Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - AGAIN: Denver Broncos Defense POISED to REPEAT Top 5 Status with Vance Joseph in 2026

Starting point is 00:00:00 Vance Joseph is back with the Denver Broncos going into 2026, and we are going to take a look at the three biggest questions surrounding him this season. You are Locked on Broncos, your daily Denver Broncos podcast, part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. What's up, Braco's country? I'm Cody Rourke, joined as always by Sarah Beninger on today's episode of the show. We're going to take a look at whether or not 2026 will be Vance Joseph's last year as Denver's defensive coordinator, because could it be the year he finally gets a head coaching job after this season. Plus, we'll take a look at whether or not Vance Joseph's defense can maintain its status in the pass rush department, breaking records for Denver in back-to-back season. We're going to kick things off by highlighting whether or not Vance's unit can remain a top-five

Starting point is 00:00:52 unit coming into 2026 there. I think this is an interesting conversation because the trend here for Vance Joseph, really since he was able to put his hands and his fingerprints on this defense, After the Miami Dolphins debacle, he has turned things around for this unit, specifically the players that they have had, they've made some widespread changes. And now the whole entire defense, for the most part, it has been revamped after that 2023 season. And we saw the fruits of the labor there in 2024. We saw it in 2025.

Starting point is 00:01:23 Now coming into 2026, the whole unit for the most part is back. It is. The only missing piece, obviously, John Franklin Myers from the starting defense from last season. And then, of course, a depth guy in PJ Locke who played a meaningful role down the stretch, picked off Josh Allen in the playoffs. But look, it's easy to focus on what you're missing versus what you have, which is the fact that the Broncos have developed players, both free agents and draft picks alike, into absolute stars in this league, right?

Starting point is 00:01:52 I mean, this is one of the best defenses in the NFL, not just because Vance Joseph calls a great defense, but because the Broncos have developed guys from their top picks to their late picks. Obviously, Pat Sertan, Superstar, first round pick. Obviously, defensive player of the year in 2024, but then you've got seventh rounder in the same class, Jonathan Cooper, right, who's become a second contract player.

Starting point is 00:02:13 And then you bring in free agents like Zach Allen, who's ascending with the Arizona Cardinals to replace Draymont Jones. And now he's an all pro as well. So it's just so many different stories like that all over this defense, Cody, that this defense has the great combination that you covet. It's a great coach defense. It's a great scheme.

Starting point is 00:02:32 And it's just super talented. players. And the Broncos have the best of both worlds. They have their cake and they get to eat it too. They get the depth. They get the talent at the top end. They've got guys who could replace their stars. I mean, they have everything that you look for in a top tier defense

Starting point is 00:02:47 in the NFL, not just on paper, but proven production over the last two seasons. And it's one of the most complex defenses that you'll see in the NFL in terms of all the rules that players have, how things change with a motion or a change in formation. But you also have, I think, a variety of skill

Starting point is 00:03:03 players that can excel in man coverage, zone coverage. You have the best of both worlds because in today's game in the NFL, you can't just specialize in, but we have a corner who's really good at zone, but not great at man. You have to be able to do both in today's game. And I think that at corner safety, linebacker, heck, even your pass rushers are dropping back times. Sometimes a defensive tackle is dropping back into coverage. You have to be able to do things that are a little unorthodox than from just the simple,

Starting point is 00:03:30 hey, we're going to line it up and cover three and just go. That's what makes Vance Joseph's defense dynamic. And I think he's finally got, and the last couple of years have shown this, he's gotten a nucleus of players that know how to thrive in that type of scheme. Now, I will be curious to see how they replace JFM. That's a long-looming topic of discussion that will probably have throughout, even I think maybe the middle of next season here. But when you look at the numbers for Vance Joseph's defense in 2025,

Starting point is 00:03:57 there were moments, especially at the beginning of the season, right? in I think weeks two and weeks three against the chargers and the Colts, there was some frustration because Denver was just getting gashed on first down or they're giving up big plays on third down. They're allowing 25 plus first downs to the opposing offense. And I think a lot of people were like, what happened? This defense was supposed to be the best defense. It's not how you start.

