The Broncos’ 2025 defense had the kind of year that usually gets buried under one number: points allowed. That’s still the stat that matters most, and Denver finished third in the league there, giving up 311 points - 18.3 per game. That tied the 2024 total exactly, and it matched the same third-place finish from the year before.
That kind of consistency is rare, and for the Broncos it put this unit in some notable company. The only time in franchise history Denver finished first in points allowed was 1989.
The Broncos have finished second only twice, in 1978 and 1984. If the 2026 group wants to take a real step forward, that’s the lane: first or second in points allowed.
There’s a broader statistical case for optimism, too. Last season, Denver actually led the NFL in yards allowed per play at 4.46.
Seattle was next at 4.56. The league average play from scrimmage gained 5.33 yards, so the Broncos were operating well below the norm.
Since the merger, the best YPP defense was the 1970 Minnesota Vikings at 3.44, and the only team from this century in the top 40 is the 2008 Steelers at 3.90. Denver’s 2025 mark ranked 17th best this century, while the 2015 Broncos came in 11th at 4.39.
The full picture says this was an elite defense in a lot of areas. Denver ranked seventh in percent of drives ending in a score at 34.6%, sixth in passer rating allowed at 78.7, first in sacks with 68, first in QB pressures by SIS with 394, second in QB pressure rate at 30.5%, second in yards allowed per carry at 3.87, second in third-down conversions allowed at 33.8%, and fourth in ANYA at 4.7.
But there were still two places where the Broncos can squeeze out more in 2026: turnovers and tackles for loss.
The turnover numbers were the glaring dip. Denver forced just 14 turnovers, which ranked 26th, after being one of the league’s best in 2024.
The Broncos didn’t record a strip sack until the final week of the regular season, even though they led the league in sacks. They had 10 interceptions and recovered only four fumbles, with nine forced fumbles.
In 2024, they had 15 interceptions and recovered 10 fumbles, with 12 forced fumbles.
The tackle-for-loss production also left room for growth. Nik Bonitto led the team with 14, Jonathon Cooper had 8, and John Franklin-Myers paced the defensive line with 6.
The inside linebacker group - Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, and Dre Grenlaw - struggled to diagnose run plays and get behind the line. Strnad led that trio with five TFL, Singleton had three, and the source material notes that three tackles for loss on 1,029 is “amazingly bad,” calling it his worst career season.
The rest of the TFL list shows where the production came from: Talanoa Hufanga had 6, Ja’Quan McMillian had 5, Jonah Elliss had 5, Eyioma Uwazurike had 5, Zach Allen had 4, and DJ Jones had 4. For context, the source points out that elite inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks had 13 tackles for loss last season, while Myles Garrett led the league with 33. It also notes that Alex Singleton had the same number of tackles for loss as Riley Moss and Que Robinson, even though cornerbacks usually don’t get many chances there and Robinson played 150 defensive snaps - about one-seventh of Singleton’s workload.
So the Broncos defense has a clear foundation. The pressure was relentless, the run defense was strong, and the overall efficiency was excellent.
If 2026 brings a jump, it likely won’t come from one dramatic overhaul. It’ll come from turning more of those sacks into turnovers and getting more disruption behind the line.
In Other News...
Broncos May Already Have A Favorite For Their Biggest Defensive Hole
John Franklin-Myers move to Tennessee left a real opening in Denvers defensive front, and the Broncos did not wait around to address it. They traded back into the third round and used the 101st pick on Saivion Jones with that exact kind of vacancy in mind, a move that now looks even more pointed as the team sorts through its options for 2026.
Jones is in the mix with Eyioma Uwazurike and Tyler Onyedim for the snaps that Franklin-Myers once handled, and the early edge appears to belong to the rookie. He has a year of experience under his belt, has turned heads in practice, and brings the kind of nonstop motor coaches tend to notice quickly, which is why this spot already feels like his to lose even before the competition is settled. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Could Make A Defensive Move Fans Never Saw Coming
After a run to the AFC Championship Game, Denver spent the offseason mostly standing pat, with the biggest splash being the addition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. That quiet approach has left plenty of room for speculation about what the Broncos might do next, especially on a roster that already looks close enough to contend but still has a few expensive decisions looming.
One of the more surprising ideas floating around involves the secondary, where Riley Moss has emerged as a steady starter and Jahdae Barron gives Denver a first-round insurance policy if the front office wants to get ahead of the curve. Moss has been productive enough to matter in any conversation about the defense, but the Broncos may still have to weigh whether keeping the current setup is the best long-term play. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Linked To Tough Call On Beloved Weapon Amid Win-Now Push
The Broncos offseason overhaul at receiver has created one of the more interesting roster puzzles in the league, and Marvin Mims has ended up right in the middle of it. With Jaylen Waddle now in the mix alongside Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant, Denver suddenly has more pass-catching talent than obvious snaps, which is exactly the kind of problem a win-now team expects to have and still hates to solve.
Mims remains too useful to dismiss, especially because of what he brings on special teams, but that also makes him a tricky piece to move if the Broncos decide they need to balance the roster elsewhere. The question hanging over Denver is whether it can afford to keep all of its top weapons in place while chasing a Super Bowl, or whether one of those receivers becomes the price of tightening the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]