The Denver Broncos have one of the weakest linebacking groups in the entire NFL.
Now, that is certainly a cause for concern, but it also means opportunities abound for some of the cheap, young, less-defined talents in the room to make a name for themselves.
Who could emerge this season, who’s battling for a roster spot, and what’s next for Drew Sanders? Let’s look.
Position Preview article series so far:
Starter: Alex Singleton
Will He Make The Roster? Alex Singleton is a lock for the final roster, though that has much more to do with the rest of the Denver Broncos’ inside linebackers than it does any sort of remarkable play from the 2022 free-agent signing.
With Josey Jewell out the door and Drew Sanders sidelined for the foreseeable future with an Achilles injury, Singleton stands virtually unquestioned as the best linebacker on the team, and that’s a rough spot to be.
What Will His Projected Role Be? Starting linebacker who seldom comes off the field for the Denver Broncos.
Denver did sign Cody Barton this year, and Jonas Griffith will be an intriguing player to monitor over the next 12-or-so months in regard to Singleton’s future with the franchise, but neither of those talents are likely to seriously challenge Singleton for snaps until November, at the absolute earliest.
What Would Define A Successful Season? Playing close enough to his contract value that the Denver Broncos decide to retain him for 2025 and beyond.
While Singleton is under contract with the Broncos for the next two seasons, Denver stands to save $6 million by cutting him after the season, and the franchise is probably going to be in penny-pinching mode.
If Singleton plays like his 2023 self instead of the 2022 version that earned him that hefty raise, the team is almost certain to part ways and start from scratch at the position.
According to Pro Football Focus, no player in the entire NFL at any position missed more tackles in 2023 than Alex Singleton, and only eight inside linebackers (min. 250 run defense snaps) missed tackles at a higher rate.
He makes up for this some by recording plenty of tackles (he’s led the Denver Broncos in tackles each of the past two seasons), but that still doesn’t change the fact that his ‘batting average’ is one of the worst in the league among players at the position.
Plus, he’s arguably an even bigger liability in coverage. Among linebackers with at least 250 pass coverage snaps in 2023, Singleton was targeted at the third-highest rate and allowed receptions at the third-highest rate. He also has allowed five touchdowns (tied for the most by any inside linebacker), 672 yards (fourth-most by any inside linebacker) and 471 yards after the catch (third-most by any inside linebacker).
He was routinely the Broncos’ worst player coverage, and his run defense was too inconsistent to heap much praise on.
What Questions Does He Still Have To Answer? Was 2022 a complete mirage?
When the Denver Broncos initially signed Alex Singleton in the summer of 2022, the contract ($1.1 million over one year) wasn’t even worth $200,000 more than the veteran minimum. On top of that, just $150,000 of the contract was guaranteed — a paltry sum in the realm of NFL team-building.
One could argue the Broncos just gave Lil’ Jordan Humphrey a more friendly deal than the one they gave Singleton two years ago. That’s the type of player Singleton was perceived to be prior to 2022.
The Broncos could have cut him before the season without thinking twice, and giving themselves that flexibility was no accident.
Then, 2022 happened. Injuries forced Singleton into the starting lineup, and, subsequently, he thrived, earned a fat new contract, and solidified his starting role. But in 2023, he was back to looking like the Alex Singleton the NFL got to know from 2019 through 2021.
If the Broncos get 2023 Singleton again, this will be his last year in the Mile High City.
Starter: Cody Barton
Will He Make The Roster? Yes. The Denver Broncos targeted Barton early in free agency for a reason, and he answers a clear need on their defense — coverage from the linebacker position.
They’re not heavily committed to Barton financially, but it’s extremely difficult to imagine the Broncos not viewing him as a rosterable member of this room.
What Will His Projected Role Be? He will likely be the starter opposite Singleton.
His archetype — the slight, fast, shifty coverage linebacker — meshes well with Singleton’s which is likely why Denver chose to sign him in the first place.
That said, Barton was fairly shaky last year, and the player that most frustrated Washington Commanders fans. Meanwhile, Jonas Griffith had some very exciting flashes in 2021 and 2022. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if the two’s relationship ended up becoming more LB 2a vs. LB 2b, as opposed to LB 2 vs. LB 3.
What Would Define A Successful Season? Earning a raise for 2025, whether that be in Denver or elsewhere.
Barton joined the Broncos on a one-year deal and will be free to test the market again come next offseason. He’s also currently the 55th-highest paid linebacker, easily making him one of the cheapest veteran starters in the sport.
He’d probably like that to change the next time he dips his toe in the waters of free agency.
What Questions Does He Still Have To Answer? Can his prowess as a coverage linebacker make up for his complete inability as a run-defender?
Barton was available for next-to-nothing, despite being a coverage specialist, while seemingly every NFL franchise is looking for coverage linebackers. How could this be?
Barton’s game is very imbalanced, and could be a major liability on early downs — hence why Jonas Griffith could potentially hawk some snaps from him.
Depth: Jonas Griffith
Will He Make The Roster? It’s feels crazy to say this, all things considered, but Jonas Griffith should be a roster lock.
The fact I’m writing that — without any hesistations, concerns or reservations — about a player who ostensibly lost his starting job in 2022, missed all of 2023 with a torn ACL, and could be cut without any real ramifications, speaks volumes about the state of the Broncos’ inside linebackers.
What Will His Projected Role Be? Jonas Griffith should be a special teams ace and the first linebacker off the bench for the Denver Broncos.
Griffith thrived as a special teamer prior to the recent kickoff rule change, and he’s maybe even better suited for the new format with the remarkable athleticism he boasts at his size.