Starting point is 00:04:19 It's how you finish. And I think that you have to find a way to get into a rhythm and how the offense plays at times, I think impacted the flow of the defense. Let it be steady. here. There's no question about it. The Broncos defense is the true strength of this team right now, and they still have a chance to maintain that torch going into 2026. I think the offense can also help them out a little bit more, which I'm excited about. That's going to open some things up. But let's take a look at the numbers last year,

Starting point is 00:04:46 Sarah here for where the Broncos defense ranked. They were first in sacks last season, a new franchise record, 68 sacks, led the NFL by a wide margin, I believe, by 2019 or 20 sacks was the difference between them in second place. So that obviously is very impressive in terms of what we've seen from them. Third and points allowed last season. Second and yards allowed. Seventh against the past, they were the NFL's second ranked run defense. And the best part about this unit, Sarah, and we talked about the loss of JFM, you're bringing continuity back across the board and you're also adding some new sprinkles into the mix, hoping that your player development in which the Broncos believe so highly in is going to lead to some of these

Starting point is 00:05:25 other players stepping up, including Jonah Ellis and inside linebacker. You bring back Justin Sternad and you have Alex Singleton still in the mix. There is a chance at Denver's defense, especially with the introduction now of Q Robinson, probably in a more prominent role in the past rush rotation. There's a chance that this defense can be even better. A lot of different sprinkles, as you mentioned, Cody, that could be coming to this defense. You mentioned Jonah Ellis, Q Robinson. How about Jada Barron, the team's first round pick from last season?

Starting point is 00:05:52 Savian Jones, the guy they traded up for who could potentially be part. of that replacement plan for John Franklin Myers. So as good as this Denver defense is and as much continuity as they have, man, there's a chance for things to get even crazier, things to get even better when it comes to this 2026 season. And I don't think the team's done. I just don't.

Starting point is 00:06:12 I think that the draft is going to be a wild card, that top pick. We talked about it many times. Could be used on another linebacker, could be used in another pass rusher, maybe a safety. We'll see what happens there with, I mean,

Starting point is 00:06:23 Brandon Jones, obviously his contract coming up as well. So I'm fascinated by how much better this defense could be. And it's no coincidence that after the season, like Sean Payton's asked about areas the team can improve. And one of the top things he brought up is takeaways. And to me, I mean, I've brought this up as well. And I think it's worth repeating all throughout the course of the offseason

Starting point is 00:06:44 because it does need to be an emphasis for this team. You led the NFL in sacks. You've set back-to-back franchise record in sacks, right? How do you not lead the NFL in strip sacks? I don't get that. I don't understand it. Like I said, it probably hurts Von Miller's soul,

Starting point is 00:07:02 even though from afar, you know, it's just like the strip sacks got to be there. If you're getting to the quarterback, I can just picture Vaughn. It's like he's feeling it in the force or something, right? So the Broncos get to the quarterback as well as any team, better than every team in the NFL,

Starting point is 00:07:18 create takeaways. I know that seems easier said than done, but at the same time, Cody, you've got to think if you're getting to the quarterback 68 times in a season that you would have more than two strip sacks. I mean, I don't know if that was the official number, but I know that it was one in the first week of the season, one in the last week. And I don't think any in between. So crazy stuff. I just, that's got to be the most mind-boggling like discrepancy of, I just, it's crazy.

Starting point is 00:07:47 It's crazy stuff. So, and I know the Broncos did strip it, Cody, but they didn't get the ball back. I think the quarterbacks or the offense got the ball back too many times. Well, and the thing is, and Sean talked about this. He said historically, if you look at the numbers, if you're not able to force takeaways come to postseason, you're not going to win a Super Bowl. You know, so that does have to be an emphasis.

Starting point is 00:08:07 And I mean, Denver, we talk about them punching the ball out at opportune times, linebackers, safeties or corners coming up and doing that. Two strip sacks. One of them came from a blitzing nickel defender, J. Kwan McMillan. The other one came in the last week of the regular season. Like you mentioned, Nick Benito finally getting a strip sack on Trey Lance. Aside from that, you know, Denver works the turnover drill every day in practice. I see it with my own two eyes.

