Broncos' defense still gets huge respect following NFL Draft
The Denver Broncos still have one of the league's best defenses.
Broncos' defense still gets huge respect following NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Denver Broncos had one of the best defenses in the NFL in 2025 and that is not expected to change much going into 2026.
The team made great strides to retain as many players as it could in the offseason, with the only notable losses being John Franklin-Myers, who signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency, and Dre Greenlaw, who the team released. Since returning to Denver as the team's defensive coordinator in 2023, Vance Joseph has built one of the league's most consistent units. Many expected Joseph to get a job as a head coach this offseason, but he remains in Denver, ready to build on what has already been a hugely successful defensive group.
Following the 2026 NFL Draft, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report ranked every defensive unit in the league and he showed the Broncos a proper amount of respect, putting them all the way up at No. 2. He almost put them in the top slot.
"This is a difficult call. There are two defenses in the NFL right now that are in a tier of their own. Two defenses that are just stacked at every level and are nightmare fuel for opposing offensive coordinators.