The Broncos’ top-line talent has drawn most of the attention this offseason, and for good reason. Denver looks loaded at the top, Bo Nix’s health has been a talking point, and the Jaylen Waddle trade has soaked up plenty of oxygen. But if the Broncos are going to turn all that promise into a real run in 2026, the margin for error is going to come from the bottom of the roster too.
That’s where a few backups suddenly matter a lot. Denver’s depth has the look of a team that can survive injuries and survive the grind, but three players in particular could end up swinging the season one way or the other.
Malcolm Roach is first on that list. He’s not a full-time starter, but he’s absolutely one of the useful pieces on this defense.
ESPN’s data had Roach seventh among all defensive tackles in 2025 in run stop win rate. DJ Jones checked in third, and Denver’s run defense finished second in yards allowed per game.
Roach also showed he can do damage in the backfield, posting four sacks, three tackles for loss and five quarterback hits in just 12 games last season. He had eight quarterback hits in 2024.
The production hasn’t always shown up in big counting numbers, and he’s played fewer than half of the Broncos’ defensive snaps during his time there, but his value is clear enough. With John Franklin-Myers gone in free agency, the pressure on the defensive line room only grows.
Vance Joseph likes to keep fresh bodies rotating through the line, and Roach’s role could expand in 2026 if he keeps bringing the same juice against the run and as a pass rusher.
The linebacker spot behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad may end up being just as important. Denver leaned on three inside linebackers in 2025 because Dre Greenlaw missed about half the season and never stayed on the field for every snap when he was healthy.
Greenlaw is gone now, and the Broncos are looking at a room that includes Singleton, Strnad, Red Murdock and Taurean York. There are other players who could get into the mix, and this is still a long way from being settled.
But whoever claims that third ILB job is likely to see real playing time. Singleton is on the wrong side of 30 and remains a liability in coverage, with the kind of decline that has already shown up over the last couple of seasons.
Strnad should be an every-week starter, but he has mostly been a part-time starter for Denver in recent years, so the staff may want to manage his workload by dividing snaps with another linebacker. And as a pair, Singleton and Strnad are among the worst in the NFL, which makes it hard to imagine Denver wanting to ride them close to 100 percent of the time.
Then there’s Justin Joly, the rookie tight end who could sneak into the picture faster than people think. The Broncos took Joly in the fifth round this year, and at just 21 years old, he already brings a strong receiving profile.
That matters in a tight end room that has lacked that kind of threat for years. Evan Engram gave Denver modest production in 2025, but it wasn’t anything special, and he’s in the final year of his deal.
At this point in his career, after a decade in the league, he is who he is. That could leave an opening for someone else to emerge as a pass catcher, especially with Denver having upgraded its wide receiver room this offseason.
Joly has a realistic path not just to making the roster, but to opening the year as TE3. Neither Engram nor Adam Trautman is a major name, and Joly’s age, upside and receiving frame could be enough to earn him snaps right away.
If he hits, it would give the Broncos offense another gear.
In Other News...
Broncos Uniform Overhaul Is Getting The NFL Respect Fans Wanted
When the Broncos rolled out the Mile High Collection for 2024, it was clear the franchise wanted the new look to do more than just freshen up the closet. The mix of the 77 Throwbacks and the Midnight Navy set was built to lean into Denver and Colorado identity, and the early reaction around the league has backed up the idea that this was more than a cosmetic tweak.
Sports Illustrateds Mike Kadlick slotted Denver 10th in his ranking of all 32 NFL teams uniform combinations, a solid sign that the overhaul is getting the respect fans were hoping for. The Broncos landed behind a handful of other clubs, with the Chargers at No. 1 and several familiar rivals grouped around them, which only adds a little extra edge as the team moves toward training camp and gets ready to show the new threads on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Jaleel McLaughlin Sends Clear Message As Broncos Role Remains Unsettled
Jaleel McLaughlin has spent much of his Broncos tenure fighting for touches, but his stance on staying in Denver has been clear. Even with his playing time limited, the running back has made it plain that he wants to keep building here, drawn to the team, the city and the chance to win with the Broncos rather than look elsewhere for a bigger role.
That kind of patience matters in a backfield that still feels unsettled, where every rep can shape the pecking order. McLaughlins commitment gives Denver a little stability, even if his path to a larger workload remains unclear, and it fits the profile of a player willing to wait out the depth chart as long as the long-term payoff stays in view. [Read more 🡒]