Starting point is 00:08:34 So for me, I'm sitting there. Sean's probably sitting there wondering, we're going through what this looks like, the proper angles to take. How come we're not forcing more takeaways? Look, I think forcing fumbles hasn't been an issue for Denver. I think it is the interceptions. It's the lack of overall picks that, have been a little problematic here for the Broncos defense.

Starting point is 00:08:52 So I will be curious to see if that improves. And Sarah, I think you can make the argument if the Broncos can somehow improve in the takeaway department there and become maybe even just, I would say a top 10 defense. They weren't a top 10 defense and takeaways last season. I think they were 18th or 19th in the league. If they can become top 10, top five, this is a team that will do some serious damage and arguably should be a favorite to go play in the Super Bowl if they can play at that pace defensively when you look at it.

Starting point is 00:09:19 So that has me excited Broncos country. Let us know as well. Do you think that Vance Joseph's defense will remain a top five unit going into 2026? Share your thoughts with us here on today's episode of the show. But coming up next, the Broncos pass rush was a strength of theirs last season. For two consecutive years, they've broken franchise records. Can they keep the streak going in 2026? This episode is sponsored by Better Help.

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Starting point is 00:10:49 And I think Cody will agree with me. And we want to hear from you as well. What do you think? Can the Broncos reach 70 plus sacks this season? Broncos country, I know we're going to be talking about it all throughout the course of the offseason. And all you every dayers out there, we can't tell you enough how much we appreciate you. And we want to invite you if you haven't considered so already. Check out the Every Day or All Access Club.

Starting point is 00:11:09 Cody's got some awesome stuff in there. All 22 work on Jada Barron, J.K. Dobbins, definitely worth the price of admission just to check that out. So we appreciate your consideration there. And Cody, let's talk about Vance Joseph's defensive scheme replicating pass rush success. I think if you would have asked everybody after the 2024 season, it would have been a little bit far-fetched to think, hey, the Broncos, they could go out there and match that kind. That's kind of an outlier type of season, right? But now they've done it in back-to-back year.

Starting point is 00:11:36 So I'm thinking like, okay, if you hit back-to-back home runs, let's make this a three-home run game, right? Let's see, you go up to the plate, might as well hit it out of the ballpark one more time the Broncos, I think it will have their sights set on breaking the all-time sack record, Cody. And I mean, that's a lofty goal. But they were on pace for it at one point last season. So I think that is the new bar is 70 sacks for this season.

Starting point is 00:12:02 I think the Broncos will be thinking about it, even though they won't maybe necessarily talk about that in front of everybody else. And it's the way that they attack too defensively. Sarah, it's so crazy to think. What, finished with 68? The record was, what, 72, sent by the 9. 1984 Chicago Bears. Denver was four away from tying that. And there were a stretch of games where they didn't even get after the quarterback, which if you think about it in those stretches,

Starting point is 00:12:26 you just get one. I think there was like a four or five game stretch where it was just kind of, it was dry in the past rush department for Denver. They would have broken it easily. Now, granted, there's an additional regular season game, but what Denver is doing in today's era, especially with how fast quarterbacks are getting the ball out of their hands, it is impressive to see what Jamar Kane, Vance Joseph, how they've kind of married the scheme with, hey, we want to create these opportunities to get after the quarterback. Pressure creators here.

Starting point is 00:12:52 Now this all goes back to something we talked about a little bit in the first segment. The loss of JFM, you're losing a player who had seven and a half of your 68 sacks last season, collectively across the board between Jonathan Cooper, Nick Benito, Zach Allen, and JFM, each of those players had seven plus sacks each. So who is stepping into JFM shoes to possibly run? replace that production. Well, you mentioned Sabian Jones. There is in Yoma Uazareke, who can maybe factor into the equation. The Broncos might add somebody in the draft or free agency before it's all set and done. But then I think you can get more production from your safeties. You can get more production from your nickel

Starting point is 00:13:27 defenders that are coming off the edge. You can get more production from the linebackers. Now that you have Jonah Ellis making a switch to off ball, he is a player who can get after the quarterback. So you have two potential blitzing linebackers that were Justin Sternad and Jonah Ellis that have the ability. to impact quarterback production and getting after them. I want to see a lot of that this upcoming season for Denver, but you also have the loss of someone who is very underrated behind the scenes. B.T. Jordan, who is the pass rush specialist. He's kind of the ghost writer of Denver's pass rush.

