On the heels of leading the NFL in sacks, the Denver Broncos rewarded defensive coordinator Vance Joseph with three key offseason additions. In free agency and the NFL draft, the Broncos prioritized the middle of the defense, signing safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw, and selecting cornerback Jahdae Barron in the first round.
The new weapons added to Joseph's arsenal are even more extensive that that trio alone, though it's likely the impact won't really be felt until 2026 and beyond. Third-round defensive end Sai'vion Jones has an enormous upside, while fourth-round rush linebacker Que Robinson will play on special teams right away as he gets his NFL legs beneath him on defense.
One aspect of the Broncos' free-agent haul that Joseph really appreciates is the big-game experience that Hufanga and Greenlaw bring to the table. Both played in some massive games with the San Francisco 49ers, and Joseph also values the attitude that their presence will bring to the Broncos' defense.
“It’s always great to add Pro-Bowl-type of players. I think both guys bring an attitude of being on great defenses," Joseph said during mandatory minicamp. "That’s important also."
Hufanga was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2022, but the injury bug struck; he's back on his feet, though. Greenlaw is yet to garner official league accolades, also due to injuries, but he's provided Pro Bowl-caliber play when healthy. Greenlaw is one of the NFL's best coverage linebackers, which has long been an area Denver has needed to upgrade, and his arrival is a big cause for 2025 optimism.
The Broncos have a lot of youth on the defensive side of the ball, although it's balanced with no shortage of proven veterans on the first-team unit. The example that Hufanga and Greenlaw can set for Denver's younger defenders is another huge benefit of signing them.
"Our defense is still pretty young as a whole. Both guys bring experience of being in big games and being on dominant defenses," Joseph said. "That’s an attitude, and that’s practice, that’s meetings, that’s every day. You see it with those guys. Those guys love football. So to add those kind of guys to our mix has been tremendous for us. We’re looking forward to the fall.”
On the heels of a 10-win playoff season, Broncos Country is also anticipating the football season with a newfound enthusiasm. That's not to say that the fanbase has ever lacked enthusiasm; Broncos Country is one of the most renowned and hardcore in all of professional sports.
But the preceding eight years were unprecedented in Broncos canon. It was the team's worst eight-year stretch since the AFL days in the 1960s, and the fans were put through the ringer.
However, with the arrival of head coach Sean Payton, the Broncos' ship has officially been turned around. Payton leaned into the controversy of hiring a former Broncos head coach as his defensive coordinator, and although it was a rocky start for Joseph in 2023, he got the defense on course relatively quickly, fielding a top-10 defense in yards allowed and a top-3 unit in scoring.
Bo Nix was the key to Denver's quantum leap forward, and he's just getting started. Armed with an elite defense, there's no limit to what Nix and the Broncos can achieve.
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The Broncos have provided Joseph with even more ammunition to build on 2024's impressive defensive showing. And if Hufanga and Greenlaw can stay healthy, both veterans figure to be heavily involved in the defense's objective of being the NFL's No. 1 unit and the Broncos' ultimate goal of dethroning the Kansas City Chiefs and returning to the Super Bowl.
Payton might not be interested in talking publicly about "the best" defenses in June, but it's no secret that Denver is extremely bullish on its defensive outlook.
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