Plus, both of the players ahead of him have some concerns with run defense, an area Griffith has performed pretty well in, so the opportunity should be there for Griffith to get playing time beyond just special teams.
What Would Define A Successful Season? Emerging as one the Denver Broncos’ linebackers of the future.
Alex Singleton will likely be a 2025 spring cut, and every other linebacker in the room (including Griffith) has their contract expiring at the end of this season, save for Drew Sanders, who has little-to-no roster security at this point.
In other words, the Broncos 2025 linebacking corps is wide open, and Griffith is perfectly positioned to make his case for the long-term starting job. One year ago, Singleton turned a low-level contract into generational wealth, earning a 500% salary bump, by having a strong enough season that Denver saw a long-term future with him.
Griffith has the chance to walk that same path now.
What Questions Does He Still Have To Answer? What does he look like after his 2023 ACL tear?
Griffith’s special athleticism wasn’t the entirety of his game, but it was a large part ofit. Without that special ability, it’s hard to picture him carving out a major role for himself.
Depth: Drew Sanders
Will He Make The Roster? Yes, but with an asterisk.
To maneuver the roster the way they’ll likely want to, Sanders will have to make the initial 53-man roster before the Broncos can throw him on injured reserve. As a result, he’ll likely make the roster for a brief moment, before being exiled to the IR.
What Will His Projected Role Be? Who knows what he will be post-injury.
This offseason the Broncos confidently proclaimed they thought he was an edge moving forward, only for them to move him back to linebacker once they exited the draft without any further additions to the position.
Sanders should be a linebacker. It’s his better and more natural position. He also projects to be a plus-athlete at inside linebacker, as opposed to being a highly limited edge-rusher. Thankfully, he likely will remain at linebacker.
Nonetheless, odds are he will have a minuscule role this season.
Sanders was already a raw player who the Denver Broncos didn’t know what to do with. Now, he’s missing out on the overwhelming majority of the offseason and the first several weeks of the season — time when he could have developed and/or the coaching staff could have figured out how to utilize him.
That’s all out the window now and Drew Sanders’ future seems in limbo as a result.
What Would Define A Successful Season? Returning to the field in 2024 and playing at a level that makes it difficult to cut him come 2025.
This is a lofty bar to set for a second-year player who suffered a torn Achilles in May, but the unfortunate reality for Sanders is that his NFL career is now on life support.
Even before the injury, when the Broncos where flip-flopping him between positions and his tape was underwhelming, his outlook was pretty shaky, but the Achilles tear exacerbates that exponentially.
For Sanders to feel good about 2024, he’ll need to put himself in position so that he isn’t terribly anxious about 2025.
What Questions Does He Still Have To Answer? Literally everything.
We don’t know what position this guy will play. We don’t know if he’s a quality NFL player. We don’t know if he’ll see the field this year or ever again for the Denver Broncos. We don’t know his strengths, nor do we know his weaknesses.
He’s a complete enigma.
Drew Sanders Fill-in: Justin Strnad vs. Levelle Bailey vs. Andre Smith
Will They Make The Roster? Although they might not make the ‘initial’ 53-man roster, one of these three will almost definitively be on the Denver Broncos’ roster for Week 1.
When Sanders is placed on injured reserve, or the physically unable to perform list, or wherever else, the Broncos will be in desperate need of linebacker depth, and it’s very hard to imagine them turning to someone who isn’t either Justin Strnad, Andre Smith, or Levelle Bailey.
Strnad should be the favorite. Every coach he’s played for has absolutely adored coaching him and he’s carved out a clear niche for himself as a go-to reserve linebacker and special teamer for the Denver Broncos over the last several seasons.
Smith is the player most likely to knock the incumbent from his perch. Smith has bounced around the league a lot as a special teams player and emergency injury replacement, with six years in the league and 62 games played under his belt.
Levelle Bailey is the unknown commodity as a tantalizing rookie UDFA out of Fresno State. Bailey easily has the worst odds of this group, but him winning the job isn’t hard to imagine at all. Strnad and Smith don’t exactly set a high bar for him to clear.
What Will Their Projected Roles Be? Special teams linebacker and emergency injury replacement. These players are only likely to make the roster in the first place because of Drew Sanders’ injury, so their roles will be minimal, and there’s a good chance they’re relegated if/when Sanders is ready to go.
What Would Define A Successful Season? Whoever makes the Denver Broncos’ roster to replace Drew Sanders can call the season a success.
Earning and retaining a practice squad spot throughout the year would also mark a successful season for Bailey, who is just trying to break into the league.
What Questions Do They Still Have To Answer? Is Strnad a better version of Smith, or just a more familiar one?
The answer to that question will determine who wins the job, barring an upset from Bailey.
Speaking of which, for Bailey, the question is, ‘could this be Denver’s next UDFA gem?’
The opportunity is there for Bailey to snag, so long as he’s up to the challenge.
Longshot: Durell Nchami
Will He Make The Roster? Barring a miracle, no they will not.
At the time of writing this, Durell Nchami is the only player listed as ‘LB’ instead of ‘ILB’, which is rarely a good omen. He’s also a UDFA that failed to make last year’s final roster.
What Will His Projected Roles Be? At best, he’ll manage to snag a job on the Denver Broncos’ practice squad.
What Would Define A Successful Season? If Nchami were to be retained by the Broncos all season on their practice squad, and brought back on some sort of futures deal in 2025, that would be a huge win.
Next offseason, Denver’s linebacker room projects to be wide open. So wide open, in fact, that even a player with Nchami’s profile could stand a chance of making waves.
What Questions Does He Still Have To Answer? Has he developed enough to be worthy of a roster spot?