Starting point is 00:14:00 Zach Allen works with him, JFM works with him in the off season. He's been on the staff for the last couple of years when Denver has broken these records. and the drills that he's incorporated with Jamar Kane have led to the Broncos translating that into on-field reps. If you don't believe me, go find Coach BT Jordan's Twitter, his Instagram. Watch, he'll post practice clips of what they're doing in drills, and you'll see it translate into actual end-game stuff. How do the Broncos replace that?

Starting point is 00:14:29 That is a factor that led into the, you know, factored into the equation for their success last season. I think that's going to be very important. Also, I want to ask the question here too, Sarah. I want your thoughts on it. We know who Jamar Kane is, but Jamar Kane doesn't seem like he's getting enough credit for Denver's past rush in comparison to other guys. Is it BT Jordan or is it Jamar Kane?

Starting point is 00:14:49 I don't know the answer to that question. It's a great question. I think Jamar Kane deserves a ton of credit, obviously. I mean, there was the connection between he and Nick Benito dating back to their time at Oklahoma. So I think he knows what he's doing out there. I think he's got the ability to develop these guys and continue to coach them up.

Starting point is 00:15:07 But to your point about BT Jordan, I mean, shoot, let's get Von Miller or Cam Jordan in the building, people. I mean, those guys can function as player coaches. I mean, I just, I don't know. I'll die on that hill, Cody. I might be the nostalgia guy. I might be the vibes guy. People may say that it doesn't make sense.

Starting point is 00:15:24 But hey, now that Jonah Ellis playing some linebacker, maybe it makes more sense than ever to bring in another rusher off the edge. And a veteran like that who can help these young pass rushers continue in their development to guys who are the best to have ever done it. at least in the last 15, 20 plus years at the highest level, consistency matters. The tricks that those guys know and the things that they can teach your younger guys, even your established second contract guys, that stuff does matter. I wanted to throw out something at you, Cody, as you were talking,

Starting point is 00:15:55 I think when we talk about the past rush success of this team, there's some maybe untapped potential from that off ball linebacker spot. That's perhaps why Jonah Ellis is getting a look there. So I wanted to throw this out there. I'm thinking about, you know, just a specific number here. I'm thinking 6.5, okay? If we set the over under at 6.5 sacks, do you think Jonah Ellis will play enough snaps and get enough opportunities to get after the

Starting point is 00:16:20 quarterback from that position to get over six and a half or are you going to go under? Because he had, I mean, he's been teetering close to the six sack mark since he got into the league, right? So, and you're replacing JFM production. Will the Broncos utilize Jonah Ellis to that degree? as an off ball linebacker in the Blitz department to think maybe he could get over six and a half sacks or you staying conservative there? It's so hard because I feel like if you're a linebacker, an inside linebacker and you're having that type of production, you would be thrown into maybe some DPOI consideration here.

Starting point is 00:16:55 Maybe I like, I would go six and a half if I'm saying, if I'm combining Justin Sternad and Jonah Ellis in terms of sacks season from just those two players at the linebacker position, I would take over six and a half between the two of them. Justin last year had four and a half. I think Jonah could get anywhere between four or five as well. I think Justin can maybe get more now that he's going to be a full-time starter versus him just starting eight games last season. That has to factor into the mix a little bit here.

Starting point is 00:17:23 It's tough. Now, if Denver, how Denver schemes things up too, Sarah, like they're methodical when they're blitzing their inside linebackers. It's not just, hey, we're blitzing them just to blitz them, right? They walked them up. They double mug them. They walked them both up inside the A gap. So the center is sitting there like, I got a linebacker right here. I got a linebacker right here in front of me.

