The Broncos have been handed a new free-agent suggestion at inside linebacker, but the timing makes it hard to see Denver acting on it.
Moe Moton named Bobby Wagner as a fit for the Broncos, pointing to a defense that already ranked among the league’s best in 2025. Denver allowed the third-fewest points and the second-fewest yards, but Moton argued the team could still upgrade at inside linebacker.
He pointed to Justin Strnad’s growth as a rotational defender, noting his 131 tackles, 13 for loss, 7.5 sacks, six pass breakups and an interception over the last two seasons, while also highlighting that Strnad has started only 21 of 83 games in five campaigns. He also cited Alex Singleton’s work in run support, but said Singleton allowed four touchdowns and a 122.9 passer rating in coverage last year.
Moton’s case for Wagner was straightforward. At 36, the six-time All-Pro still showed enough in coverage to help, finishing last season with four pass breakups and two interceptions while allowing an 89.5 passer rating in coverage. In Moton’s view, Wagner would “solidify the Broncos' front seven” and could line up with Strnad while pushing Singleton into a backup role.
But Denver’s current linebacker room makes that idea feel outdated. The Broncos re-signed Singleton and Strnad this offseason, then added only a seventh-round pick and an undrafted free agent at the position.
Since then, Red Murdock and Taurean York have flashed this summer, while Karene Reid and Levelle Bailey are also in the mix. Jonah Elliss could still see snaps there in certain packages, too.
That’s why Wagner feels like a name that would have made more sense earlier in the offseason, before Denver filled out the room. The Broncos also passed on the top ILB free agents available, and they even cut Dre Greenlaw after just one season.
Wagner’s résumé still speaks for itself, and nobody is questioning his place as a future Hall of Famer. The issue for Denver is simple: at this point, adding him would likely mean bumping aside one of the younger linebackers the team has been developing, and the Broncos seem more likely to stick with the group they already built.
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