Patrick Surtain II and Nik Bonitto may grab most of the attention when people talk about the Broncos’ defense, but Sean Payton made it clear there’s another piece he values just as much. For Denver, Malcolm Roach is one of those players who changes the temperature of the whole group.
“He’s got a lot of juice. He’s one of those compound multipliers.
A lot of his traits it’s infectious," Broncos head coach Sean Payton said of veteran defensive lineman Malcolm Roach. "I’ve said that about [RB] J.K.
[Dobbins], you hear him before you see him. They practice hard.
I think all the way back to when he was undrafted out of Texas and we signed him, the improvement at his position for him has been remarkable. He’s always going to be looking at what he can do a little better, how he can play on third down relative to the rush.
He’s got really good football I.Q. and I think that it kind of shows up on film even at the defensive tackle position.”
That kind of praise isn’t new from Payton. He was saying similar things about Roach before last season, and Roach backed it up after signing a three-year, $29 million extension. In 2024, he put together another strong year for Denver, finishing with 41 combined tackles, five quarterback hits, and a career-high 4.0 sacks in 12 games.
Roach’s own view of where the Broncos were headed was pretty direct in January.
“My first year here last year, it was just proving it to ourselves," Roach said in January. "This year was knowing what we had, but just wanting to show the world that.
Next year, it’s like we know what the standard is, and we know the way we need to work every day. We know what we need to do to be a great defense and a great defensive line.
Just knowing that, I think we already got through the first two levels and understanding the standard of coming to work every day and knowing how we need to push guys. Just the chemistry that is building, I think next year will be another special year.”
For Denver, that kind of edge matters. Roach has the attitude of a tone-setter, the sort of lineman who brings a little bite to the front. The Broncos haven’t had a player with that kind of presence up front since Derek Wolfe was warning opponents not to mess with them, and Roach has carried that role well.
He may not technically be listed as a starter, but his value goes well beyond the label. Roach gives Denver help against the run and as a pass rusher, and that versatility matters even more now that the Broncos have to replace former standout defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers, who left for Tennessee in free agency.
At 28, Roach is expected to be part of a defensive line rotation that also includes sophomore defensive end Sai'vion Jones and third-round rookie Tyler Onyedim, along with returning players DJ Jones, Eyioma Uwazurike, and Matt Henningsen.
“I think there are two or three players. Certainly we believe in rotation. It’s easier to evaluate once we start putting pads on," Payton said on July 29 of the positional group.
The Broncos are still sorting out exactly how that rotation will look, but Roach’s role is already obvious: he’s central to how this defense wants to function.
In Other News...
Nik Bonitto's Camp Exit Raises Immediate Concern For The Broncos Pass Rush
The Broncos pass rush took a hit Tuesday when Nik Bonitto exited training camp practice early after a left leg injury. Bonitto was able to walk off the field on his own before heading to the locker room for evaluation, a reassuring detail even if it did little to ease the immediate concern for a defense that is counting on him to help set the edge and create pressure off the outside.
For now, there is no official update on Bonittos condition, leaving Denver to wait on clarity before the camp picture comes into focus. Any absence from a player with his role would be worth monitoring closely, especially at a time of year when every rep matters and the Broncos are still trying to settle the shape of their pass rush. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Camp Report Points To A Better Roster With One Debate Left
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There is more proven support around Nix now, too, with upgrades at receiver and running back giving the Broncos a better chance to stay on schedule and finish drives. Defensively, the overall depth has stood out, which is part of why the roster feels sturdier entering the season. The lingering debate is in the middle of that defense, where departures have left a question the Broncos still need to answer before camp turns into something more than optimism. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Nix Just Added Fuel To A Growing Broncos Debate
Bleacher Reports latest 2026 quarterback power ranking gave Bo Nix another notable mark of progress, slotting the Broncos passer at No. 11 in its Pro Bowl caliber tier. The evaluation looked at six traits, including accuracy, processing, arm talent, decision-making, pocket presence and leadership, and it also credited Nix with helping turn Denver into a playoff contender after a much less stable stretch at the position.
Still, the ranking also underscored why the conversation around Nix is not fully settled yet. The report points to ball protection under pressure as an area that needs work, which is exactly the kind of detail that tends to shape how quickly a young quarterback can move from promising starter to the next long-term answer in Denver. [Read more 🡒]