Starting point is 00:17:42 Who am I going to react to? Both of those guys could be blitzing. One could drop back. One could blitz. Both could end up dropping back into coverage. Denver's very methodical with how they send their linebacker. So that's why I think Justin saw the success that he had because he's bigger. He's physical.

Starting point is 00:17:57 And man, he does a great job of disguising it pre-snap. That's where I think Jonah Ellis can also match that same concept. Alex Singleton just I don't think has like the upper body or the physical strength to be able to do it the way that Sternad and Jonah certainly can. So I'll be very curious. I think the scheme is going to dictate so much that, but it also depends on the matchup. So I don't really have a great answer for you. I think it's exciting to think about though, because like you said, I mean, Sternad can do a lot of that stuff.

Starting point is 00:18:24 And he's been getting that production without necessarily starting on a full time basis. So maybe there's something that the Broncos feel like they can unlock. there. I was watching back to Cody, a game against the Chargers, 2024 season. Drew Sanders played one snap. He lined up, I think, over the right guard. And just the disguise of the way that Vance Joseph's defense is, like Drew Sanders, nice through the line of scrimmage unblocked for a sack on Justin Herbert, those types of plays from the offball linebacker position are, that's the type of havoc that

Starting point is 00:18:56 can be created by having what, what Sean Payton calls, pressure players from that off ball spot. And then then you start lining up Jonah Ellis over the guard and these teams start thinking, hey, he's coming. And then all of a sudden he drops into coverage and it's Hufanga or McMillan coming off the edge. Right. So you've got so many different opportunities. That's why I think it don't set the bar low for the Broncos in the past rush department this year. Set the bar high. Like these guys can break the NFL all time sack record. They can do it. Even without JFM, I do think there's going to be reinforcements. coming. I think either maybe both, maybe the draft and free agency are going to provide the Broncos with

Starting point is 00:19:37 some opportunities here to supplement those numbers and to just have an embarrassment that, not that they don't already, but an absolute embarrassment of riches, like the, the murderer's row of pass rushers that they can assemble for this coming season. I think they're going to do it. I think that they have a chance. Why wouldn't you? If I was the GM, I would want to do that. They say you can never have too many pass rushers. So, hey, George Payton, Sean Payton, Why don't you go ahead, prove it? Well, it's also, the game is one in the trenches. We've seen that offensively or defensively can make a difference in a Super Bowl,

Starting point is 00:20:09 certainly for the Broncos. It made the difference in the Super Bowl 50 for them. I would say as well, even what we saw the Philadelphia Eagles due to the Kansas City Chiefs just two years ago in the Super Bowl, it showcased just that. And they didn't rush five or six guys. They got home with four-man rushes against Patrick Mahomes. So Denver has the formula. I think they can replicate that.

Starting point is 00:20:28 I'll be curious to see if the pass source can still remain at a high level. level this upcoming season. It's one thing we want to see. Broncos country, do you think that it will? Make sure you let us know here on today's episode of the show. But coming up next, we're going to ask the question here once again. After being passed up in 2025, could Vance Joseph get a head coaching job after the 2006 NFL season? We'll take a look at that and much more here on today's episode of the show. It was one of the more mind-boggling revelations of the off season that Vance Joseph didn't get a head coaching job after leading the Broncos defense to back-to-back top five units

Starting point is 00:21:02 and breaking the sack records in back-to-back seasons. Vance did not land a head coaching gig in a year where we saw probably the more most openings for head coaching vacancies across the league in recent memory, and he did not get it. Something that Sean Payton said at the NFL Combine and even after the fact that he was really surprised, but for Denver, there's continuity that comes with his return here.

Starting point is 00:21:25 Now, the question is, Sarah, if Vance's defense becomes a top five unit once again for another year, will that land him a head coaching job after this season? I feel like at this point, if he's not getting one yet, and last year he had, in my opinion, one of the better resumes and the best opportunities considering the 10 plus openings that were available, the fact he didn't get it, I kind of feel like he may not ever get one.

