The Broncos’ Week 1 loss to the Chiefs didn’t just expose problems. It put a spotlight on the one area that looked the most vulnerable from the jump: linebacker.
Denver got little relief in that group, and Alex Singleton was again at the center of it. He missed plenty of tackles and, in the source’s view, kept showing the same troubling signs that have followed him since returning from the torn ACL he suffered during the 2024 NFL season. The Broncos’ decision not to address the position more aggressively in the offseason already looks worse after one game.
That’s why a familiar name has entered the conversation. Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton, a former Bronco, may already be sliding toward availability, and Denver has at least reason to check whether a move is possible.
Titans expert Justin Melo pointed to Barton as a Week 1 loser for Tennessee and laid out why the veteran could be vulnerable:
“Cody Barton, LB
Veteran Titans linebacker was grossly outplayed by rookie Anthony Hill Jr., who notched a team-high 16 tackles. Remember that Hill was only starting because Cedric Gray failed to clear concussion protocol in time for Week 1. Coach Saleh recently confirmed that Gray has been cleared for Week 2.
The Titans should absolutely move forward with a pairing of Gray and Hill at linebacker. Pro Football Focus credited Barton with just two takedowns and one missed tackle. The aging Barton has looked a step slow since the preseason, and he's definitely in danger of losing his starting gig to Hill.” - Justin Melo
That setup matters because Tennessee appears to have younger options moving in the right direction. Anthony Hill Jr. produced right away, and Cedric Gray gives the Titans another ascending piece at the position. If the Titans are comfortable with that pair, Barton could be the odd man out.
He also doesn’t fit the mold Robert Saleh typically prefers. Barton isn’t the kind of highly athletic linebacker Saleh usually wants, and the Titans’ willingness to lean into Hill and Gray could make moving on easier. Barton is also on a deal that pays him $7 million per year, which is starter money and makes a trade more plausible if Tennessee decides it can live without him.
From Denver’s side, the case is simple: the linebacker room needs help, and it has needed help for a while. The issue has been there since the start of 2025, which was the year after Barton left and the year Singleton came back from his knee injury.
Barton’s 2024 season with the Broncos showed he can still contribute. He finished with two interceptions, five passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 1.5 sacks and 106 total tackles. Pro Football Reference credited him with a 98.2 passer rating allowed in coverage that year.
The interesting part is that his coverage numbers were better last year, when he allowed a 67.1 passer rating. He isn’t a top-tier linebacker, and he never has been, but he could still bring stability, knows the defense, and might not cost much to acquire.
In Other News...
Alex Singleton Debate Just Got More Heated In Denver
Alex Singletons Week 1 stat line looked busy in the box score, but the tape told a more complicated story for a Broncos defense that came out of the loss to Kansas City with tackling questions hanging over it. Singleton led Denver with 16 tackles, yet some of the missed stops around him became part of the larger conversation about how cleanly the defense played in the opener.
Singleton has already acknowledged the Broncos need to tackle better and said he believes the group will improve this week, but the debate around his performance has only grown louder. His agent added fuel to it on social media by blasting Broncos media coverage as ignorant and incompetent, turning what might have stayed a football discussion into a more pointed one for a team trying to move on quickly from Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Fans Will Hate What This Chiefs Missed Call Just Confirmed
A familiar AFC West frustration resurfaced on Monday night, when the Chiefs found a way to keep their offense moving on a touchdown play that left Broncos fans fuming. On the snap in question, Travis Kelce was seen holding a Denver safety, but the officials let it go, and the score stood. Kelce later acknowledged the hold was questionable, a detail that only added to the sense that the Broncos caught a bad break at a key moment.
For Denver, the missed call did more than just sting in real time. It came as Kansas City was building momentum in a game the Chiefs went on to win, while the Broncos were dealing with their own penalty issues and an uneven performance that left little margin for error. In a rivalry that already lives on the edge, a sequence like that is the kind fans remember long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Need One Offensive Change After Bo Nixs Rough Debut
The Broncos spent the early part of the week sorting through what went wrong in Bo Nixs debut, and the first answer seems to start with the offense around him. In a Week 1 loss, Denvers run-pass balance and some of the situational calls from offensive coordinator Justin Webb left Nix navigating a tough opening assignment against a defense that was able to pressure the rookie and disrupt the rhythm the Broncos wanted to build.
Nixs difficulties were not just about one rough stretch, either. He was dealing with poor pass protection, dropped passes and penalties that kept the offense from settling in, which makes the upcoming matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars a useful early test of how much can be fixed in a hurry. Denver does not need a full overhaul in Week 2, but it does need a cleaner plan to give its quarterback a chance to play faster and more comfortably. [Read more 🡒]