The Broncos have built themselves into one of the NFL’s deeper, more dangerous rosters, and that’s exactly why the next move matters. Denver doesn’t have an obvious hole staring back at it, but with training camp still weeks away and Super Bowl expectations hanging over everything, there’s still room to sharpen a few spots before the real work begins.
That’s where the bargain bin comes in. The Broncos have already addressed needs this offseason, but if they want to stack the deck even further, there are a few veteran free agents who make sense on the cheap.
Bobby Okereke is the clearest linebacker option. The New York Giants cut him earlier this offseason even after he started all 17 games in 2025 and turned in a strong statistical season with two interceptions, six passes defended, and 143 total tackles.
Pro Football Reference also had him holding up well in coverage, where he allowed a passer rating of 84.8. For a Broncos linebacker group that still doesn’t exactly inspire a ton of confidence with Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, Okereke would bring immediate stability.
Red Murdock and Taurean York are interesting names, but Murdock was a seventh-round pick and York went undrafted, which means Denver would still be leaning on players who fell in the draft for a reason. With the rest of the roster built to win now, adding a proven veteran at a shaky spot feels like the cleanest play.
Jabrill Peppers fits a different kind of need. He’s more of a downhill, box safety, but that profile could still help Denver after losing PJ Locke III in free agency.
Brandon Jones is under contract for only one more season, and while the Broncos added rookie Miles Scott, the depth behind Jones and Talanoa Hufanga could use another experienced body. Peppers played 14 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2025 and finished with 16 total tackles, and over 113 career games he’s piled up 5.5 sacks, 527 total tackles, seven interceptions, and 35 passes defended.
The Broncos have shown they’re willing to shop in this market before, too, with Jones and Hufanga both arriving as free agents in 2024 and 2025. At this stage, the ask doesn’t have to be starting-caliber.
It just has to be useful.
Then there’s Jadaveon Clowney, the kind of veteran pass rusher who could slide into a situation and immediately make it better. Denver has led the NFL in sacks in each of the last two seasons, and that pressure production has become part of the team’s identity.
But if the Broncos think the loss of John Franklin-Myers can’t be fully replaced by Enyi Uwazurike, Sai'vion Jones, and Tyler Onyedim, they may want another proven piece on the edge. Clowney has played for seven teams and has been with four different teams over the past four seasons, so one-year deals are clearly his lane.
In 23 games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, he produced 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 10 quarterback hits. He’s had at least 5.5 sacks in seven different seasons and reached double-digit quarterback hits in eight of his 12 years.
For a defense built to hunt quarterbacks, that kind of résumé is hard to ignore.
In Other News...
Broncos May Have Landed More Than Backfield Insurance In Jonah Coleman
Jonah Coleman may have arrived in Denver as a fourth-round pick, but there is already a case building that he is more than just extra depth behind the Broncos established backs. Some evaluators have treated him like a sleeper with starter upside, the kind of runner who could eventually handle more than a specialized role if his game translates the way they expect. For a team that has spent the offseason sorting out its backfield, that kind of projection gives the selection a little more weight than a simple insurance move.
Coleman enters a room that already includes RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins, so playing time will have to be earned, not assumed. Still, the Broncos have reason to think a committee setup can work in their favor, especially if Coleman can help lighten the load and keep everyone fresher over the long haul. If he settles in quickly, Denver may have found a back who can do more than wait in the wings. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Have One AFC West Edge That Could Change Everything
If the Broncos are going to make a serious push in the AFC West, it may start where games are often won and lost: up front. Denver has a case for owning the divisions best line play on both sides of the ball, and that kind of edge can travel in January if the rest of the roster keeps pace.
The 2025 numbers back up the argument. The Broncos were stout against the run, disruptive in the pass rush and steady in pass protection, a combination that gives them a foundation few rivals can match. Even with J.K. Dobbins part of the conversation before his injury, the larger picture is the same for Denver: if the trenches stay dominant, the path to the top of the division gets a lot clearer. [Read more 🡒]