Starting point is 00:21:51 I know. It does sort of feel that way, doesn't it? I mean, and it's unfortunate because he is a great coach and he's somebody who's awesome with player development. the Broncos players go to bat for him all the time. And, you know, I think it's just one of those, it's a rough situation because you look around the league and like you said, so many job openings this past year. And I just, I don't know. If you're Vance, do you want to take the Brown's job?

Starting point is 00:22:17 Do you want to take the Cardinals job? So there's this level of like, Vance should be selective, but also at the same time, the teams that have the best openings probably should be considering him more. seriously. I mean, Jesse Mentor, I think he's going to be a good head coach with the Ravens. I think he's just in a great situation there. But is he going to do that much better of a job than what Vance Joseph could have done out there? Is he that much better in terms of scheming a defense? These are all fair questions, I think, to ask because ultimately, I think most teams are approaching their head coach vacancies from the vantage point of what is the best thing for our quarterback. What is the best thing for our long-term situation at quarterback? And I think

Starting point is 00:22:59 that that's just how teams that's how they think because that's the most important position on your roster and so you have to have a head coach and a quarterback combination that can work well together right that's why when you and i talk about that and maybe we're as guilty as anybody because when we talk about the idea like we did on yesterday's show of hey well sean peaton right off into the sunset and turn over the keys of the you know the car to davis webb as the head coach i mean it wasn't even a thought in my mind to say what if sean retires walks up off into the sunset and hands it over to Vance Joseph. That was never, I never considered that. So I'll admit that as we were going through that show. It's always like, yeah, maybe Davis Webb is the succession plan. So I'm not even thinking of it in our own context when we're talking about the hypothetical. So I mean, I get it from a certain vantage point of like you want to hire the offensive guru.

Starting point is 00:23:50 You want to have the, you know, maybe it's an established former head coach with proven success. But for Vance, Joseph, that puts him in a really brutal position because he's a great coach who might not get that opportunity in the proper situation. Yeah, and you have to have good ownership. You have to have some sort of stability as an organization. And I felt like for Vance, I know there was interest in him in the Arizona job. From what I understand, Vance at some point was like, I'm just not sure, especially with the uncertainty regarding Kyler Murray.

Starting point is 00:24:21 As we know, that decision was ultimately made. And they decided to go with a younger offensive mind. And then they brought in Nathaniel Hackett. Good luck with that one, Arizona. but I could see the New York Jets being a destination for Vance potentially. And I think the tie there, Darren Mucci as the general manager, they're giving Darren Mucci. I feel like they probably will give him more time over there to build the roster

Starting point is 00:24:42 to do things the right way. Even though Aaron Glenn continues to put his foot in his mouth and say some of the most outlandish stuff like Gino Smith is the guy that's going to lead us to the promised land, fall in sleep during the NFL scouting combine, you're caught on camera doing it. Like if that doesn't match up with on-field results, Aaron Glenn is going to get fired this season. He could be, I think maybe right now,

Starting point is 00:25:03 I don't even know this off the top of my head. Someone could check. I imagine right now he might have the odds, the best odds right now for being the first coach fired in the NFL. Vance to New York, if that were to happen, could very much happen because of the continuity, the knowledge, the common relationship there of Darren Mugi, knowing what VJ brings to the table.

Starting point is 00:25:24 And maybe they'll have a quarterback in place by then. That's not Chino Smith. But I just felt like it was frustrating for Vance knowing that, hey, Vance for two consecutive years has had a really good defense and has been passed over for some of these head coaching jobs. And look, we get it all the time. Some fans are going to comment, well, Vance is a better coordinator. I think Vance is a very, very, very good coordinator. I think, yeah, you can make an argument.

