon. Williams played in 63 college games. He’ll need to draw on all the experience he can to crack one of the NFL’s better defensive line rotations.

 

[SpringStein]

From Nick Kosmider of the Athletic

 

[PumpFake]

Nice, George. Thanks!

 

[BHamita15]

You know what is awesome? Not having to truly worry about the pass rush. The front office prioritizes getting after the QB and is phenomenal at identifying talent that fits the scheme. I would be more surprised if Q. Robinson or Johnny Walker was a straight bust as opposed to them stepping in and playing a solid role.

 

[LGM]

I think Q is going to be a beast.

 

[58crash]

Jonah Elliss, OLB my favorit player picked not named Nix and that saying something ... What a draft we had last year.

 

[58crash]

Thank you SS

 

[PumpFake]

What's the chance Locke is a surprise cut due to his spinal issues? Does that fusion make him more vulnerable?

 

[cdumler7]

What's the chance Locke is a surprise cut due to his spinal issues? Does that fusion make him more vulnerable?

My surprise cut will be Singleton. I've heard they really like some of these young guys and there is some concern that Singleton is not back to 100% yet.

 

[Mountain Bronco]

My surprise cut will be Singleton. I've heard they really like some of these young guys and there is some concern that Singleton is not back to 100% yet.

I would normally be fine with Singleton being a cut candidate as I think his play is very overrated. That said they better really think the younger players are good to go as the injury concern with Greenlaw as the only proven veteran could leave that room thin.

 

[PumpFake]

I would normally be fine with Singleton being a cut candidate as I think his play is very overrated. That said they better really think the younger players are good to go as the injury concern with Greenlaw as the only proven veteran could leave that room thin.

You’ve got to believe ILB is a position FO is still looking to upgrade/supplement

 

[megalodon30]

Alex Singleton walked off the practice field with training staff today.

We may be thin at linebacker and the preseason hasn’t even started yet…

 

[Mountain Bronco]

Supposedly a hand injury, but unless Bailey or others have impressed more depth may be wise.

 

[LGM]

I hear some dude named Jewell is available.

 

[PumpFake]

I hear some dude named Jewell is available.

isn’t he an outlaw?

 

[megalodon30]

Sounds like Singleton has a broken thumb.

 

[Draft Crazy]

My surprise cut will be Singleton. I've heard they really like some of these young guys and there is some concern that Singleton is not back to 100% yet.

Would be insane to cut a team captain/team leader coming out of camp. Very rare. Could be a major issue in the locker room. Not something you do typically see happen right after camp. Of course if he isn't anywhere near 100% that changes thing but if he is close then I don't think this happens. Especially with Sanders going down. Would be shocking.

 

[cdumler7]

Would be insane to cut a team captain/team leader coming out of camp. Very rare. Could be a major issue in the locker room. Not something you do typically see happen right after camp. Of course if he isn't anywhere near 100% that changes thing but if he is close then I don't think this happens. Especially with Sanders going down. Would be shocking.

Well that is why it was going to be a surprise cut. My thought process was geared towards his cap hit compared to dead money, the Broncos needing to save some money for other contracts (like Sutton's they just signed), his injury and not knowing if he is 100% yet, and then also liking some of the younger options we have that I think could be something.

Sanders going down though for sure makes the odds of this surprise cut becoming reality less and less.