The Denver Broncos may have their two starting inside linebackers back, but that doesn’t make the position feel secure. If anything, the room still looks shaky once you get past the top two names.
Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad were brought back in March because they were the Broncos’ best starting duo a year ago. That said, the pairing comes with real limitations.
Singleton has long been a problem in coverage and often needs a safety nearby to cover for him, which can leave another part of the defense exposed. Missed tackles have been part of that same issue.
Strnad is better when asked to drop into coverage, but he has struggled against the run, which is why Denver ended up using him and Dre Greenlaw in different roles, with Greenlaw handling rushing downs and Strnad on passing downs.
It will be worth watching whether Denver leans into something similar this season, possibly as part of the inside linebacker package Sean Payton has been talking about for Jonah Elliss.
Behind the starters, the depth chart gets thin fast. Levelle Bailey and Jordan Turner are the only backups with any real experience in the building, and even they are still trying to carve out larger roles. Bailey is heading into his third year, while Turner is entering his second, and both have already appeared in regular-season games for Denver.
Then come the rookies, and that’s where things get even more uncertain. Red Murdock, the final pick in the draft, and Taurean York, the undrafted fan favorite, are both in the mix for roster spots and practice-squad jobs.
Murdock built a reputation in college as a player who could force fumbles, something Denver could use after struggling to create takeaways last season. York, meanwhile, is listed at 5-foot-10 and about 220-226 pounds, and the source material makes clear the concerns: he was poor in coverage in college, and his size makes him a tricky fit as a downhill run defender at the NFL level.
That said, both rookies have a real shot once camp opens because the Broncos’ depth at inside linebacker is so thin and so unproven. Reid is the only backup spot that looks even remotely settled after he earned the fourth and final inside linebacker job last year as an undrafted rookie.
The bigger picture is hard to ignore. Denver has concerns at the position from top to bottom, and while starting-caliber linebackers are still available in free agency, the Broncos don’t appear to be chasing starting help.
What they may need, though, is someone who can simply stabilize the depth. Right now, the team is leaning on a rookie taken last in the draft and a handful of recent undrafted players, and one injury could throw the whole position into chaos.
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What makes the conversation around Denver so interesting is where the roster is strongest and where it still feels unfinished. ESPN pointed to the offensive line as a clear asset, but tight end remains the spot that could keep the Broncos from looking complete, with Evan Engram coming off a season in which his role never fully matched the expectations around him. For a team trying to chase a Super Bowl run in a loaded division, that kind of imbalance is exactly the sort of detail that will keep the AFC West debate going. [Read more 🡒]