Starting point is 00:25:49 He's a better coordinator than a head coach. But he had one head coaching gig. And he also came to the fact of taking that job where he was handcuffed. He didn't get a say in who was his quarterback. That was John Elways. And that was something that Vance has reflected on as, you know, I didn't get enough say in my first time there. There's things obviously when you go through it your first time,

Starting point is 00:26:08 you look back after you're fired. What would I have done differently? Vance has grown so much as a coach since then. I think it is asinine to go through and say that he's not, he doesn't deserve a chance to be a head coach again because it didn't work out the first time. That has happened to a lot of coaches around the league that have been able to turn things around. A hundred percent, and he deserves the opportunity to prove that he can do it again. So I do, I like that there's maybe more people, friends in high places than before now to give him

Starting point is 00:26:37 those opportunities going forward. And it's just going to, I mean, that that puts even more pressure on him to have another awesome season this year, doesn't it? I mean, for his defense and to take it to the next level when it comes to takeaways, when it comes to maybe setting that, NFL record in sacks. I mean, if the Broncos do that, Cody, if they break the all-time NFL sack record and their top 10 and takeaways and their top five and all these other metrics, because we haven't even talked about the fact that, I mean, this was the best third down and red zone defense combined this past season. So that's why the Broncos defense is the strength of this team is because even with middle of the road takeaway numbers, they were still able

Starting point is 00:27:16 to dominate defensively because of their situational prowess. And so to me, it's like, what else does Vance got to do? You know, how many times does he have to go out there? And so I think that that's the thing is he's been somebody that, you know, NFL teams, a lot of folks really like him behind the scenes and not even just behind the scenes. A lot of teams love this guy. A lot of coaches love this guy, speak highly of this guy. There's a reason why Gary Kubiak wanted him so badly, tried to steal him before I think even

Starting point is 00:27:45 Wade Phillips came back to Denver. I can't remember exactly what that whole situation was, but I know they tried to get Vance before they ultimately hired him as the replacement for Gary Kubiak. So there's just so many layers to this that go, they're deeply rooted throughout the course of Vance's time in the NFL. I'll be fascinated to find out where he does eventually end up because if it is Denver, if it's a, if it's a Steve Spagnolo's situation like the Broncos have with what the chiefs currently have with Andy Reed and Spagnola as a defensive coordinator.

Starting point is 00:28:17 And it's just like, nobody wants to hire these guys. The Chief's assistance, nobody really wants those guys as their head coach for some reason anymore. I think that maybe if that's a situation, the Broncos just they benefit from that, from having Vance around. We've seen it, player development, production, consistency. They get better and better every year. So, I mean, the Broncos kind of win either way. Yeah, leadership as well.

Starting point is 00:28:40 I mean, I can tell you this, the Walton Pender family ownership group, they love Vance. They have nothing but high marks for Vance, Joseph, that's stuff that I have heard, you know, behind the scenes here for Denver. and I think he deserves his opportunity. But am I going to be mad if he stays in Denver and DC? Absolutely not. I mean, even Jonathan Cooper and Nick Benito, they're like, you know, we want, we are happy forance. We want him to get a head coaching job.

Starting point is 00:29:02 But selfishly, we like it for us because we get to keep him as our defensive coordinator. We get to keep him as our coach. They love him. He's got a brilliant mind in terms of how to attack certain offenses. And I think if Denver's offense can start to help them out a little bit more consistently, we might not see these stretches of games where the defense maybe has some breakdown here or there. It actually might balance itself out. Best case scenario, that is what we're hoping for here at Lockdown Broncos.

Starting point is 00:29:26 But I wrap up today's episode show for all you every day here is Broncos country. Tomorrow we're going to take a look at Broncos offensive line coach, run game coordinator, assistant head coach, Zach Streif. And the three biggest questions that he is facing in a very pivotal year for the Broncos to turn the run game around. Just a real quick reminder, if you want to support the show, the best way to do that, go join the Every Day Club, folks. As Sarah mentioned earlier, I've got all 22 film breakdowns up on Jada Barron.

Starting point is 00:29:49 Dobbins, how defenses play Cortland Sutton on third down. You get access to that by becoming an every day or plus you get an ad-free version of the show, folks, that is one of the best features about us. Check it out, lockdownbroncos.supercast.com or the link in the show notes down below. Sarah and myself, we'll see you tomorrow for a brand new episode of the show.

Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - AGAIN: Denver Broncos Defense POISED to REPEAT Top 5 Status with Vance Joseph in 2026

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